Amateur Radio Emergency Service®/Clarke County Siren Exercise
February 24, 2007
After Action Report
Download the After Action Report in Microsoft Word format by clicking here.
Download the Siren Test and the Repeater Test in EXCEL format by clicking here.
Objectives:
1. Test the new VHF/UHF station at Clarke Co. EMA.
2. Provide real-time siren activation reports to the Clarke Co. EMA.
3. Provide ARES members the opportunity to pass tactical messages and use
tactical calls.
4. Provide ARES members the opportunity to test their equipment and ability to
connect with various 2-meter repeaters.
5. Prove the opportunity to ARES members to test their ability to change
frequencies quickly in case of a repeater failure.
6. Test the ability of ARES members and their equipment to operate in simplex
mode from various locations in Banks, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe and
Clarke County. This included the Clarke Co. Siren sites, Athens Regional
Hospital, the East Georgia Red Cross EOC, and the Clarke Co. EMA station.
7. Provide the ARES members the opportunity to work with the Clarke County EMA.
8. Provide an opportunity for ARES and RACES groups from other counties to
practice and work together.
Operating Procedures:
The Net Control Station (NCS ) was located at the Clarke County EMA and started
a check-in net at 8:30 a.m. on the KD4QHB repeater (146.745 – 123.0).
Stations assigned to Sirens were all on site by 8:50 am. Station checking in
gave the following information: Call Sign, Name, Location or Tactical Call
(Sirens – see page 3), and operating watts.
After check-ins were taken on the KD4QHB repeater, the NCS gave instructions to
participants to switch to other repeaters. During the starting net the NCS
announced that all stations should return to the KD4QHB repeater between each
repeater test or if the sirens were activated.
The repeater testing was conducted to give Clarke Co. ARES and individual’s
information concerning the capabilities of equipment, locations and repeaters.
The first test allowed participants to check-in the Oconee County RACES Net on
the W4EEE repeater. Other 2-meter repeaters tested are listed on page 2. Roll
was called on each repeater tested and then further check-ins were taken. A
simplex frequency was also tested. See Table 1 for the results.
After the sirens sounded all stations returned to the KD4QHB repeater for
submitting the siren test results. The NCS called roll and each station gave
the following information:
Tactical Call or Location
Audio: Positive or Negative
Rotation: Positive or Negative
Number of rotations made by the siren horn during the activation
Call Sign
Executive Summary of Results:
Overall the exercise was a success. The exercise provided an excellent
opportunity for ARES and RACES members to interact with the Clarke County EMA,
Oconee County EMA, the East Georgia Red Cross Chapter, and Athens Regional
Medical Center. This was the first exercise for Banks, Jackson, Madison,
Oglethorpe and Clarke County ARES to interact as a group with the Oconee County
RACES by checking into their net. The exercise also provided served agency
personnel an opportunity to observe the operation of ARES and RACES. Data was
obtained for the Clarke County EMA concerning the operation of the emergency
warning sirens.
ARES members exhibited a high level of enthusiasm and willingness to do what
was needed. They presented a professional approach and interaction with served
agency representatives in their efforts during the repeater and siren tests.
Due to conflicts in schedules, the hotwash was not conducted immediately after
the exercise, but throughout the next week on the Clarke, Banks/Jackson, and
Oglethorpe County ARES Nets. In total there were 3 hotwash nets conducted.
Participants were willing to address issues encountered and make suggestions
about how to improve the ARES response.
Observations/Recommendations:
An alternate Net Control Station (NCS) should have been established at the
start of the exercise. This station would have been responsible for
maintaining duplicate records during the exercise and providing net structure
in the event that the main NCS went off the air. This would prevent the loss
of information and would provide guidance for the ARES Team if the main NCS
lost contact with the rest of the group. The logical alternate station in this
case would have been the East Georgia Red Cross EOC. This will be incorporated
into future exercises
The NCS failed to recognize stations reporting during the repeater signal
tests. Due to commitments and various schedules, there was limited time to
gather data for the repeater test. Most Amateur Radio operators were able to
stay at their assigned station until 10:00 am, but the test took longer than
planned and resulted in a rushed net. This resulted in confusion, since
stations did not know if their report had been heard by the NCS.
The tests of the various repeaters in the area proved to be a beneficial and
showed communicators equipment problems and capabilities. Some stations
reported that they had programmed their equipment wrong and have now corrected
the errors. Since ARES team members programmed important emergency response
repeater frequencies in their radios before the exercise to help with the
repeater test, we now have ARES members with equipment programmed and tested.
A test on a simplex frequency revealed that Clarke County ARES should consider
using simplex frequencies in working with surrounding county ARES Teams.
During the exercise a Jackson County communicator exhibited a very strong and
clear signal to the Clarke Co. EMA NCS. The communicator’s station is near the
hospital in Commerce and could therefore serve as a relay station for the
hospital if repeaters are not working. Further drills should be run to help
determine other home stations that could serve as hospital relay stations and
as possible alternate NCS that could operate simplex.
While preparing for the exercise a copy of the Clarke ARES Emergency
Communication Plan and Standard Operating Procedures was not found at the Red
Cross EOC or the Clarke County EMA. Regular inspections should be conducted at
all EOCs and copies of the Emergency Communication plan should be in place as
well as a copy of the Clarke County ARES Team call down list. Copies of the
Clarke County ARES Annual Reports should also be kept at all EOCs for
reference. ARES Team members should have an updated copy of all SOPs and
Communication Plans.
The annual siren exercise should include more surrounding counties next year.
The Barrow County ARES Emergency Coordinator is presently in the process of
building an ARES Team and should have enough communicators to participate next
year. Also, St. Mary’s Hospital in should be included.
Due to time constraints we 70-cm band repeaters were not tested. Next year
these 3 repeaters should be added to the test list.
To increase the training experience during exercises, the NCS should turn the
net over to the alternate NCS.
The use of a liaison station to the Georgia State ARES Net on HF and the linked
repeater system was successful and should be considered in all future drills.
This was a home station and once again demonstrated the importance of good
solid home stations and their possible role in providing relay information.
A joint operation plan established for the transmission of messages inter-
county has not been approved by the ARES Emergency Coordinators in the 13 East
Georgia Red Cross counties or the 10 Northeast Georgia Public Health counties.
This plan needs to be completed and tested in next years exercise.
Capabilities must include intercommunications between all the counties included
in the 2 served agencies districts
The assigned tactical calls worked well and should be established for all EOCs
located in the response areas.
The Clarke County EMA has provided an excellent work area for the ARES Team
that is convenient to the information that might be requested during a
communications emergency. At this time the installation consists of a dual
band radio with a permanent antenna. In the near future an HF radio and
antenna will be installed. Also, Amateur Radio equipment will be installed at
the East Georgia Red Cross EOC and the Clarke County Police Station.
The exercise was started at 8:30 am and secured at 10:00 am. Further details
of the drill are in the following sections.
Special appreciation is extended to the served agencies for their support and
participation: Clarke County EMA, East Georgia Red Cross Chapter, and the
Athens Regional Medical Center.
Siren Data
Sandy Creek Park – Audio Positive, 8 Rotations
Holland Sports Complex - Audio Positive, 8 Rotations
Bishop Park - Audio Positive, Rotations Positive, Number of turns not reported
Broad Street – Audio Positive, 8 Rotations
Chemistry Building – Audio Positive, 8 Rotations
Married Housing – Audio Negative, 8 Rotations
Hillsman School - Audio Positive, 5 Rotations
Winterville 5-points Park – Audio Positive, 8 Rotations
Southeast Athens Community Park – Audio Positive, 8 Rotations
Clarke County Fire Station # 1 – Audio Positive, 7.5 Rotations
Siren Locations (Tactical Call) – Call Sign – GPS Location
Sandy Creek Park (Sandy Creek) – N4JJM - N 34 01 33.4, W 83 22 58.0
Holland Sports Complex (Holland Sports) – WW4GA - N 33 59 52.4, W 83 24 19.1
Bishop Park (Bishop Park) - N4ALE - N33 57 55.9, W 83 24 41.5
Broad Street (Broad Street) – KG4WHA - N 33 56 57.4, W 83 24 46.2
Chemistry Building (Chemistry) – KI4TMC - N 33 56 53.8, W 83 22 29.7
Married Housing (Married Housing) – N4CUA - N 33 55 28.4, W 83 22 36.1
Hillsman School (Hillsman) – AF4TQ - N 33 55 53.5, W 82 20 07.0
Winterville 5-points Park (Winterville Park) – KE4OGD - N 33 58 25.1, W 83 17
16.3
Southeast Athens Community Park (Southeast Athens Park) – N4NFI - N 33 55 39.1,
W 83 18 21.2
Clarke County Fire Station # 1 (Net Control Station - NCS) – K4AHN, N4ZRA
N 33 57 46.0, W 83 22 33.8
Other ARES Stations:
Georgia ARES State-wide Net on 3.975 MHz and linked 2-meter net - KR4MS
2-Meter Relay Station – N4VHA
East Georgia Red Cross EOC – KG4ROM, N2YYP
Athens Regional Memorial Center – KJ4EX
Home or Mobile Stations:
Mobile on University of Georgia Campus - KD4AOZ
Mobile in Madison County – KI4MHF
Mobile in Athens – KG4WGZ
Commerce Home Station – WT4XX
Commerce Home Station – KC4RSL
Commerce Home Station – KD4VHX
2-meter Repeaters and Frequencies Tested:
KD4AOZ in Watkinsville (147.045 + 123.0)
KD4AOZ in Athens (146.955 – 123.0)
K4TQU in Crawford (147.375 + 127.3)
W4EEE in Bogart (147.000 + 85.4)
N4ALE in Colbert (147.3000 + 123.0)
NE4GA in Commerce (147.225 + 123.0)
SIMPLEX (146.580)