Lights, Cameras, Accident Scene

What To Do When The Media Arrives

You’re a volunteer with the local Police Department. You’re sitting at home on a rather warm Sunday in May.  Suddenly your telephone rings.

“Shoot, the press is here.” Photo by Howard WaGGner, News of Maricopa.

“Hello?”

“Hey, this is , we have an incident in that we’re being called to provide traffic control for. Are you available?”

Just like that, you’re sitting in a vehicle, crosswise in the street (see the white cruiser in the background of the picture?), while detectives and patrol officers deal with a crime scene right behind you. Your job is to keep the unauthorized people out, and let the authorized people in.

So, after a couple of hours of above-average temperatures (this is Arizona, after all), you notice a couple of guys walking up the sidewalk toward you. They’re carrying cameras and have ID cards hanging around their necks. More detectives? Crime Scene Investigators?

As they get closer you realize…IT’S THE MEDIA!

100 Years of ARRL

This year, the American Radio Relay League celebrates it’s 100th birthday.

They’re celebrating all year long. Here is a PDF document with information.

What will the next 100 years bring us? Even smaller radios? More options in the palm of your hand?

Maybe now is the time for you to get your License, if you’re not already a ham.  If you are a Ham, are you active?  Need a new radio?

HamUniverse.com wrote a neat little article about purchasing your first radio.  Here it is.

Tips for Choosing your First Radio for Your Ham Station and getting on the AIR! By N4UJW

Maybe join a ARRL Affiliated Club in your area, too. Become active in your community.

Become Radio Active in 2014!

73, de n7fan

ARES and CERT

One of the groups I belong to on LinkedIn.com has just finished up a long discussion on Community Emergency Response Teams and Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

I’m not sure if any agreement was reached, but the pontificating was fierce on both sides of the discussion.

And now, to toss some fuel onto the embers of the fire, the ARRL released their weekly newsletter, and advocated for ARES members to get involved in CERT!

New Year’s Resolution: Become a CERT Leader

What are the desirable traits for a Volunteer?

A management workshop, based on Harvard business school techniques, divided 110 people into eleven groups of ten people each. The groups were asked to list all of the attributes that came to mind. After a period of time they were told to stop writing lists and vote on their top eight. Then all eleven groups combined their results into the following top eight attributes:

1. Reliability.
2. Participation.
3. Being a team player.
4. Dedication and commitment.
5. Ability to cooperate.
6. Acceptance of responsibility.
7. Support; speaks well of his/her organization before others.
8. A success in his/her vocation.

Those are the top eight that beat out all others. What others might you add? This can be a good discussion at any organizational meeting.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

More than one professional in the field of Search and Rescue or Emergency Response Management has been known to say that “hams can be too much of a good thing.” What they refer to is the propensity of hams to respond en-mass to a call out without regard to their own skills, physical limitations, body condition, time commitment, and mental state.

Over time, these professionals, often “hams” themselves, reach a state where they decline to again issue a call out or utilize other hams in their operations. In essence, they’ve been “burned” once too often by the untrained and unskilled responders who think just because they hold an Amateur Radio license they are natural emergency operators. Their experience proves that merely holding a “ham” license does not an emergency responder make. It takes effort, study and training to be a good emergency responder. Search and Rescue teams know that because of their endless training and drills. They welcome with open arms seriously interested Radio Amateurs who have the self-discipline to undergo rigorous training similar to theirs and the commitment to stay with the program. Think about it. What kind of a potential responder are you? Are you in the small, but elite, fraternity of those highly trained and dedicated? Or are you in a larger group of those with a little training, a little knowledge and fluctuating interest? Or are you in the largest group that has no training, no knowledge of emergency communications, but feel you can help just because you have an Amateur Radio license? Which of these three groups would you like to have assisting if YOUR family’s life and well being were at stake? —-Cary Mangum, W6WWW

Originally published as RACES Bulletin 286, by the California Office of Emergency Services, on August 9, 1993

Do you “Ham” a Problem?

This piece is from 1993, but it’s still true to this day!

Let’s face it, for the fact that it is: some governments don’t really understand about Emergency Communications Units; they don’t really understand how to work with and utilize volunteers, including hams, some of whom are professional communicators. As a friend of mine put it recently, “Some government people have been “had” —- burned and worn out mentally —- by “hams” who are just that, amateurs (with the small letter “a”) with no real ability at communications; no interpersonal people skills; not willing to work cooperatively; who just don’t fit the type of people that an administrator wants to associate with, work with or be around. Unfortunately, the ham who is responsible for such affairs seldom, if ever, can grasp the significance of his/her actions in causing such unfortunate results.

​”Regrettably, once an agency person has experienced such an unpleasant situation, it can seriously hamper the efforts of more qualified professionals who come along later.”

Quite true, I agreed. One idea that came to mind after our discussion was this: avoid the use of “ham” or “amateurs”. Speak in terms of professional communicators who work without pay, similar to a Search and Rescue Unit (SAR). Call it an ECS Unit – Emergency Communications Support Unit or something similar and raise the expectation up to the emotional “want” level. Stay away from “ham” acronyms that can confuse or trigger past memories.

S/S Cary Mangum, W6WWW, State OES Chief Radio Officer

​Originally published as RACES Bulletin 286, by the California Office of Emergency Services, on August 9, 1993

One Trick Pony?

For quite a while now I have advocated for Ham Radio operators to cross train and learn how to “do” Social Media.

I became interested in the American Red Cross as a ham radio operator. I saw the potential to use my skill-set to help as a disaster communicator. I joined as a volunteer in 1995.

The local chapters used Hams to provide communications in shelter work, and local emergencies, but that was about it.

When I went on my first National disaster assignment, I found that the emphasis for Disaster Communications was telephone installation and fax machine setup. Oh, and tracking cell phones that were issued. Radio communications were used at Mass Care kitchens, for Mobile Feeding coordination and communication, but that was about it.

There were computers for each function, but a network of any sort?  Voodoo magic for sure.

As I moved up through the experience levels in the Disaster Communications function, and as the 90s passed by, we started to hear talk about “Enterprise solutions”, and combining the DisComm function with the Disaster Computer function. Keep in mind, that the majority of volunteers who deployed on national disaster assignments were retirees. Remember the adage about old dogs and new tricks?  Anything more difficult than a pager was out-of-bounds.

When I left the Red Cross in 2001, we had technology coming out of our ears. ECRVs, Push Kits, Satellite networking, etc.

Gone were the days of only needing linemans plyers, a punchdown tool, some RJ-11 jacks and a box of Twisted 4-pair wire. (I can still recite the 25-pair color codes.)

To remain in the function, you needed to adapt and learn new skills.

The ham radio operator who is interested in remaining useful in Disaster Communications needs to learn and adapt as well.  Don’t throw away the radio, but realize that it’s not the only method anymore.

Also, Hams need to know how to interact with others in disaster operations.

Recently I ran across a posting over at Rakesh Densaer’s blog, The Digital Responder, that discusses this issue, but from a different angle.

Densaer advocates for the creation of a Disaster Technologist:

This calls for a new kind of technology responder, one whose core competency is adapting a range of technologies to the emergency environment.  This is the area of the disaster technologist.

A disaster technologist should have the following skillsets…

1.  Understanding of the emergency environment (e.g. FEMA NIMS/ICS courses, or others depending on response).  This is a fundamental building block since a lack of this understanding means the technologist is operating out of context.

2.  Expertise in multiple technology domains – equally comfortable using multiple methods and multiple modes for communicating.  Why multiple domains?  Because if all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.  What you need are people who have a toolbox full of tools.

3.  Expert collaboration and problem solving skills.   Disaster communications often involves improvising solutions in the field…it will be essential that these individuals are comfortable in the “Iron chef” mode where “making it work” may involve a lot of different sorts of technology and duct tape.  It helps if people play well with others…

But with the aging demographic of Ham Radio licensees, are we again looking at the “Old Dog, New Trick” problem?

It we want to remain relevant to our served agencies/organizations, we owe it to them to learn their procedures and expectations.

True, we have a unique ability to communicate over both long and short distances, but is that enough anymore?  If we stubbornly remain a square peg on a board with round holes, eventually they will find other pegs to plug into their planning holes. Pegs that are adaptable and easier to use.

Hams should put away their hammer of “When All Else Fails” and work on add more tools to the toolbox. How about being relevant before everything fails? How about being KNOWN to your clients beforehand?

Otherwise, we will be the One Trick Pony. The ones they only call for parades.

Get inside your agencies and learn their needs.  Learn how to fill those needs.

Or be relegated to the supply box, next to the Biscuits, POTS and RJ jacks.

Why Don’t They Call?

EMC053 – ACCEPTANCE TAKES TIME – Originally published, 11 Nov, 1996

It takes time to accomplish the approaches described in our bulletins and papers. Much of it is, of necessity, confined to those unpaid professionals who work in government agencies. I am not addressing volunteers who serve non-governmental agencies on an infrequent basis. The ARES mission of health and welfare traffic, for instance, does take a lot of people who serve VERY infrequently. They are separate and distinct from the type of unpaid employee who works in government, especially in an on-going capacity, albeit unpaid. Note that I studiously avoid the word “volunteer” because the majority of urban governments simply don’t like volunteers. That’s because they may never have had the pleasure of working with the type I am talking about.

Appearance is invariably the first step. I know it sounds trite (and even inflammatory to some) but it is a fact of life; most officials are too tactful to say it —- so I will:

If you don’t look like us, if you don’t talk like us, if you you don’t act like us, and if you don’t perform like us —- you are not one of us. Thou shalt not pass.”

To this a potential volunteer may reply, “Fine. You want me to be or do that? Pay me!” Our reply is, in essence, “I understand your feeling. However, our people don’t do that because they HAVE to — but because they WANT to.” This puts the shoe back on their foot to back out gracefully.

Some may call this a hard line approach. We call it a real world, practical approach. Once you let your employees (paid and volunteer) know what is the mission and standards of performance, service, appearance, behavior, etc., they know exactly where they stand and what is expected. This should be carefully crafted and stated right up front before anyone is hired or signed on. It saves a lot of grief down the line. I have seen all too often government managers report that their volunteer program(s) failed. In analyzing the reasons, the most common is their reluctance to state up front and in writing what are the expectations of the government (or business, etc.).

Convergent Volunteers

Convergent volunteers are unsolicited volunteers who spontaneously offer help following an incident, emergency or disaster. They ask to be used when the need exists and expect to return home when their work is done. They may never show up again, or alternately, may come back in response to the next disaster. They do not expect to be paid.

How agencies utilize convergent volunteers will vary. Many turn them away enmass as they are not setup to handle them. Others may use then out of sheer necessity. Some may have a program set up.

To the volunteer it is difficult for them to understand why they may be turned away when they think that their skills can be of immediate use. For example, after an earthquake people with a backhoe or a crane may show up offering their services without charge to move fallen structures. When turned away they often get very upset as they seldom are told why.

There are several valid reasons.

1. No program in place to handle them in the proper manner to protect both the volunteer and the agency.
2. Legal constraints unique to an agency or jurisdiction such as states where there are specific response agencies stated in the law.
3. Inability to handle the situation at the time.
4. Lack of training in agency needs, protocol and such factors.

In communications, Amateur Radio operators who show up at an agency without having been requested (or authorized under an existing plan, such as ACS or RACES) are convergent volunteers. It is not infrequent that these “self dispatched” Amateurs have caused significant problems and caused agencies to discontinue the use of any volunteers. A better way is to become part of an pre-trained emergency communications unit, which provides for recognition and familiarity with agency protocol and its need.

EMC035 – Convergent Volunteers, Originally published: July 8, 1996

Conflict Resolution, or Ham Radio vs Social Media

I am reposting blog entries to my new blog account from the old one.

During a recent Twitter exchange with a Emergency Manager in Oklahoma, who is also an active Ham and a major proponent of SMEM, I asked him if he was worried about a backlash from the ham community regarding the ongoing integration of Social Media into Emergency Management and Response.

He answered “No”, and asked me why I might think that way.  Here was my response:

“Hams have had the corner on damage assessment for a long time, with ATV and such. Now the “kids” come along with their Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, etc, and can send back high def images of the area in 1/10th the time that Hams can. You ask why hams would have a conflict? Why does a small town have 2-3 separate radio clubs? Why are online ham forums filled with “spirited debate?” Pettiness, pride, no longer being the “only one who can help,” etc.

“The ARRL promotes “When All Else Fails,” but a lot of hams out there think that they should be the ONLY “else.”

“Now, once the cell grid overloads, or goes down, then 2-way radio comes into it’s own, but until that point, there will always be the potential for friction.

“The trick is for the ham to master social media so that they can indeed “do it all” in the field, and leave the ego/pride/attitudes at home.”

For this blog post, I have elaborated on what I mean with the following information.

Ham Radio has always been on the cutting edge of technology. But now, with cellular 4G speeds and wi-fi hotspots, we run the risk of being relegated to “second string” in emergency response circles.

Your average smart phone owner can snap a high definition picture of a scene, or damaged house, upload it to a number of different photo sharing sites online, post it to Facebook and have it show up on the EOC’s Facebook page before you could pick up your radio, give your call sign and your current location.  In addition, most of the pictures are GPS tagged with the location of the photo, so they automatically show where on the map the damage is located.

How do we stay current and relevant?  When disaster comes calling, and he takes out the cell phone systems, and the grid goes down, Amateur Radio will always be there.

But what about in the minutes/hours/days before everything “goes south,” if it ever does? How many disasters are there that occur, where the communications systems stay in place and our “last resort communications” are not needed?

Become Social Media Savvy! Learn how to use your smart phone. You don’t have one? Turn in your brick phone and join the 21st Century.

If you are part of an ARES group, or a RACES group, or SkyWarn, or whatever, learn if your served agencies are using Social Media, and interact with them! For example, some NWS locations are now taking storm spotter reports via Twitter! The American Red Cross has a major Social Media presence.

When you’re the only contact they have with a site, because of your radio gear, you are a default “Trusted Resource”. They have to believe, and act on, what you relay to them from the field.  You need to become that Trusted Resource on social media, too.

They should have the confidence to look at what you send in and think, “Oh, that’s (your name). He/She always sends us reliable information.” Or if not you, personally, then your radio group.

Too many times I have heard hams say “I only do radio.” Why not be the guy who also does YouTube video from the scene? Or, if you have good signal strength, maybe Skype Video, or one of the Instant Message video services?  Just like Fast Scan (Amateur) TV allows front-line hams to send back video to the EOC, cellular technology allows you to do the same, but with higher resolution and faster transfer speeds.

“In these really big disasters, the initial response is generally not government. It’s individuals helping each other, trying to find out what’s going on. … we kind of have this barrier, because the public isn’t official. It’s not an official source of information… But we’ve seen now in the U.S., from wildfires in California and Boulder to the recent ice storm and snowstorms…the public is putting out better situation awareness than many of our own agencies can with our official datasets.”

Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator

More and more, Emergency Managers are using social media not only to deliver prevention and mitigation messages, but also use these platforms to engage the public in a dialogue and encourage feedback on efforts to keep the public safe and secure.

By becoming active in Social Media, you are just adding to your disaster response skill set.

When all else fails, Amateur Radio will stand in the breach. But, don’t you want to do your part in advance of that? Make yourself as relevant in the small situations as you are in the big ones.