EMC120 Unit Priorities 1/3
To:   Emergency Communications Units - Information Bulletin
To:   Emergency Management Agencies via Internet and Radio
By:   Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) of the
      California Governor's Office of Emergency Services  

EMC120 Unit Priorities  1/3            For release 2/23/98

The city of Huntington Beach, CA has been mentioned in prior
EMCOM bulletins for their CERT and RACES programs. Here is an
eye-opener about unit priorities by Glorria Morrison, KE6ATG,
Emergency Services Coordinator. From their RACES Newsletter,
Volume 5, Issue 3, July l997 and quoted verbatim from the 
article "RACES Priorities". Although addressed to a city RACES
unit, it can apply to almost any government EMCOM unit:

Have you ever wondered exactly what RACES priorities are in a
disaster? During the onset of a disaster, there may be dozens
of communication failures including: phone systems, fire and
police radio repeater damage, damage to school radio systems,
cellular phone site damage or overload, etc. This will require
and immediate competition for Amateur Radio resources. In the
City's disaster plan, RACES is the City's auxiliary
communications system in case of communications failures. But
how will RACES prioritize all the requests for help?

Step One - Personal Preparedness. There are presently 82 RACES
members on our roster. How many of you are able, at this very
moment, to pick up your bag of radio equipment and personal
supplies and head for the door? How long would it take to get
your act together and respond? Remember, (1) take care of
yourself, (2) your family, and (3) your home. When the time
comes, believe me... you had better be ready to go! If you're
not, please take the time today to assemble your personal Grab
'n Go Bag and your radio equipment bag.

Step Two - Activation and Reporting. How will you be
activated? Those of you that have the Plectrons will be
activated by the RACES Management Team who will report to the
EOC and call tones. However, if the emergency is one that
shakes us out of bed and lets us know we are activated prior
to the tones being called, you should immediately turn on your
radio to the RACES frequency xxxxx MHz and be prepared to
check in. You will be given your instructions by radio.
Instructions may include: Report to the RACES Staging Area at
[location deleted for this article]. There, you will be given
your assignments. Or perhaps you will be sent directly to a
School District EOC, the Central Library, Senior Center or a
Fire Station. You must be ready to respond. Do you have a map
of Huntington Beach and are you familiar with the location of
the fire stations, city facilities,  police sub-stations,
schools and school district offices?  These are the most
likely locations you will be sent to. Get your  map out today
and review these locations. We will review these  sites at our
next general meeting." 
(Continues next week) 
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______________________
Otherwise bulletins are on the Web, an FTP archive and a BBS:
WEB: ACS Web page: http://acs.oes.ca.gov/ 
FTP archive: ftp.ucsd.edu/hamradio/packet/tcpip/incoming
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______________________
OES ACS staff manager Stan Harter :Stanly_Harter@oes.ca.gov 
State Chief ACS Officer Cary Mangum: Cary_Mangum@oes.ca.gov
EOM EMC120