EMC122 Unit Priorities 3/3
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  

EMC122 Unit Priorities 3/3         For release   3/9/98

Although speaking to their city RACES unit, this can just
as well apply to any EMCOM unit serving government.
 
(Continuing:) 

7. Shelters - Should we have to evacuate people from their
homes, schools or businesses for any reason, the City and
the American Red Cross will set up shelters. We have to be
able to talk to the Shelter Manager to provide for their
logistical needs. RACES would provide this important
connection from the Shelter to the City's EOC.

8. Employee Familv Notification - City employees have been
given a card with our RACES frequency. In the event of a
major emergency where phone systems are out, family members
of employees who will have to remain on duty are to find an
Amateur Radio operator and have them report on the family's
condition. This is to help the employee stay on the job to be
able to respond to the disaster. Not knowing if your family
has survived can weigh heavy on the minds of emergency
responders. We need to free their minds of this worry as soon
as possible so they can concentrate on responding the needs
of the community. 

9. Other Requests As Needed - We have two hospitals
(Huntington Beach Medical Center and Pacifica), convalescent
hospitals, large businesses, shopping centers, etc. Any of
these sites may need communications set up linking them to
another site or the EOC. Flood channels may need monitoring,
groups of sandbaggers may be sent out and need communications
back to a base location, teams of responders from outside the
area may not have common frequencies with our responders and
may need links, etc. There are hundreds of scenarios where we
will need communications links from one group to another. You
may be asked to shadow the Mayor, a responding dignitary,
provide communications from the Marines to a Police Command
Post, provide communications to responding building inspectors,
FEMA, Caltrans, Army Corps of Engineers or the Fire Chief
whose batteries in his radio just went dead.

Each of you need to take the time and think out your response
to a disaster. We may desperately need each and every one of
you and you had better be prepared to respond with a moments
notice

As you can see, RACES is an indispensable part of the City's
response to disasters. We have seen is over and over again
throughout the United States when a major disaster hits. The
plan is... if any communication system fails..call the RACES.

ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLANGE?"
(end of quoted article)
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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/ 
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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 EMC122