Operations at Fire Stations: Difference between revisions
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[[File:BEECN Radio Communications From Fire Stations.png|400px]] | [[File:BEECN Radio Communications From Fire Stations.png|400px]] | ||
... | === 400.35 Conduct at the Fire Station === | ||
a. When arriving at the fire station, volunteers should act as guests on the property. Please be respectful and avoid damaging equipment or property at the station. | |||
b. Credentials are required in order to access to the VHF kit. Fire station staff are instructed NOT to give volunteers access unless they possess an official PBEM volunteer badge. | |||
c. Except in highly unusual circumstances (i.e. potential life safety situation at the fire station), the Go-Kit should never leave the premises of the fire station. | |||
=== 400.40 Basic Fire Station Operations === | |||
a. Community residents go to their nearest BEECN to send information to the Portland ECC. To accomplish this, BEECN operators send messages via a UHF handheld radio to the volunteer team at the nearest fire station, and the fire station re-broadcasts BEECN messages via amateur radio to the Portland ECC. There are at least two team members at the fire station: | |||
# Amateur Radio Operator (FCC licensed): responsible for setup and operation of the amateur radio and communicating with the ECC. All amateur radio use and transmission must be in compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and regulations. | |||
# UHF Radio Operator (no license necessary): Responsible for setup and operation of the UHF handheld radio and communicating with nearby BEECN sites. | |||
b. FS volunteers should maintain a written log of communications to and from their station using the BEECN radio form, which is included as part of Appendix B. | |||
c. The ARO next checks in with the ECC. The procedure for checking in with the ECC via amateur radio is as follows: | |||
The ARO checks in with the Multnomah County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Resource Net Controller on the Multnomah County Secondary Repeater MC-2 '''(see Table 1).''' Checking in with MC-2, the ARO gives his or her FCC call sign and waits for acknowledgement from the net control operator. Once recognized, the ARO then provides the following information: | |||
* Name | |||
* Location | |||
* Available equipment, including communications and transportation resources BEECN affiliation | |||
* Any other information deemed necessary by the ARO or requested by net control | |||
d. If no contact is possible on the Multnomah County ARES Resource Net via the Multnomah County Secondary Repeater (MC-2), AROs should attempt to make contact with a Multnomah County ARES Net Controller via the following channels in the order listed on the following frequencies table: | |||
Multnomah County Frequencies | |||
[Table of frequencies] | |||
e. After checking in with the Resource Net Controller (or attempting to check in) the ARO switches over to PBEM Tactical 1 at MC 6, frequency 147.04000. If no contact is possible on that channel, AROs should attempt contact on PBEM Tactical 2 at MC 9, frequency 147.540 (simplex). The ARO will check in with the PBEM Tactical Net Controller, sited at the ECC, and repeat the same information given for the Multnomah County Resource Net check in. | |||
f. Regular radio traffic and monitoring commences. BEECNs will request permission from the fire station to begin passing traffic. The PBEM Tactical Net Controller will contact each fire station periodically for status reports. AROs will handle life threat radio traffic on MC 6 (MC 14 on simplex), unless directed differently by the Net Controller. | |||
g. The operator of the UHF handheld is responsible for regularly checking in with the BEECNs on his or her channel. This includes BEECNs on the channel not normally associated with the fire station (e.g. a BEECN whose operators cannot reach their normally assigned fire station may reach and need assistance from another). | |||
=== 400.45 Radio Traffic Priorities === | |||
Members of the public will have many different purposes for relaying messages through the BEECN network. If messages compete for priority, volunteers should use this guide to decide which messages get relayed soonest: | |||
1. Fire/Life Safety: these are, essentially, 9-1-1 calls. If a BEECN receives one of these messages it takes priority over and interrupts all other radio traffic. | |||
2. Damage Assessments and Casualty Reports: members of the public reporting significant damage to property and infrastructure, or reports of injuries and casualties. Portland Fire & Rescue will be the lead resource responsible for these. | |||
3. Government employee check-in: Government and TriMet employees have systems in place to contact their employers. If necessary there are “Post Earthquake Employee Check In” forms included in the loose leaf notebook in each BEECN cache. | |||
4. Person Location: this is a request from someone to help find a missing loved one. BEECN volunteers can direct people to resources but will not facilitate reunification of families, house mates or loved ones. | |||
5. Other: Any traffic that does not fall into the above categories (e.g. media requests). | |||
=== 400.50 BEECN Station List === | |||
The following table indicates which BEECNs each fire station will communicate with and the UHF channel to use: | |||
[Table of fire stations and BEECN sites with UHF channels] | |||
=== 400.55 Amateur radio script for fire station ARO to Net Control (ECC) === | |||
Scripts appear as Appendix A of these Guidelines. | |||
=== 400.60 Fire Station BEECN Activity Demobilization === | |||
a. Scripts appear as Appendix A of these Guidelines. | |||
b. Re-pack all equipment inside the orange Pelican case. If any equipment is missing, volunteers should indicate that at the end of the log along with any explanation as to why the equipment is missing. Volunteers may then leave the log inside the orange Pelican case, for PBEM to pick up later. | |||
c. Volunteers should next return the Go-Kit to its storage area at the fire station and let PF&R staff at the station know that BEECN activities have ceased. | |||
