STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOP)
FOR
RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE
(RACES)
I.
PURPOSE
This SOP describes the RACES
emergency/backup communications available to the Lee County Emergency Management
Agency (LCEMA) whenever a catastrophic event poses a threat having the potential
to produce a disaster or major emergency situation. It designates those responsible for
coordinating and conducting RACES activities.
II.
RACES
OPERATOR APPLICANTS
Persons desiring membership in the LCEMA RACES organization will complete an Application (see Attachment A). Applicants will be required to attach to their application a signed Loyalty Oath (Attachment B) and a copy of their Amateur Radio license. A background check on applicants will be conducted by local law enforcement agencies. Approved applicants will be issued identification cards authorizing admittance to the Lee County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the purpose of operating RACES equipment. A current copy of each member's approved application, License and Loyalty Oath will be kept on file in LCEMA Administrative files.
III.
SITUATION
The LCEMA RACES organization will provide a
local Net for the Command and Control of all activities in support of the EMA;
and a Net(s) for communications between the Lee County EOC and the Alabama
Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) EOC in Clanton, Alabama and other RACES and
Amateur networks located throughout the State of Alabama in the event of hostile
or natural/technical hazardous threats having the potential for producing a
major emergency or disaster situation/incident endangering life and
property.
IV.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The following officials are responsible for
coordinating all RACES communications activities in Lee County,
Alabama:
A.
Director, Lee
County EMA
B.
Communications
Officer, Lee County EMA
C.
RACES
Coordinator, Lee County EMA
D.
Designated
alternate RACES Coordinator(s), Lee County EMA
V.
OPERATIONS
A.
Networks
Networks or Nets may be established on any
of the following frequencies or frequency bands: Frequencies Available: 3930-3980 KHz, 3984-4000 KHz, 7245-7255
KHz, 144.50-145.71 MHz, 146-148 MHz Bands.
1.
Authorized
frequencies and emissions allocated to the Amateur Radio Service are also
available to RACES on a shared basis.
2.
The Net Control
Station (NCS) operator, directed by the RACES Coordinator, will establish a Net
or networks necessary to insure adequate emergency communications support to the
EMA.
3.
War Emergency
Frequencies:
If an emergency occurs that necessitates
invoking the President's War Emergency Powers, RACES stations and amateur radio
stations participating in RACES will be limited operationally to the
following:
FREQUENCY OR FREQUENCY
BANDS
List of Frequencies (Wartime Emergency
Situations)
The frequency bands listed below are
available to stations transmitting communications in RACES on a shared basis
with the amateur service. In the
event of an emergency that necessitates the invoking of the President's War
Emergency Powers under the provision of Section 706 of the Communications Act of
1934, as amended, only RACES stations and amateur stations participating in
RACES may transmit on the following frequencies:
KHz MHz
1800-1825
28.55-28.75
1975-2000
29.237-29.273
3500-3550
29.45-29.65
3930-3980
50.35-50.75
3984-4000
52-54
7079-7125
144.50-145.71
7245-7255
146-148
10100-10150
2390-2450
14047-14053
14220-14230
14331-14350
21047-21053
21228-21267
In addition, 1.25 cm (220.0-225.0), 70 cm
(420.0-450.0), and 23 cm (1240-1300 MHz) are available.
(See Chapter 3, Paragraph 3-2, CPG 1-15 to
confirm current Frequency Bands)
4.
Network Control
The EOC base station, using a designated
Amateur Radio Call Sign, will control all networks. Networks in different bands will be
assigned a suffix letter assigned by the RACES Coordinator as required.
B.
Emergency
Bands To Be Used
Current plans will utilize frequencies in
the 80, 40, 20, 2 M and 70 cm bands for emergency communications
support.
C.
EMA NCS
Call Sign
Will be a designated or authorized Amateur
Radio Call Sign.
D.
Estimated Number of Portable and Mobile Stations.
The number of VHF and UHF mobile and
portable stations utilized to support any RACES need will be determined by the
RACES Coordinator based on event need.
E.
Frequency Coordination
The Lee County RACES Organization, through
the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA), will resolve all RACES frequency-sharing problems within its area
of operation and will assist in resolving any present or future mutual RACES
frequency sharing problems through affected County Emergency Management
Agencies.
F.
Communications Equipment
Mobile and portable equipment is owned by
individual RACES members (Attachment C).
All present base station equipment (Attachment D) is owned by the
EMA. All capabilities stated in
this SOP are immediately available.
The Lee County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is equipped with
emergency power.
G.
Method of
Assigning Call Signs to Stations Other Than the Net Control
Base
1.
National
Emergency Operations
The Net Control Station Operator will use
an Amateur Radio Call Sign authorized or
designated for use by the EOC. All
other operators will use the Net Control Call Sign with a suffix determined by
the RACES Coordinator based on event need.
2.
All other
Emergency Operations
The Net Control Station Operator will use
an Amateur Radio Call Sign authorized or designated for use by the EOC. All other operators will use their own
FCC assigned call sign.
THIS SOP BECOMES EFFECTIVE on date of EOP implementation.
APPROVED:
_____
________________________
Lee County Emergency Management
Lee County Emergency
Agency, Communications Officer
Management Agency, Director
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Application
Form
B - Loyalty Oath
Form
C - RACES
Roster
D - RACES Equipment
List
RACES MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
ATTACHMENT A (Supplement #4)
APPLICATION FOR RACES MEMBERSHIP WITH THE
LEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
(Please
Print)
Last Name _____________
First Name _________________ MI
____
Amateur Call Sign
License
Expiration Date __________________
License Class:
Extra _____
Advanced _____
General _____
Tech Plus_____
Tech N.C. _____
Novice _____
Home Phone ( ) -
Work Phone ( ) -
Ext. ____
Are you available for
twenty-four hour call? Yes _____ No ____
If No, provide hours
available EXAMPLE: 4 p.m. - 6 a.m. and Weekends
I will serve during
emergency situation, within reason, when requested during the hours that I have
indicated.
Home Address City _________ State Zip _______
Employer:
___________________________________________________________________
Address and Phone Number:
____________________________________________________
A copy of your license must be attached to this
Application or it cannot be approved.
** Complete the RACES COMMUNICATIONS UNIT LOYALTY OATH
**
Have you ever been a member
of the Communist Party or any other subversive organization? Yes No If so, state when or where
Have you ever been arrested,
charged or held by any law enforcement agency (Federal, State, Local, or
Military) for violations of any law, regulation or ordinance of $25.00 or more:
Yes No. If yes, give place charge and
disposition.
I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE TO THE
BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF.
______________________________
______________________________
Signature
Date
|
*TO
BE COMPLETED BY RACES OR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ONLY* Date Application
Received Loyalty Oath Signed:
Yes_______ No ____
Amateur License
Verified By Date __________________
Application is: Approved Disapproved ________________
RACES Permit Issued
By Date _____________
Identification Card
Number Issued Valid
Until
___________________ Remarks:
|
ATTACHMENT B (Supplement #4)
LEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AGENCY
RACES COMMUNICATIONS UNIT
LOYALTY OATH
I, ,
do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of
the United States and the Constitution of the State of Alabama against all
enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the
same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties
upon which I am about to enter.
And I do further swear (or affirm) that I
do not advocate, nor am I a member of an affiliate or any organization, group,
or combination of persons that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the
United States by force or violence; and that during such time as I am a member
of the UNIFIED COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY'S RACES COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, I
will not advocate nor become a member an affiliate of any organization, group,
or combination of persons that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the
United States by force or violence.
_________________________
SIGNATURE
_________________________
DATE
ATTACHMENT C (Supplement #4)
INSERT ROSTER OF RACES OPERATORS
(BI-ANNUAL UPDATES REQUIRED)
ATTACHMENT D (Supplement #4)
E-X-A-M-P-L-E
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT RACES
EQUIPMENT
OCTOBER 2004
TRANSCEIVERS
|
TYPE |
MAKE |
MODEL
NO. |
SERIAL
NO. |
DATE
ACQUIRED |
LOCATION |
INVENTORY
NUMBER |
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POWER SUPPLIES
|
TYPE |
MAKE |
MODEL
NO. |
SERIAL
NO. |
DATE
ACQUIRED |
LOCATION |
INVENTORY
NUMBER |
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ANTENNAS
|
TYPE |
MAKE |
MODEL
NO. |
SERIAL
NO. |
DATE
ACQUIRED |
LOCATION |
INVENTORY
NUMBER |
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REPEATER
|
TYPE |
MAKE |
MODEL
NO. |
SERIAL
NO. |
DATE
ACQUIRED |
LOCATION |
INVENTORY
NUMBER |
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*Inventoried as a unit
STANDING OPERATING PROCEDURE NBR 7
RACES COMMAND AND CONTROL
I. APPLICATION
This Tab applies to the RACES operators
that provide RACES operational capabilities at the EOC, and/or other operating
sites for the purpose of providing emergency/back-up communications to the Lee
County Emergency Management Agency.
II. GENERAL
The organization, officials and facilities are as delineated in the basic SOP. Members of the RACES unit may utilize personal equipment when requested and/or authorized by the RACES Coordinator or designated EMA official.
III.
OPERATIONS
A.
Emergency
Operating Center
1.
All nets will
be established utilizing frequencies specified in the basic SOP as directed by
the RACES Coordinator.
2.
RACES Operators
at the EOC will assume Net Control of all RACES operations unless directed
otherwise by EMA. Some events may
dictate that Net Control be transferred to another county EMA or another RACES
operator.
3.
The Net Control
Call Sign shall be an appropriately assigned or authorized for use Amateur Radio
Call Sign.
B.
Frequencies
All nets will be established utilizing
frequencies specified in the basic SOP designated by the RACES
coordinator.
C.
General
RACES Operations
1.
All RACES
operations will be at the control, direction and responsibility of the RACES
Coordinator as directed by the Director Lee County EMA or his designated
representative.
2.
All RACES
operators must practice good communications procedures described in amateur
radio manuals as designated by the RACES Coordinator. A high degree of professionalism
is required.
3.
Operator
training will be conducted by the RACES Coordinator as required but not less
than twice a year.