ARES Members Help California Firefighters

From  The ARRL Letter Vol. 26, No. 28 July 13, 2007

==> ARES Members Serve Firefighting Efforts in California

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) members are assisting firefighters on the Zaca Fire, in Los Padres National Forest. More than 6500 acres of the forest are affected. The forest stretches across almost 220 miles from the Big Sur Coast in Monterey County to the western edge of Los Angeles County. ARES members from Santa Maria, in Santa Barbara County, are staffing roadblocks at the intersection of Figueroa Mountain Road and SR 154 and at the intersection of Happy Cyn and Baseline Roads. The roadblocks were established at the request of Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The fire, which began July 4, is believed to be human caused, according to the US Forest Service. As of now, it is 37 percent contained. The fire has now burned into the San Rafael wilderness, with the north flank of the fire currently burning in heavy, 40 year old fuels with a high dead to live ratio. Fuel moisture levels are extremely low and at a point that is usually not seen until late summer. Humidity is high, hovering at around 78 percent.

According to Donna Tooth of the US Forest Service, the fire is continuing to back down to the Sisquoc River. Plans are in the works to contain this portion of the fire, preventing it from spreading into areas that have not been burned since 1966. On its eastern side, the fire is burning along the Manzana Creek and has hit a portion of the Marre Fire of 1993. Firefighters are taking advantage of the younger vegetation and are attempting to "turn the corner" by applying direct line construction techniques. Firefighters are holding the fire on the north side of the San Rafael Ridge, south of the Sisquoc River and east of School House Canyon. The fire is threatening the Cody Cabin and the historic Manzana School House.

Fire commanders say the fire could grow significantly larger in the next 12-24 hours, and project containment will require 14 days or more.

FCC Releases Post-Katrina Order

From the The ARRL Letter Vol. 26, No. 28 July 13, 2007

==> FCC Releases Post-Katrina Order, "Final Rule"

On July 11, the FCC released their Order regarding the recommendations of the independent panel reviewing the impact of Hurricane Katrina on communications networks (the Katrina panel). It contained their conclusions following a review of the comments filed in response to the FCC's Notice of proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The Commission asked for comments a week after the release of the report and recommendations of the Katrina Panel and directed the Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) to implement several of the recommendations. The FCC also adopted rules requiring some communications providers to have emergency/back-up power and to conduct analyses and submit reports on the redundancy and resiliency of their 911 and E911 networks. The FCC's actions are to go into effect August 10.

The Commission noted that "the amateur radio community played an important role in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and other disasters," and instructed the PSHSB to "include the amateur radio community in its outreach efforts."

The FCC invited comments on the Katrina Panel's recommendation that the FCC "act to enhance the public safety community's awareness of non-traditional emergency alternative technologies that might be of value as back-up communications systems in a crisis." Several commenters suggested that the public safety community be educated about the applicability of Amateur Radio in a crisis. The FCC agreed with these comments, saying that improving the public safety community's knowledge of, and training in, alternative technologies would improve preparedness for future crises. They directed the PSHSB to "develop and implement an awareness program to educate public safety agencies about alternative technologies and to encourage agencies to provide regular training on any alternative technologies to be used," including educating public safety agencies about alternative technologies.

The recommendations said that several Amateur Radio operators recommended changes to Part 97 of the FCC's rules; Part 97 is the section that covers Amateur Radio. Many of the suggestions, the report said, have already been implemented, and as such, require no further action. For example, "the Commission recently eliminated Morse Code proficiency as a license qualification requirement, an action supported by several commenters in this proceeding."

The FCC once again made clear that Part 97 "does not prohibit Amateur Radio operators who are emergency personnel engaged in disaster relief from using their amateur radio bands while in a paid duty status." This changed this past December in WT Docket 04-140, the "Omnibus" Amateur Radio Report and Order (R&O).

The Commission also previously decided to phase out RACES stationlicenses, "making proposed changes to rules relevant to these licenses moot." ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, notes that the FCC "is not phasing out the RACES program, just the RACES station licenses."

In his comments to the Katrina Panel, W. Lee McVey requested that the FCC initiate a rulemaking to create a new radio service in the 148-150 MHz band "to facilitate interoperability between different first responders during and following a national emergency." The FCC noted that the 148-149.9 MHz band is allocated on a primary basis for the federal mixed, mobile and mobile satellite (Earth-to-space) zervice, and the 149-150.05 MHz segment is allocated on a co-primary basis for federal and non-federal mobile satellite (Earth-to-space) and radio navigation.

The FCC's report said "[This] petition does not address this use nor does it explain what rules would be necessary to govern access to this spectrum. Given the potential impact of McVey's proposal to spectrum allocated for federal use, we direct PSHSB, together with the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET), to seek feedback from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on this petition."

The FCC said that when it receives the feedback, they will direct PSHSB and OET to make a determination on the appropriate action to be taken on McVey's petition. 

CERT Quarterly Division Training

CERT graduates have been asking for more information on radio communication. This quarter's topic is LAFD 800 MHz Radio Use and Introduction to GMRS/FRS Radios. A "hands on" radio / ICS drill is scheduled.

If you already own FRS or GMRS radios, bring them (charged or with new batteries) to the training. For those who have radios and have never used them, the chance to learn is here. Information will also be available for those who are thinking of buying radios.

Bring all your CERT response gear with you.

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The vision of the Division Trainings is to provide either new CERT-related training topics or to review existing CERT topics to increase the "Ready Responsiveness" of our CERT teams.

We offer one topic, three times, in three different locations in Los Angeles (once in each of our City Fire Divisions) over a 3-month period. That way, CERT members have three different opportunities to attend the training in three different locations. We envision four training topics each year.

Training will be either conducted by LAFD members of the CERT Unit or by qualified specialists on the subject matter.

Quarterly Division Trainings are open to all CERT graduates regardless of affiliation.

Los Angeles CERT members must submit completed CERT Volunteer Enrollment Forms prior to the event.

CERT members from other agencies must submit copies of their CERT IDs or CERT certificates prior to the event.

Fax all paperwork to 818-804-5302.

Sign up online and get directions at http://www.cert-la.com/quarterly-trainings.htm.

You can attend any of the Quarterly Division Trainings.

[Moderators note: You must be a CERT graduate to attend these training sesions. For information about CERT classes use the web site below. JZ]


Linda Underwood for www.cert-la.com