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Katrina Disaster Communications
Experience
Richard Green, KR7L
Hurricane Katrina: By Sep 11, 2005
383 dead (more like 1200 now)
$62.3 billion aid approved by Congress
More than 50,000 Nat’l Guard troops
90,000 square miles affected
293,000 homes damaged or destroyed
More than 1 million people left their homes
Hurricane Katrina: By the Numbers*
Nearly 2 weeks after landfall 430,000 without power 24,000 without natural gas 500,000 no phone service Est. 170,000 public school students displaced 75% of schools sustained significant damage in
coastal areas
Giving had reached nearly $700 million * Associated Press
The ARRL Callout
“Attention All Amateurs... Amateur Radio emergency communication volunteers needed! (Sep 2, 2005) -- The ARRL now is seeking experienced Amateur Radio emergency volunteers to help supplement communication for American Red Cross feeding and sheltering operations in Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle--as many as 200 locations in all. Special consideration will be given to operators who have successfully completed the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications course training (Level I minimum) to serve as team leaders.”
The Callout (cont)
“These volunteer operators will help to provide communication and equipment for relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If you’re interested and qualified, please send an e-mail message to [email protected], providing name, call sign, contact information and any equipment you’re willing and able to take along on a field deployment for an indefinite period. Volunteers may face hardship conditions without the usual amenities and will need to provide their own transportation to the marshaling area.”
My ResponseNAME: Richard L. Green ADDRESS: 20730 SE 293 ST., KENT, WASHINGTON, 98042-6885 TELEPHONE: 253-630-1426 CALL SIGN: KR7L OCCUPATION: Retired, available immediately. TRAINING: EMCOMM LEVEL 2 completed HIPAA Certified (Hospital Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) FEMA IS-00700 NIMS Certified First Aid/CPR Current
MEMBERSHIP: Maple Valley, Washington ARES Western Washington Medical Services Emergency Communications Team
EQUIPMENT: 2 Meter mobile with power supply, emergency antenna mast system and collapsible J-pole. 2 Meter / 70 Cm Handheld 2 Meter / 20 Cm Mobile in vehicle with cross band capability. HF transceiver. Laptop with packet software and sound card interface.
Marshalling Area in Montgomery
Checking in with ARRL in Montgomery Alabama
Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, SM in Montgomery
Dennis, K7BV and Allen, W1AGP setting up W4AP at Montgomery
Can you spot the Heathkit 1000W linear amp?
My Assignment
Report to the American Red Cross in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
South Central Mississippi Chapter on Hutchinson Avenue
Provide communications in feeding trucks or shelters
South 17th Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
30th Avenue in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Tree damage to home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Shell Gas Station in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg
Roof of the bakery gone in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hwy 11 at I-59 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Highway 42 in Petal, Mississippi
South Central Mississippi Chapter
The Mission – Five areas of
communication needs
Shelters
Feeding -- Kitchens to trucks
Client Service Centers (CSC)
Red Cross Operations Center
Red Cross Chapter House
The Implementation
Hattiesburg Coalition Repeater Network invaluable Three linked repeaters
2 Meter mobile rigs in the trucksHTs or mobile rigs in shelter or CSCsMobile rig in Operation CenterFull station at Red Cross Chapter House HF VHF/UHF Internet access
Hattiesburg Coalition Repeaters
Hattiesburg 147.315 +
Collins 146.985 -
Poplarville 145.410 -
All 136.5 Hz PLLinked for wide area coverage
Shelters
Hattiesburg Shelter
Forrest County Multi-purpose Center
Large conference site
Later at the Family YMCA
Later at the Lumberton Recreation Center
Sleeping at the Hattiesburg Shelter
K4YCR’s Em Comm station at the Hattiesburg Shelter
Raylawni Branch, RN at Forrest Co. shelter in Hattiesburg
Dr. Toxie Morris W5TMM at Forrest MPC Hattiesburg Shelter
Feeding
Kitchen to Trucks
Kitchen at Main Street Baptist Church (MSBC)Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs)Operators supplied 2 meter mobile rigsMag-mount antennas or use of ERV 6 meter antennaMost operators used PowerPole® connectors
2M mobile radio installed in the ERV
ERVs loading at Main Street Baptist Church
The Feeding TrucksMobile or fixed feeding used Mobile was house-to-house Fixed used churches, fire stations, or community
centers as a gathering place
I served on ERVs for three days ERV 3031 to Hintonville and surrounds both fixed
and mobile feeding ERV 2156 to Baxterville and south into the oil and
gas fields mobile feeding Fed power crews too
Communicated back to the kitchen the needs
Types of Messages
Number of meals served and estimate for the next day
Medical needs
Utility needs
Need for additional ERVs
JD Creel, WB4AWM at the morning 9 o’clock ERV meeting
The NCS van at “Church Base”, W5ALL
Inside the W5ALL NCS van
Loading ERV with hot food & snacks
Getting the ERV loaded with food to take out
Inside the ERV
Cambros and clamshells
Handing out meals
Hot lunches handed out at Main Street Baptist Church
Cleaning up back at the kitchen (MSBC)
Laundry trailer for volunteers
Shower trailer for volunteers
Overall view of part of the kitchen operation at MSBC, Hattiesburg
More hurdles to overcome
Fixed feeding at Hintonville
Providing hot meals at Hintonville Nazareth Baptist Church
Fixed feeding
Ken VE3MNY and Dr. Smock in their ERV
Mobile Feeding
Mobile feeding in rural Mississippi
Receiving a hot lunch at Lumberton, MS
Client Service Centers
Client Service Centers Communications
HT or mobile radio
Sometimes difficult to impossible
May require stepping outside
Outside antenna or yagi helped immensely Using a handheld and gel cell
with the outdoor antenna at Purvis 1st Baptist Church
2 Meter antenna in the back of 1st Baptist
Chris DeRienzo explaining the Purvis operation to security
Receiving an appointment number
Purvis CSC
Crowd gathers at Purvis
Purvis CSC
Waiting in line at Purvis
Processing applications for financial aid at Purvis
Security at the back door
Purvis CSC
Waiting in line early in the morning at Purvis MPC
Purvis CSC
Waiting their turn in the grandstand at Purvis
New Augusta CSC
Processing applications for financial aid
New Augusta CSC
Reviewing applications and signing checks
New Augusta CSC
Unloading water for staff and clients
Red Cross Operations Center
Red Cross Operations Center at First Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, MS
Dusty, KC2GZY, at Red Cross OC First Baptist
The Base Station at the Red Cross House
Communications at the Chapter House
Full HF capability
VHF/UHF
Power supply
Tuner when needed
Operator provided equipment
Existing antennas
Manufacturer donated equipment
Radio Station at the Chapter House
Matt KV2N and Paul N0AH at the Chapter House
Glen Sage, W4GHS, Hillsville VA, and Radio Officer for Carroll County, Virginia, our first team leader and
celebrity
Glen W4GHS
Jim KT4FQ, Clarksville, Tennessee
Relaxing after our evening planning meeting at the Red Cross Chapter
Darryl K0GV and JD WB4AWM at the Chapter
House
Richard KR7L, Grier KC5FJZ, & Wayne W9YYZ at the Chapter House
Glen W4GHS at the Chapter House
The Girl Scouts Lodge next to the Red Cross
Inside the Girl Scouts lodge bunkhouse
Set up a place to sleep wherever you can !
Observations on operations
Very professional operationTactical call signs usedFormal net with NCS early onTransitioned to informal net later onOperators assigned and performed with no additional trainingExpected to know what to doSet up their own equipmentNobody’s equipment or batteries failed
More Observations
Began with 4 operators on 9/5/05
9 hams the day David and I arrived 9/9/05
Added 6 more on 9/12/05
Peaked at 21 hams and declined from there as some finished their stay or re-deployed elsewhere and the need declined
There were 3 of us left when we closed down at the Red Cross in Hattiesburg on 9/28/05
Lessons Learned
Get trained now to do the job
Take on the job of net control at home so it is easy to do in a stressful environment
Stress encountered … blood pressure up
Know your equipment but have manuals for those that have to take over
Headphones are a real asset
Follow FCC rules and take care of yourself
My Reactions
Started out with awe and amazement
Became compassion and sympathy
Transitioned into disaster fatigue and indifference
Ended up in boredom and cynicism
The People
Jack, N3BQB, York PA Darryl, N0GV, Minnetonka, MN
The People
Steve, KB9X, Albert Lea, MN Jimmy, KT4FQ, Clarksville TN
The People
Fred, N4OJT, Louisville KY Ken, VE3MNY, Tecumseth, ON
The People
Adam, KC8HCE, student, Pickerington OH
Toxie Morris MD, W5TMM, Hattiesburg, MS
The People
Terry, N7BDL, Gilbert, AZ and Alfred, W5ALL, our NCS and Chavez County DEC, Roswell, NM
The People
Ann, N7EDC, Gilbert AZ Dennis, firefighter, Louisville KY
The People
Allan (Dusty) KC2GZY, Buffalo, NY
The People
Mat Marcus KV2N, Seattle, WA and Henry K4YCR, Forest, VA
Articles written by hams who were there
By Glen Sage, W4GHS www.w4ghs.org/Amateur_Radio_Standing_in_the_Breach.pdf
By Henry Wyatt, K4YCR www.theledgeronline.com/articles/05/9-23/katrina.htm
By Paul Veal, N0AH
www.eham.net/articles/12040
Thank all y’all for watching
AcknowledgementsThis presentation was made possible by the
generous contribution of photos by the following:
Steve Bonine, KB9X, Albert Lea, MNHenry Wyatt, K4YCR, Forest, VAAlfred Lindsey, W5ALL, Roswell, NMDarryl Ponder, K0GV, Minnetonka, MNLex Mason, KD5XG, Hattiesburg, MSKen Harris, VE3MNY, Tecumsch, ONThe Hattiesburg American
Photo Gallery
Army of bucket trucks at Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Beach Boulevard in Bay St Louis, Mississippi
Beach Boulevard in Pascagoula, Mississippi
Boats in Gulfport, Mississippi
Carrying all that is left in Biloxi, Mississippi
Cherokee Glen in Biloxi, Mississippi
Waiting in line for gasoline in Poplarville, Mississippi
Damage near Wiggins, Stone County, Mississippi
ERVs leaving to provide hot food to residents
Clothing pours in to Gulfport, Mississippi
First Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi
Phone numbers on a tree in Gulfport, Mississippi
Kentucky State Police relaxing in camp
Loading supplies at Gulfport, Mississippi
Street in Pascagoula, Mississippi the day after Katrina hit
Relief supplies at Waveland, Mississippi
Sister gets a treat at Waveland, Mississippi
Stocking up on donated supplies at Biloxi, Mississippi
Tent City at Thames Elementary School near Hattiesburg, MS
Thankful for obtaining MREs in Gulfport, Mississippi
Tree cleanup in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
What is left of the Waffle House in Gulfport, Mississippi
Waiting for help on Washington Avenue in Pascagoula, Mississippi
In front of the Red Cross Chapter House
US 90 at Bay St Louis