ARES UPDATE

ARES UPDATE

By Dave Wellman WX3E
Erie County ARES Emergency Coordinator

On Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 11:30 AM, I received a telephone call from the Erie Chapter of the American Red Cross advising me that they might be opening a shelter due to the wide spread power outages in Erie. I immediately called John Churchill, N3DBC, who is the “team leader” for the ARES Red Cross communications team. I advised him of the possible activation and told him to advise other members of his team. At 11:55 AM, I received another call saying that a shelter would be opened at St. Paul’s Church at 31^st and Sterrtitania Rd.

At 12:00, John was responding to the shelter and later, Sam Simpson, KB3DAF. I contacted Ron Seyboldt, WB3DOM, and asked him to serve as a liaison station from his home until an operator arrived at the Red Cross. A group page was sent out over the Alpha-page system and Alan Jordano, KB3DUO, advised me that he could leave work shortly to go to the Red Cross with an ETA of about 15-20 minutes. I advised the other two stations of this and continued other duties from my home, before leaving for the Red Cross. Several other operators were brought up to date on what was happening as well as Brian Zentis, KA3JVX, Deputy ARES EC, and a message was left on an answering machine for Kathleen Peca, WY3R, Western Pa. Section Emergency Coordinator.

At 1:05 PM, John notified us that the shelter was officially open and staffed by Red Cross volunteers.

At 4:00 PM, the Red Cross advised me that they would be opening a second shelter although the location was yet to be determined. I contacted two operators who were on standby, one on the east and one on the west side of town. At 4:50 PM, they advised me that it would be Trinity Lutheran Church at 38^th and State St. Frank Henry, KB3NAT, had been one of the operators standing by at home and lives about ¼ mile from the church. At 5:05 PM, Frank said that he was on location, with the church pastor being the only other person with him. At 6:05 PM, Frank advised that the Red Cross personnel were on location. Frank had advised me that he was only available until 9 or 9:30, due to having to leave for work. Ron, WB3DOM, had offered to replace him if needed.

At 8:10 PM, we were advised that the St. Paul’s shelter was to close and at 8:30 PM, the Trinity shelter was to close.

As we were preparing to leave, Laura DiPasqua, Red Cross Emergency Services Director, stopped Brian and I and thanked us for the excellent service we had once again provided. She told us that the information we were giving to her as we received it certainly made her job much easier. She assured us that whenever a shelter is opened again, that we will definitely be called.Participating stations include:

N3DBC John Churchill, Red Cross Team Leader

KB3DAF Sam Simpson, Red Cross Team Member

KB3NAT Frank Henry, Red Cross Team Member

WB3DOM Ron Seyboldt, Erie County ARES Member

KB3DUO Alan Jordano Erie County Skywarn Forecast Officer

KA3JVX Brian Zentis, Erie County Skywarn EC

WX3E David Wellman Erie County ARES EC

I feel that the operation went very well.

• The first responding operators immediately began using tactical call signs as we have done in previous drills.

• There were always operators standing by, available for immediate deployment which accounts for our being on location well before the Red Cross personnel.

• Due to pre-assigning of teams and team leaders, we did not have to waste valuable time looking up contact information.
  
  
• Due to pre-planning by the previous ARES leadership team, a complete HF / VHF / Packet station is in place in a Communication Room adjacent to the Red Cross EOC and just down the hall from the Emergency Services Director