FORWARDED FYI: ============== Last June I received a message from Red Cross disaster coordinator, Cindy Hahn, KB1EYN, to attend a meeting of members of a new network of agencies, to be called the Community Organizations Active in Disasters, COAD. On an accompanying list of prospective organizations, the names of Sue Grimaldi, WA1SJG, and Norm Gregoire, W1BMK, also appeared. Since that time I and two other members of the Franklin County Amateur Radio club (and ARES) have attended a number of planning meetings. Last month Tracy Rogers, a regional planning coordinator for the Franklin County Regional Council of Governments, drew up a proposal for an emergency action plan for COAD. She included an item for amateur radio, which reads: “What kind of emergency support can amateur radio clubs provide?” I have since pointed out to Tracy the limitation of using the word, “club” and she says she will delete that word in future agendas. So far only I and two other hams from Franklin County have attended the meetings to represent amateur radio. I think it would be far better if emergency coordinators and others active in RACES or other types of radio emergency operations would participate. At the next planning meeting, on March 14, the item regarding the role of amateur radio will be on the agenda. I am willing to express my perspective, but I am sure others from Hampshire and Hampden Counties will have differing perspectives. I hope some of you will find time to attend the meeting. It will take place at the Catholic Charities office, at 65 Elliot St. Springfield, at 1 PM. On March 24 there will be a joint meeting of both the Pioneer Valley and the Berkshire County COAD’s at the Clarion Hotel in Northampton. Again I think it would be a great idea to expand the representation of amateur radio at that meeting. If nothing else, COAD meetings have provided an opportunity to network with Red Cross disaster coordinators, several of whom have attended each session. MEMA regularly sends one or two representatives. At the last meeting the MEMA representative announced that Region 3/4 Director, Pat Carnavale is planning on having a COAD representative sit in when the region office is activated as an EOC. (This is in addition to the existing seat for a Red Cross representative.) COAD is also an opportunity to meet and talk with people from organizations not typically associated with emergency response, but which played valuable roles in the recovery work after the four major storms that hit the area in 2011. For anyone interested in finding out more, I will be happy to provide what I know. Spread the word to others who might be appropriate for this level of planning. -- Chris Myers, KB1NEK, President, Franklin County Amateur Radio Club, ARES Emergency Coordinator for Franklin County, Emergency Management Director, Town of Shelburne
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 03:16:37 +0000
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