2014 SET
This is the weekend for the 2014 SET - Simulated Emergency Test. Are you and/or your club participating?
Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].The South Plainfield Amateur Radio Club - SPARC, will be!
We are going to meet tomorrow at 10:00 AM at out EOC. Once there, I will hand out scripts to the "players" who will be dispatched at various sites around town. Basically, without giving away too much (some SPARC members actually read this blog - can you believe it?) we will be providing backup communications for the town as the result of a major natural disaster, including but not limited to, the manning of the regional shelter that is located in our town.
Each ARES/RACES member will receive an individualized script and will be directed, at specific times during the drill, to call the NCS and report a "situation". What is NOT scripted is the follow up actions and communications that will flow as a result of the reporting of the "situation". NCS has no idea of what he will be called about - the following communications will be dealt with as the circumstances dictate.
Right now, the script is still evolving and won't be finalized until tonight. This is when I should have a very good idea as to how many SPARC members will be participating in the drill tomorrow. Since tomorrow is Yom Kippur, some of our members will be unable to attend. I don't want this to be a boring, tedious drill. I want our members to actually do some communicating, and we will see where we go from there.
My part in all of this? I will sit in the EOC and will play the role of ICS, throwing some curveballs to the NCS as well. This should be interesting.
In addition, I will be looking for a volunteer to send a report of or activity to our Section Manager, our Section Emergency Coordinator, and our County ARES and RACES chiefs via NTS. (I would do it myself, but I'm taking the XYL out for dinner tomorrow night - today is our wedding anniversary!) This should be a good learning experience for some of our members who haven't has much experience with NTS. Instead of sending it as book traffic, maybe I can get four volunteers to send one message each.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Larry — I have admired and enjoyed your writing of ham radio activities — especially QRP and emergency operations… for several years. But I am especially pleased to read that by delegating your club’s activity report to another person — you will be able to enjoy the charm and companionship of the lovely Mrs. Makoski at your anniversary dinner. Well done, my fellow ham.
Randy K4LJA