TO: ARES/RACES Emergency Responders

FROM: Stanford University Amateur Radio Emergency Service - Emergency Coordinator

RE: Amateur Radio Emergency Service - Emergency Responder Activation Instructions

Thank you for assisting us with our volunteer efforts! Please keep this document with your emergency equipment.

Amateur Radio Emergency Service/RACES - Disaster Instructions:

In the event of a disaster, please follow these steps:

1. Make sure you and people around you are safe.

2. Monitor the Stanford University ARES Primary Repeater 440.200(+) [PL 123.0]. If the repeater is not functioning, transmit in simplex mode on the output (440.200). Follow the instructions of Net Control. Net Control will be conducted by the ARES Emergency Responders assigned to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) or their designates. DPS Net Control will 1) coordinate all Stanford ARES radio traffic (from SOCs, etc.) and 2) conduct all ARES radio traffic with the County and other government/mutual aid agencies. Exception: Stanford Hospital may check in to the Santa Clara County Hospital Net (145.230 - [PL 100.0]). All stations should also monitor the Santa Clara County ARES/RACES resource repeater: 146.115 + [PL 100.0]. SOCs should conduct tactical traffic on the Stanford Tactical 1 Frequency: 146.490 (simplex; PL 123.0).

DEPLOYMENT:

        Step 1: Be officially activated and log-in via radio or telephone.

        Step 2: Receive an incident number to the event; write it down and take it with you.

        Step 3: Grab your equipment, IDs, etc. and proceed directly to your assigned location. Physically sign-in upon arrival. If you do not have a DSW ID, be sworn in (loyalty oath).

        Step 4: Perform your assignments.

        Step 5: Be deactivated and debriefed in accordance with SEMS/SOPs.

NOTE: Unless you are told otherwise, Stanford University ARES personnel are to respond to the Stanford Department of Public Safety (Police) Compound. Located at the end of Pampas Lane (near the Credit Union) off of Serra, the Stanford Police Compound looks like a large tennis court complex from the outside. The Compound contains SUARES radio equipment in a small radio building at the base of the large, wooden antenna tower ("the Rohn Building"). The Stanford Hospital EOC/SOC is in Room H3210A, adjacent to Room H3210 (Main EOC). This room is on the third floor directly above the cafeteria. Go to the west side of the hospital (Welch Road), and enter through the doors that lead to the cafeteria. Instead of going to the cafeteria, go up via stairs or elevator to the third floor. Stay in the "H" quadrant of the hospital. The EOC is on the west side of the third floor, through the door marked "Administration".

Below are some frequencies that you should know:

WARNING: It is a violation of Federal Law to transmit on any frequencies without 1) an appropriate Federal License, 2) permission from the agency assigned to the frequency, or 3) unless a state of emergency exists or, if no state of emergency has been declared, 4) there is imminent danger to life or property, and other means of communications are not practicable.

You should also be aware of these packet and 1.2 GHz frequencies:

144.910 S Santa Clara County Packet (city to county) KE6AGJ-1

223.660 S Santa Clara County Packet (city to county) KE6AGJ-1

1282.50 - Stanford W6YX/R -12 Mhz offset [PL 88.5]

1292.55 - Stanford WA6ITV/R -20 Mhz offset [PL 88.5]

145.750 S Stanford Packet (computer data; 1200 bps)

433.430 S Stanford Packet (computer data; 9600 bps)

ARES/RACES ACTIVATION PROCEDURE:

It is important to understand how we Amateur Radio Operators would be "called out" in an emergency. ARES/RACES is part of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), which allows our served government agencies to treat us as a deployable resource. As ARES/RACES Emergency Responders (and registered Disaster Service Workers), you may be "activated" by any government agency that desires our assistance (the "government agency" at Stanford University is the Department of Public Safety).

Our primary served government agencies are: the Stanford University Department of Public Safety (a.k.a. "Stanford Police Department"); the County of Santa Clara; the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office; and the Palo Alto Fire Department units assigned to Stanford University. The activation chain of command starts with the served agency, goes to the Emergency Coordinator (or alternate), and then to you individually. Note: It is important that you be officially activated, since this allows you to receive DSW workers' compensation insurance coverage for the duration of your service. [If you do not have a current Disaster Service Worker (DSW) ID card, ask to be "sworn in" before field deployment, so that you will be covered by DSW insurance.] Notification of activation will occur by telephone or, if telephones are not working, by radio.

INSURANCE AND LIABILITY:

Volunteer disaster service workers may be covered by workers' compensation insurance from the moment they leave their home until their safe return home. This is true only if they are dispatched for duty during an emergency by competent authority (i.e., any government agency) prior to departure and no route deviations are made for personal reasons. For example, Radio Amateurs from a non-impacted area may be covered while en route to a disaster response area if properly dispatched for mutual aid purposes by an official Emergency Coordinator or directly by the government agency. On the other hand, the same Radio Amateurs mentioned above, traveling to the disaster impacted area on their own initiative without official orders or permission would not be covered by disaster workers' compensation insurance until they register (log-in) with the authorities at the disaster site or unless a pre-arranged automatic activation procedure is in place. Coverage may also be provided in specific cases of disaster service roles requiring automatic dispatch of key resources if each case is pre-arranged by competent authority on an individual, case-by-case basis. For example, those operators pre-assigned to Satellite Operations Centers (SOCs) or other key facilities at Stanford are covered. Coverage is also available for scheduled disaster preparedness activities including training, but not while en route to and from the reporting place for these activities.

For further information regarding the Stanford University Amateur Radio Emergency Service, see http://www-suares.stanford.edu/

Thanks again for your support in this important effort!