ARRL Indiana Section Emergency Coordinator Larry Jones, WB9FHP sent the following email message to Indiana ARRL members:
The month of October 2013 has been designated as the official month for the ARRL Indiana Section ARES teams, to complete their yearly Simulated Emergency Test (S.E.T.). Each county team should have it’s SET completed by October 31st, 2013 unless extenuating circumstances causing a later date are cleared and approved by the SEC.
The ARES teams can use any scenario they choose which will test their readiness for disasters that may happen in their jurisdictions. There are certain items that do need to be sent to the SEC and the Section Manager. Each team needs to, at the start of their SET, send a “SITREP” or Situation Report to the SEC, and then, within a week of the end of their SET they need to submit an “AAR” or After-Action Report to the SEC.
Also during the team’s actual SET they need to send a Radiogram using the NTS to the SEC and the Section Manager with items such as the number of team members participating, if there are any Served Agency personnel present, or any other item the team deems noteworthy. These messages may be sent via voice nets or digitally using the NTSD or Winlink systems using Pactor 1, WINMOR or Packet.
Here is an example of a Radiogram to the Section Manager or SEC:
NR XX R HXG WB9FHP 25 PAOLI IN OCT XX
LOU EVERETT, SR WA5LOU
SECTION MANAGER
CUMBERLAND IN 46229
BT
ORANGE COUNTY SET 2013 OPERATIONS
WEATHER DISASTER SCENARIO X 10
ARES PARTICIPANTS EMA DIRECTOR PRESENT
3 LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OBSERVING
X OPERATIONS FROM LOCAL EOC
BT
KC9VQD AEC ORANGE COUNTY
AR
Copies of the SITREP and AAR formats are in the Files Section of the INARES YAHOO GROUP site and are available for download from that area on the web. Any questions concerning the SET should be submitted to the INARES SEC, Larry Jones, WB9FHP at wb9fhp@gmail.com. Also any team wishing to send in material using the Section Target Station on Pactor 1 or WINMOR can email the SEC for the list of frequencies these Pactor and WINMOR RMS stations use.
We hope everyone has a very successful and useful Simulated Emergency Test during October 2013!
73!
Larry Jones, WB9FHP
ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator, Indiana Section
Indiana ARRL Section Manager Lou Everett, WA5LOU added the following comments:
Folks! Let’s support our ARES Teams. The importance of the S.E.T.
cannot be over emphasized! An emergency situation can be upon us in a heartbeat! So, let’s take this opportunity for that most important practice we all need: The S.E.T.
ARES Teams! This is the time to really get to know your Emergency Plan! Does it work? Or, does it need updating. Your S.E.T. will tell the story!
So, let’s make this years S.E.T. the best ever.
73 all!
Lou Everett, Sr., WA5LOU
ARRL Section Manager, Indiana Section
Telephone: 317-757-8123