- National Academies of of Science, Engineering and Medicine
- COVID Vaccination
- Clark Co. EMA Position
- MARS 60M Exercises
- Medical Reserve Corps
- OSU Severe Weather Symposium
- LSU NCBRT Online Training
- Space Weather Prediction Center
- Disaster Ready Online Training Site
- Annual Hurricane Center Station Test 29 May 21
- NIMS Alert 18-21
- ARES E-Newsletter
- Broadcastify
- NIMS Alert 31-21: Resource Typing Updates for CERT Positions
- Engaging with Disaster Citizen Science
- 2021 Great Central United States Shakeout
- Disaster Ready: Principals of Phycological First Aid
- CPG 101 V3.0
- MVPT
- CISA Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit
- NIFOG 2.0
- Online Winlink Training
1. National Academies of of Science, Engineering and Medicine
The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine offer many free publications in .pdf form. Naturally, many recent ones are related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are other topics, such as general public health emergencies. Go to: https://www.nationalacademies.org .
An interesting publication I found here recently is Issues in Science and Technology. I think you‘ll find it interesting as well. See it at https://issues.org .
Let me know if the Academy stuff appeals to you.
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
2. COVID Vaccination
Occasionally there is some benefit to ARES members volunteering for a responder agency. My volunteer experience with the Clark County Medical Reserve Corps led to a contract position with the Clark County Combined Health District. Contact with Covid-19 cases as a CCCHD contractor qualified me under Phase 1A of the vaccination rules, so yesterday I received my first Moderna Covid-19 shot. If I had stayed in retirement for the past ten months I would be in line for my first shot at the end of Phase 1B sometime in February.
By the way, if anyone is curious about vaccine side effects, I had a sore arm at the injection site for a day, a half hour of shivering about twelve hours after the shot and a headache the first night. All symptoms are gone, and only the sore arm was absolutely associated with the shot!
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
3. Clark Co. EMA Position
As an ARES member, have you ever considered turning pro? The Clark County Emergency Management Agency is seeking an Emergency Management Specialist to replace an employee who left on January 15th. You wouldn‘t be the only ham on the staff. Ken Johnson, KE8JHP, is the Deputy Director, and many of us volunteers are ARES members as well.
If you have taken the FEMA Independent Study courses mentioned during these programs, you have already met some of the job requirements. Others may be met during your probation period. As with most emergency management jobs, you work a straight business week until an emergency occurs. Then all bets are off.
The job application period closes on February 3rd at 4:30 PM. To see the job information visit: https://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/jobs.aspx .
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
4. MARS 60M Exercises
ARRL Special Bulletin 2 reports that MARS Announces Schedule of Dates for 60 Meter Interoperability. The Military Auxiliary Radio System announces eleven windows for hams to communicate with MARS operators beginning on February 23-27. All exercises will begin on Channel 1, and options will include voice operation and ICS 213 by voice or digital modes.
For further details, visit www.arrl.org/news . This story has moved from the first news page, so look around on earlier news pages. (Editor’s Note: See ARLX002 for a direct link to the information).
Additionally, Clark State College is hiring an Emergency Manager.
5. Medical Reserve Corps
This morning WHIO reported that the Montgomery County Health Department was seeking volunteers to assist at their Covid-19 vaccination clinic. While medical professionals are obviously needed to give the shots, non-medical volunteers can help in other ways.
For the past ten months I‘ve worked for the Clark County Combined Health District, driving active Covid-19 patients home from Springfield Regional Medical Center. This week I added driving CCCHD clients from home to the clinic for shots and back. I‘ve even learned such new skills as driving busses and operating wheelchair lifts!
So if you are bored, consider contacting your local health department about volunteering with their Medical Reserve Corps.
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
6. OSU Severe Weather Symposium
Happy St. Patrick‘s Day!
Each year I plug the Ohio State University‘s Meteorology Club‘s Severe Weather Symposium on this net. So why should 2021 be any different?
Actually it is a bit different. This 25th Anniversary Severe Weather Symposium will be virtual due to the pandemic. The Symposium will be held on Friday, April 9th from 9 AM to 5 PM. Scheduled speakers include Mike Bettes from The Weather Channel and Ariel Cohen from the National Weather Service in Boulder, Colorado, plus seven others.
For further updates, check in at https://u.osu.edu/metclub .
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
7. LSU NCBRT Online Training
Louisiana State University‘s National Center for Biological Research and Training (NCBRT) is offering a number of free online homeland security related courses, as well as a modestly priced Homeland Security Specialist mini-certificate.
To investigate any or all of these options, visit the NCBRT website at: https://ncbrt.lsu.edu .
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
8. Space Weather Prediction Center
Have you ever visited the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / National Weather Service‘s Space Weather Prediction Center web pages? Today a recent solar Coronal Mass Ejection triggered a G3 Geomagnetic Storm on Earth, creating issues for the GPS system, shortwave radio and electric distribution.
To learn more about space weather, go to: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
9. Disaster Ready Online Training Site
The website DisasterReady offers links to over a thousand courses from many sources related to emergency management.
Three courses that they are featuring this week concern Microsoft Excel 365 spreadsheet software. These online offerings cover Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Excel topics.
To register to use the DisasterReady site and look over the selection of free courses and certificate offerings, go to https://www.disasterready.org .
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
10. Annual Hurricane Center Station Test 29 May 21
The National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Station WX4NHC has scheduled its annual station test for Saturday, May 29, 2021. The station will make contacts between 1300 and 2100 UTC on 7268 kHz and 14,325 kHz, as well as other unspecified frequencies. They will also activate the Voice over Internet Protocol Hurricane Net between 2000 and 2100 UTC.
A more complete description of the test is available on the www.arrl.org news page.
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
11. NIMS Alert 18-21
FEMAs National Incident Management System, or NIMS, has released NIMS
Alert 18-21, Shelter-in-Place Pictogram Guidance for ten different hazards and three building types.
Of the ten hazards noted, all but hurricanes are possible in Ohio ARES District 3. Of course, you may never need any of them. After all, we haven’t needed the Active Shooter guidance in Springfield for almost eighteen hours now!
To download copies of these pictograms, go to the NIMS website: https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_shelter-in-place_guidance_5-25-2021.pdf
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
12. ARES E-Newsletter
The latest edition of the ARRL ARES E-Newsletter came out today. Rick Palm, K1CE, edits this monthly which is released every third Wednesday. Each issue includes news on ARES and related topics.
You must be an ARRL member to subscribe to the ARES E-Newsletter, which is free. Go to http://www.arrl.org and visit the ARES page. Near the bottom you will find a link to subscribe to the ARES E-Newsletter.
13. Broadcastify
You can learn a lot by listening to other Skywarn, ARES, RACES, Red Cross and SATERN emergency nets as they respond to emergencies and disasters within their jurisdictions. A decade ago this wasn’t always easy to do. However, Broadcastify has made it possible to check in on much of the country, and even other nations.
Yesterday and today I monitored SARNET, a Florida statewide VHF ham net, as Tropical Storm/Hurricane Elsa bore down on them. You can use a computer, tablet or smart phone with Broadcastify to tune in radio scanners connected to the internet from many locations.
To experiment with Broadcastify, visit www.broadcastify.com
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
14. NIMS Alert 31-21: Resource Typing Updates for CERT Positions
Some of the counties in Ohio ARES District 3 have active Community Emergency Response Teams. Those CERT communities should be aware that FEMA recently issued NIMS Alert 31-21: Resource Typing Updates for CERT Positions.
The volunteer job titles and associated position task books involved are:
CERT Section Chief: Position Qualifications, Task Book
CERT Team Leader: Position Qualifications, Task Book
and CERT Volunteer: Position Qualifications, Task Book
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
15. Engaging with Disaster Citizen Science
This afternoon I participated in a Center for Disease Control Emergency Partners Information Connection (EPIC) webinar entitled Engaging with Disaster Citizen Science. This webinar is intended to encourage health departments to work with community groups to increase their participation in local disaster preparedness.
An Ohio District 3 county Amateur Radio Emergency Service is an example of a community group the presenters are attempting to encourage through this webinar, its PowerPoint slides and its associated workbooks, which will be made available at a later date.
To view this recorded webinar, the PowerPoints and to explore the topic further, go to: https://emergency.cdc.gov/epic/learn/2021/webinar_20210901.asp
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
16. 2021 Great Central United States Shakeout
Registration is now open for the 2021 Great Central United States Shakeout. This annual event prepares those in and around the New Madrid Fault Zone for a possible major earthquake and aftershocks. In 1811 and 1812 major quakes around New Madrid, Missouri damaged homes hundreds of miles east in central Ohio.
In addition to that fault zone, smaller quakes on several overlapping faults near Anna and St. Marys, Ohio caused damage there in 1937 and 1986 respectively.
The shakeout prepares individual and group participants to respond to and recover from damaging earthquakes. While the scheduled event is on October 21, 2021 registered participants may conduct their earthquake drill at any convenient date and time.
For further information go to www.shakeout.org After the exercise certificates of participation will be available there as well.
17.Disaster Ready: Principals of Phycological First Aid
Our old friend DisasterReady is offering a new course: Principals of Psychological First Aid, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. Many people, ARES members included, are under increased pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic , extreme weather and other factors.
Learning this free training might help you, someone you know or a complete stranger to cope with such stressors as noted above.
You must register on the DisasterReady website to access the training, but it’s free and easy to do. Start at: https://www.disasterready.org You may find other free courses there that interest you as well.
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
18. CPG 101 V3.0
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has updated their Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG 101) to version 3.0. The CPG is a free handbook for those who make or update Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs).
This latest roughly 130 page CPG is available online at: Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (fema.gov) .
Direct download from this site
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV.
19. MVPT
The United States Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Security Agency, or CISA,has updated its Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit, shortening its title to the Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit.
This toolkit includes sections on alerts, electromagnetic pulses, jamming, power, ransomware and unmanned aircraft systems, to name a few.
You may find this free toolkit at: Technology | CISA
21. NIFOG 2.0
The United States Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Security Agency, or CISA, has updated the National Interoperability Field Operations Guide, or NIFOG, to version 2.0 .
The NIFOG is a very informative 200 pages on U.S. government agencies and their frequencies. People used to make good money selling the information now included free with this guide.
You may find this free guide at: https://www.cisa.gov/carousel/nifog-20 .
The Great Central United States ShakeOut is an annual earthquake exercise for the Midwest. The 2021 ShakeOut is scheduled for tomorrow at 10:21 AM local time, but participants may schedule their exercise at any time. You may register your family or organization at https://www.shakeout.org/centralus/ .
Submitted by Michael Schulsinger, N8QHV
22. Online Winlink Training
Learn the basics of this powerful emergency communications tool in four, no-charge Zoom class sessions taught by four members of ARES Los Angeles — KK6DA, W0DHG, NR6V, W6AH. Each 60-90-minute class will demo what you need to use Winlink over-the-air, and is accompanied by a series of video shorts you can review at your own pace. All classes will be archived at WAVETALKERS.COM to view again and again.
If you can do email, you can do email by amateur radio with powerful built-in EMCOMM forms to assist your served agencies. Open to all licensed amateur radio operators. Please feel free to forward to anyone or any group who will find learning the basics of Winlink a valuable experience from people who experiment with the future of EMCOMM frequently. We’ll cap it at a sizable limit.
Sign up here: cq.wavetalkers.com/winlink4emcomm — Pre-class questions to KK6DA directly via e-mail