Katrina Disaster Communications Experience Richard Green KR 7

Katrina Disaster Communications Experience Richard Green, KR 7 L

Hurricane Katrina: By Sep 11, 2005 383 dead (more like 1200 now) $62. 3 billion aid approved by Congress More than 50, 000 Nat’l Guard troops 90, 000 square miles affected 293, 000 homes damaged or destroyed More than 1 million people left their homes

Hurricane Katrina: By the Numbers* Nearly 2 weeks after landfall l l 430, 000 without power 24, 000 without natural gas 500, 000 no phone service Est. 170, 000 public school students displaced 75% of schools sustained significant damage in coastal areas Giving had reached nearly $700 million l * Associated Press

The ARRL Callout “Attention All Amateurs. . . Amateur Radio emergency communication volunteers needed! (Sep 2, 2005) -- The ARRL now is seeking experienced Amateur Radio emergency volunteers to help supplement communication for American Red Cross feeding and sheltering operations in Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle--as many as 200 locations in all. Special consideration will be given to operators who have successfully completed the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications course training (Level I minimum) to serve as team leaders. ”

The Callout (cont) “These volunteer operators will help to provide communication and equipment for relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If you’re interested and qualified, please send an e-mail message to Katrina@arrl. org, providing name, call sign, contact information and any equipment you’re willing and able to take along on a field deployment for an indefinite period. Volunteers may face hardship conditions without the usual amenities and will need to provide their own transportation to the marshaling area. ”

My Response NAME: Richard L. Green ADDRESS: 20730 SE 293 ST. , KENT, WASHINGTON, 98042 -6885 TELEPHONE: 253 -630 -1426 CALL SIGN: KR 7 L OCCUPATION: Retired, available immediately. TRAINING: EMCOMM LEVEL 2 completed HIPAA Certified (Hospital Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) FEMA IS-00700 NIMS Certified First Aid/CPR Current MEMBERSHIP: Maple Valley, Washington ARES Western Washington Medical Services Emergency Communications Team EQUIPMENT: 2 Meter mobile with power supply, emergency antenna mast system and collapsible J-pole. 2 Meter / 70 Cm Handheld 2 Meter / 20 Cm Mobile in vehicle with cross band capability. HF transceiver. Laptop with packet software and sound card interface.

Marshalling Area in Montgomery Checking in with ARRL in Montgomery Alabama

Greg Sarratt, W 4 OZK, SM in Montgomery

Dennis, K 7 BV and Allen, W 1 AGP setting up W 4 AP at Montgomery

Can you spot the Heathkit 1000 W linear amp?

My Assignment Report to the American Red Cross in Hattiesburg, Mississippi South Central Mississippi Chapter on Hutchinson Avenue Provide communications in feeding trucks or shelters

South 17 th Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

30 th Avenue in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Tree damage to home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Shell Gas Station in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg

Roof of the bakery gone in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Hwy 11 at I-59 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Highway 42 in Petal, Mississippi

South Central Mississippi Chapter

The Mission – Five areas of communication needs Shelters Feeding -- Kitchens to trucks Client Service Centers (CSC) Red Cross Operations Center Red Cross Chapter House

The Implementation Hattiesburg Coalition Repeater Network invaluable l Three linked repeaters 2 Meter mobile rigs in the trucks HTs or mobile rigs in shelter or CSCs Mobile rig in Operation Center Full station at Red Cross Chapter House l l l HF VHF/UHF Internet access

Hattiesburg Coalition Repeaters Hattiesburg l 147. 315 + Collins l 146. 985 - Poplarville l 145. 410 - All 136. 5 Hz PL Linked for wide area coverage

Shelters

Hattiesburg Shelter Forrest County Multi-purpose Center Large conference site Later at the Family YMCA Later at the Lumberton Recreation Center

Sleeping at the Hattiesburg Shelter

K 4 YCR’s Em Comm station at the Hattiesburg Shelter

Raylawni Branch, RN at Forrest Co. shelter in Hattiesburg

Dr. Toxie Morris W 5 TMM at Forrest MPC Hattiesburg Shelter

Feeding

Kitchen to Trucks Kitchen at Main Street Baptist Church (MSBC) Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) Operators supplied 2 meter mobile rigs Mag-mount antennas or use of ERV 6 meter antenna Most operators used Power. Pole® connectors

2 M mobile radio installed in the ERV

ERVs loading at Main Street Baptist Church

The Feeding Trucks Mobile or fixed feeding used l l Mobile was house-to-house Fixed used churches, fire stations, or community centers as a gathering place I served on ERVs for three days l l l ERV 3031 to Hintonville and surrounds both fixed and mobile feeding ERV 2156 to Baxterville and south into the oil and gas fields mobile feeding Fed power crews too Communicated back to the kitchen the needs

Types of Messages Number of meals served and estimate for the next day Medical needs Utility needs Need for additional ERVs

JD Creel, WB 4 AWM at the morning 9 o’clock ERV meeting

The NCS van at “Church Base”, W 5 ALL

Inside the W 5 ALL NCS van

Loading ERV with hot food & snacks

Getting the ERV loaded with food to take out

Inside the ERV

Cambros and clamshells

Handing out meals

Hot lunches handed out at Main Street Baptist Church

Cleaning up back at the kitchen (MSBC)

Laundry trailer for volunteers

Shower trailer for volunteers

Overall view of part of the kitchen operation at MSBC, Hattiesburg

More hurdles to overcome

Fixed feeding at Hintonville Providing hot meals at Hintonville Nazareth Baptist Church

Fixed feeding

Ken VE 3 MNY and Dr. Smock in their ERV

Mobile Feeding

Mobile feeding in rural Mississippi

Receiving a hot lunch at Lumberton, MS

Client Service Centers

Client Service Centers Communications HT or mobile radio Sometimes difficult to impossible May require stepping outside Outside antenna or yagi helped immensely Using a handheld and gel cell with the outdoor antenna at Purvis 1 st Baptist Church

2 Meter antenna in the back of 1 st Baptist

Chris De. Rienzo explaining the Purvis operation to security

Receiving an appointment number

Purvis CSC Crowd gathers at Purvis

Purvis CSC Waiting in line at Purvis

Processing applications for financial aid at Purvis

Security at the back door

Purvis CSC Waiting in line early in the morning at Purvis MPC

Purvis CSC Waiting their turn in the grandstand at Purvis

New Augusta CSC Processing applications for financial aid

New Augusta CSC Reviewing applications and signing checks

New Augusta CSC Unloading water for staff and clients

Red Cross Operations Center

Red Cross Operations Center at First Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, MS

Dusty, KC 2 GZY, at Red Cross OC First Baptist

The Base Station at the Red Cross House

Communications at the Chapter House Full HF capability VHF/UHF Power supply Tuner when needed Operator provided equipment Existing antennas Manufacturer donated equipment

Radio Station at the Chapter House

Matt KV 2 N and Paul N 0 AH at the Chapter House

Glen Sage, W 4 GHS, Hillsville VA, and Radio Officer for Carroll County, Virginia, our first team leader and celebrity

Glen W 4 GHS

Jim KT 4 FQ, Clarksville, Tennessee

Relaxing after our evening planning meeting at the Red Cross Chapter

Darryl K 0 GV and JD WB 4 AWM at the Chapter House

Richard KR 7 L, Grier KC 5 FJZ, & Wayne W 9 YYZ at the Chapter House

Glen W 4 GHS at the Chapter House

The Girl Scouts Lodge next to the Red Cross

Inside the Girl Scouts lodge bunkhouse

Set up a place to sleep wherever you can !

Observations on operations Very professional operation Tactical call signs used Formal net with NCS early on Transitioned to informal net later on Operators assigned and performed with no additional training Expected to know what to do Set up their own equipment Nobody’s equipment or batteries failed

More Observations Began with 4 operators on 9/5/05 9 hams the day David and I arrived 9/9/05 Added 6 more on 9/12/05 Peaked at 21 hams and declined from there as some finished their stay or re-deployed elsewhere and the need declined There were 3 of us left when we closed down at the Red Cross in Hattiesburg on 9/28/05

Lessons Learned Get trained now to do the job Take on the job of net control at home so it is easy to do in a stressful environment Stress encountered … blood pressure up Know your equipment but have manuals for those that have to take over Headphones are a real asset Follow FCC rules and take care of yourself

My Reactions Started out with awe and amazement Became compassion and sympathy Transitioned into disaster fatigue and indifference Ended up in boredom and cynicism

The People Jack, N 3 BQB, York PA Darryl, N 0 GV, Minnetonka, MN

The People Steve, KB 9 X, Albert Lea, MN Jimmy, KT 4 FQ, Clarksville TN

The People Fred, N 4 OJT, Louisville KY Ken, VE 3 MNY, Tecumseth, ON

The People Adam, KC 8 HCE, student, Pickerington OH Toxie Morris MD, W 5 TMM, Hattiesburg, MS

The People Terry, N 7 BDL, Gilbert, AZ and Alfred, W 5 ALL, our NCS and Chavez County DEC, Roswell, NM

The People Ann, N 7 EDC, Gilbert AZ Dennis, firefighter, Louisville KY

The People Allan (Dusty) KC 2 GZY, Buffalo, NY

The People Mat Marcus KV 2 N, Seattle, WA and Henry K 4 YCR, Forest, VA

Articles written by hams who were there By Glen Sage, W 4 GHS www. w 4 ghs. org/Amateur_Radio_Standing_in_the_Breach. pdf By Henry Wyatt, K 4 YCR www. theledgeronline. com/articles/05/9 -23/katrina. htm By Paul Veal, N 0 AH www. eham. net/articles/12040

Thank all y’all for watching

Acknowledgements This presentation was made possible by the generous contribution of photos by the following: Steve Bonine, KB 9 X, Albert Lea, MN Henry Wyatt, K 4 YCR, Forest, VA Alfred Lindsey, W 5 ALL, Roswell, NM Darryl Ponder, K 0 GV, Minnetonka, MN Lex Mason, KD 5 XG, Hattiesburg, MS Ken Harris, VE 3 MNY, Tecumsch, ON The Hattiesburg American

Photo Gallery

Army of bucket trucks at Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Beach Boulevard in Bay St Louis, Mississippi

Beach Boulevard in Pascagoula, Mississippi

Boats in Gulfport, Mississippi

Carrying all that is left in Biloxi, Mississippi

Cherokee Glen in Biloxi, Mississippi

Waiting in line for gasoline in Poplarville, Mississippi

Damage near Wiggins, Stone County, Mississippi

ERVs leaving to provide hot food to residents

Clothing pours in to Gulfport, Mississippi

First Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi

Phone numbers on a tree in Gulfport, Mississippi

Kentucky State Police relaxing in camp

Loading supplies at Gulfport, Mississippi

Street in Pascagoula, Mississippi the day after Katrina hit

Relief supplies at Waveland, Mississippi

Sister gets a treat at Waveland, Mississippi

Stocking up on donated supplies at Biloxi, Mississippi

Tent City at Thames Elementary School near Hattiesburg, MS

Thankful for obtaining MREs in Gulfport, Mississippi

Tree cleanup in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

What is left of the Waffle House in Gulfport, Mississippi

Waiting for help on Washington Avenue in Pascagoula, Mississippi

In front of the Red Cross Chapter House

US 90 at Bay St Louis