October Section Emergency Coordinators Report

ARRL Ohio Section - FSD-96
Month: October
Year: 2017
Total Number of ARES Members: 1783
Change since last month: 9
Number of DEC's / EC's reporting this month: 10
Number of ARES Nets active: 540
Number of Nets active with NTS Liaisons: varies
Call-signs of DEC's / EC's reporting: WD8PNZ W8UY W8LLY N8TFD AI8P W8DLB N8KKW N8SUZ W8FHF N8AUC
Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 689
Person Hours: 4955
Number of Public Service Events this month: 81
Person Hours: 1580
Number of Emergency Operations this month: 2
Person Hours: 188
Total number of ARES/RACES Events this month: 992
Total Person Hours: 6723
Comments: Many stations were involved in SET \"Black Swan 2017\" which involved cross-service communication on 60 meters, multi-state operation as well as intense county-level activity.
Submitted by and call-sign: Stan Broadway N8BHL
Email: stan@standi.com
Files to upload?:

Official Emergency Station Report for October

Name	Call	County	District	PS Hours	EM Hours	Hours Net Participation
Scott	N8SY	Richland	6	40	10	60
Mark	KB8YMN	Franklin	7	18	0	8
David	NF8O	Medina	10	34	0	9
Matt	KD8TTE	Franklin	7	106	0	46

 Hi everyone!  We had a great series of reports for October. Thank you all for doing the paperwork- and a special thanks to a big group of new EC’s for their first reports. Well done!

There are some ideas for your county activities here.

1. Contact your board of elections, see if they are interested in ARES operators as communication and poll watchers.  Makes for a long day; GREAT PR.
2. Pumpkin Patrol. Lorain works with OSP and local law to station observers on bridges over the Turnpike, 3 nights over Halloween weekend. Might be an idea for your area?
3. Perhaps it’s time to refresh on your hospital radio situation

Thank you for your positive input on our decision to create a two-tiered system in Ohio ARES. I appreciate your feedback always (and you’ll note it brought a solid compromise in our recent discussions!) Please don’t hesitate, I’m always available by email or phone.   I’ll also be very happy to visit your ARES meeting- just send me a note!

Thank you all for your intense activity so far this year! I think that will result in growth and better participation. 

 Ohio ARES Activity Report

October, 2017

District 1

The Northwest Ohio Traffic and Training Net handled 133 pieces of traffic in 35 sessions and had 212 checkins in a total of 515 minutes. District 1 continues to assist the Hospital Council Of Northwest Ohio in implementing amateur radio as a viable back up communications tool to area non-hospital partners. HCNO has purchased 50 Kenwood 2m radios to distribute as well as related equipment such as antennas and power supplies. We will be putting equipment at the MaGruder Hospital in Ottawa County in the near future. This is a work in progress. 

District 2

(no comments)

District 3

DISTRICT 3 SUMMARY:  100% of Nine Counties reporting: 297 Members (0 change), 132 Total Events (64 Voice Net Sessions, 16 Digital Net Sessions, 46 Meetings-Drills-Training-Tests, 6 Public Service Events and 0 Emergency Operations for 1,033 Total Man-Hours.

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY:  (19 members):  4 weekly voice net sessions and 2 other ARES events for a total of 6 events and 55 man-hours.

CLARK COUNTY:  (33 members):  4 weekly net sessions and 1 other ARES events for a total of 5 events and 50 man-hours.

    Comments: Clark County ARES held it's SET on 21 Oct 2017.  A separate report will follow.

DARKE COUNTY:  (14 members):  5 weekly voice net sessions, 0 Public Service Event, 0 Emergency Operations and 1 other ARES events for a total of 6 events and 21 man-hours.

GREENE COUNTY:  (56 members, +1 change):  20 weekly voice net sessions, 0 Emergency Operations and 31 other ARES related activities for a total of 57 events and 255 man-hours.

     Comments:  Weekly Net participation: GCARES, GCARES/MVMA Mesh Discussion, BARC, UVARC, GCARES Digital, OHDEN,& OH EM. PREP, D3. Other activity: SET,Continuing Mesh and Winlink installations, demonstrations, testing & training. Two served agency training and planning sessions. Tech, General & Extra Class sessions. Greene County Emergency Preparedness Meeting.

LOGAN COUNTY (RACES UNIT):  (10 members):  4 weekly voice net sessions and 1 other RACES activity for a total of 5 events and 20 man-hours.

MIAMI COUNTY:  (25 members):  9 weekly voice nets, 3 weekly digital nets, 1 Public Service, and 0 Emergency Operations for a total of 13 events and 52 man-hours.

     Comments:  MCES ARES/RACES Net 145.23(-): 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 147.21(+): 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/29, Four Digital nets using MT63-2KL on 145.23. Ten members provided communication support for the Ohio High School Athletic Association Southwest Regional Cross Country Meet held in Troy, Ohio on Oct 28th.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY:  (85 members, -1 change):  4 weekly voice net sessions, 4 weekly digital net sessions, 0 Public Service Events, 0 Emergency Operations and 2 other ARES related events for a total of 10 events and 143 man-hours.

     Comments: Had a very good turnout for the annual simulated emergency test which was held on October 7th. MoCo ARES operated for a total of 3 hours and had 35 stations/operators check into the net. Several of our served agencies and hospitals did participate this year. In our General MoCo ARES Meeting, Glenn Gombert KD8TSR did a presentation on APRS.

PREBLE COUNTY:  (16 members, +1 change):  4 weekly net sessions; 3 Public Service Event, 0 Emergency Operations and 4 other ARES events for a total of 11 events and 122 man-hours.

     Comments:  October is traditionally one of the busiest months of the year for us. This month we were involved with our monthly ARES meeting, BLACK SWAN SET and provided security on a FRI/SAT, two nights (7pm-7am) for the West Alexandria Oktoberfest festival, then immediately provided public service communications Sunday after being up all-night Saturday. This is the 39th year that Preble county has provided communications for the antique car run covered bridge rally that provided time and participants car number as the old-time cars passed through one of the famous Preble county covered bridges. Preble also hosted a training session with Wayne county Indiana RACES for digital communications where FLDIGI was taught and the various modes were demonstrated and discussed. We had the pleasure of being visited by former Ohio ARES DISTRICT 3 DEC Al Stone, KB8RPO on a visit from his new QTH in New Hampshire. He discussed with the training group on the state of digital in his new role as N.H ASEC. We welcome Chuck Wright, KE8HWK as our newest ARES member. He has been licensed for many years, recently moved into the area. His interest are HF operation and public service. I want to compliment the ARES members of Preble County for achieving a difficult month with little rest, showing great professionalism, pride and dedication. De NJ8BB, Gary, Preble EC

SHELBY COUNTY:  (39 members):  5 weekly net sessions; 3 digital net sessions; 1 Public Service Event; 0 Emergency Operations and 3 other ARES events for a total of 12 events and 187 man-hours.

     Comments: 10-7-17 Simulated Emergency Test, 10-22-17 VEC Testing SCARES Meeting,

10-31-17 Witch Watch

DISTRICT 3 ACTIVITIES:  4 District 3 ARES weekly voice net sessions, 1 District 3 ARES SET Tactical Voice net, 1 District 3 ARES SET Tactical Digital net and 1 District 3 EC Meeting for a total of 6 events and 128 man-hours.

     Comments:  District 3 ADEC John Probst KA8RVI currently deployed to Puerto Rico with

Ohio-5 DMAT during part of October.

District 4

The DEC was out of the district quite a bit this month. "The show must go on" and the numerous scheduled events that happen in October did just that. Fortunately there were no "unscheduled" ones in the district. Hours are logged for all ECs counties this month, thank you!

District 5

Columbiana County, Don Kemp, NN8B Columbiana County ARES provided radio communications for the Columbiana County Parks District 5K run in Lisbon, Ohio.

Summit County, Ken Dorsey, KA8OAD This month we participated in the Black Swan SET and helped with the Susan G Komen 5K run/walk in downtown Akron

Mahoning County, David Brett, KD8NZF AEC Dottie O'Neil Meleski spoke at Trumbull LEPC meeting

Stark County, Terry Russ, N8ATZ Stark County ARES completed 5 public service nets for the month of October that totaled 183 check-ins. There were no public service events during the month. ARES did have an information table at the annual Massillon Hamfest that included an equipment display and handouts provided by the county EMA. 

District 6

RICHLAND COUNTY HAD A COUNTY DRILL ON OCTOBER 4TH 2017

District 7

 Marion County: We had four members complete the 4 required ICS courses, added to the database. These four members were also awarded special deputy with the Marion County Sheriff.

Franklin County: SET, Columbus Marathon, CropWalk, Antenna Testing

Union County: We had a pretty good turnout for our SET event. We worked with the Union County EMA to test out their high band radio coverage to the fire stations in the county after the high band antenna at EMA station 720 was replaced.

Fairfield County: FAIRFIELD COUNTY EMA TENT, FAIRFIELD COUNTY FAIR

Licking County: Things have slowed down a little, we had a good outcome for the SET and "Thanks" to those who were able to help. We had the EOC open and operating but was unable to work HF due to work continues to get everything set up. With things slowing down for the time being, now would be a great time to get caught up on training.

Knox County: 6 Nets and SET in October. The net controllers were; Don Russell W8PEN, William Bradley KC8BB and Terry Windsor KE8ANS with a total of 69 check-ins. The local SET exercise was, "Tornado in Knox County" the objectives were; Notification, Severe Weather, Activation, County Control Activation, ICS Forms 

District 8

 Counties reporting: Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton EC comments: Athens: Provided comm support for the Buckeye Trail Marathon in Shawnee on October 7 and the Komen Athens Race for the Cure on October 15. Next event will be the Bobcat Trail Marathon on November 4.

Ross: Still waiting on email confirmation for some members to verify current membership list. Once verified, I'll work to start obtaining NIMS certificates for members (since I have no records from the former EC).

Vinton: Currently still in the process of searching for members in Vinton County. Little progress has been made... Plan in the works in conjunction with the VCEMA to hold an amateur radio class with a few locals involved with public service to gain ARES members.

DEC comments: The district is pleased to announce that Lawrence County/Southeast Ohio Amateur Radio Association (SOARA) has been accepted as an ARRL affiliated club.

District 9

COSHOCTON CO:  Thanks to our ARES team for a job well done during the SET. We had about 10hr on Oct 7 with over a dozen ARES involved manning the EMA, Sheriff, and hospital stations. We simulated a shelter and Red Cross. We placed our NCS on a hill with good coverage when simplex was used. We also had a terrific OTS station group: KL7RF as leader, with KC8PUW, KC8WX and N8MXX. This group was on 60m, OSSBN, OHDEN, W8SGT and communicated with Coshocton EOC. They used a simplex freq to coordinate among the group. We participated for the 15 days sending a message most days and monitoring 60, etc.  During Oct 7 many messages were sent and received through local agencies and outside the county with OSSBN, OHDEN, W8SGT, and 60m .  On another subject ,Coshocton ARES will aid the board of elections with communications from a couple polling places soon. EC: Steve Wheatcraft, AA8BN

GUERNSEY CO: While we only had 7 members participate in the SET this year we still had a very successful SET. There were several tactical traffic messages from several locations in the county reporting on various "training emergency" incidents. 60 meters was monitored and a few nets were heard but we were not able to check into any of them. Also 9 radiograms were generated and input into the NTS. On Oct 31 8 members assisted with the Byesville Halloween parade. EC Richard W. Wayt, WD8SDH

JEFFERSON CO: Just appointed, meeting with 911 Director, EMA contact, and working with local ham groups to spark interest in ARES. EC: Robert M Carson Jr. N8CUX

MORGAN CO: No Comments. EC: Russell Wilson, KD8RW

MUSKINGUM CO: Comments: Just getting started as the EC, has been less than a month. Making plans and getting things up and running. EC: Ronnie Phipps, KD8TNL

NOBLE CO:  No Comments. EC: Gary J Oliver,KD8OSI

TUSCARAWAS CO: No Comments. EC Brent Gribble, N8RAG

DEC-9: Comments: I gave an ARES presentation to the Washington Co. Amateur Radio Club, in an attempt to develop an active ARES program in their county. DEC Sonny Alfman W8FHF..

District 10

October was pretty busy, but things are winding down as we head into the holidays. Best wishes to all for safe and joyous holidays!

Ashtabula County: No comments.

Cuyahoga County: Meetings and nets have stopped for the holidays. We will resume in January 2018.

Geauga County: No comments submitted.

Lake County: 12 Volunteers worked the Northern Ohio Lake Health Marathon. Monitoring the progress of 900 plus runner on two routes of 12mi and 26mi. We assisted three runners back to the finish line at Headlands State Park. Amateur radio linked with Three Police and Fire Departments through the Lake County Comm Van. The Marathon went through the Village of Grand River, City of Mentor and Wiloughby Ohio

Lorain County: Total hours include Black Swan 17Ohio SET Worked Buildup week to BS17 BS17 weekend BS17 week after. Lorain County Pumpkin Patrol. 55th year working with Ohio State Patrol, watching key bridges over Turnpike RT2 over Halloween weekend. 3 nights.

Medina County: Home Depot Safety Day had K8FHs trailer set up and working the SET exercise as well as the EOC station. Several people took part in both operations.