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Please select below SRARC Publications and Archives Current Officers:
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October 18, 2006 Meeting Notes
Attendees: N4EIO K4RNT K9IMI AA5QX K4CJE AI4QM Visitor K1KY KI4QGR Visitor Meeting called to order by N9DGK. We went around the room and had everyone introduce themselves. *Comments from K1KY: DEC (District Emergency Coordinator) Tom announced that Doug, N1EMP - EC for Rutherford County for the last ten years, has chosen to step away from the position for personal reasons. Doug recommended that N9DGK be appointed to fill his position. Tom stated that that appointment was made and has been confirmed by ARRL. Tom welcomed Keith as the new EC effective immediately. Keith thanked Tom for his remarks and asked for everyone’s patience as he works to transition into the position and the job ahead. Keith also thanked Doug for his many years of service and leadership stating “I have asked Doug to remain on staff as AEC to help smooth the transition.” Doug agreed to do so. Keith also stated that Dave N4EIO had also recently chosen to step away from his position as net manager for the Heart of TN ARES/Skywarn training net. That request was also accepted. Keith thanked Dave for his 11 years of service. Dave stated that “he will still be active in ARES and the community.” * EC Staffing Keith stated that the current staff compliment would remain in place until further notice. Those on the staff are:
Keith stated that the experience and advice of this staff and the ARES membership for future activity of the organization will be appreciated and considered in future decisions.
* ARES Identification Cards Keith stated that because of the EC change; there is now a necessity to issue new ARES membership cards. That process is now ready to begin. It will be necessary to complete a current application in addition to getting a new ID card. There will be some requirements to be completed for the card.
Current Training Verification
Keith stated that the current training records that were given to Doug N1EMP are in process of being transferred. Those are records for EMCOMM completion, NIMS training, hospital credentialing. Any additional training completed now needs to be referred to Keith for confirmation.
* Hospital Emergency Communication Progress
Keith gave an overview of the current status of the backup communication progress for the two hospitals currently participating in this process in Rutherford County.
MTMC has the current equipment compliment:
These antennas are mounted on top of the hospital about 30’ above the hospital on a mast. The HF antenna is oriented in an East/West direction allowing a radiation pattern North/South.
This equipment is currently installed and operating. It has been tested and programmed. It is fully operational at this time.
The hospital is currently in the process of building shelving to allow more streamlined installation of the equipment that is in house now. They are also in process of obtaining funding to procure equipment to establish full digital operation for HF as well as VHF/UHF operation.
StoneCrest has the current equipment compliment:
The antennas for this operation are not operational at present because of impracticable placement in proximity to the hospital in/house antenna configuration.
The radio compliment is also currently inoperable due to its original deployment onsite. ARES staff members N9DGK, K4ING, K4CJE & N1EMP have been working with StoneCrest to properly deploy/repair the current antenna compliment to get to operational status.
This hospital has also made commitments to get secure cabinetry and establish the station in the emergency room area to mirror existing facilities at MTMC. They have additionally begun the process to augment the station to full digital operation.
The process will be ongoing at both facilities. We do not have a completion target date as of this meeting.
A Short History of Involvement:
All of this process started back in August when ARES received a request from MTMC to test their radio equipment in an upcoming County-Wide emergency exercise in Rutherford County. As ARES began that process with MTMC it began to expand to StoneCrest as well as Rutherford County EMA, all by invitation. A copy of the After Action Report is posted on the www.k4fun.net website. If you have an interest in that information, it is available for your review.
* Hospital Credentialing
Keith gave current status information of those ARES personnel who have received credentialing and ID cards to operate at the hospital radio stations. To be able to operate at these facilities, the hospitals require that operators must have hospital issued ID cards. These are the processes for both facilities:
MTMC requires that operators wishing to be credentialed must attend an orientation class. These classes are held every three (3) weeks. These classes are held on Mondays only. It starts at 8:00 AM and goes through 3:45 PM. If you would like to be credentialed, send me an e-mail (n9dgk@arrl.net). I will in return forward that information to the hospital contact to have you included for the upcoming class. When the class has been completed, you will be notified when you may return to pick up your photo ID badge. You MUST have this photo ID to gain entry to radio room.
StoneCrest does not require an orientation session. If you wish to be credentialed to operate at this hospital, you need to send me your information. I will submit it to the hospital. When I have been notified that your name information has been accepted, you will need to go the human resources office at the hospital to receive your credentials. You will need to have your copy of your wallet license along with a copy of your driver’s license for the hospital to make a copy of. You will also be asked to complete a release for a background check. When that has been completed, the hospital will take your picture and issue a photo ID card to you.
Though these procedures may seem cumbersome, they are the stipulations of the served agencies that must be abided by.
* Radio Room Status Keith stated that many rumors seem to have been being circulated about the status of the communications room and the status of SRARC as well as Heart of TN ARES. There are some changes that have been made at Red Cross since the new Director has come on board that were taken out of his control. The current facts are as follows. National and Regional Red cross along with the local Board of Directors have determined that Rutherford County Red Cross needed to develop a larger income stream to support the local activity. In order to do that a recommendation was made and approved to rent the blood services side of the Red Cross facility to the Regional Blood Collection service for full time blood collection. Because the Regional Blood Service would need to store high value equipment there to accommodate their operation, they would need to occupy the room area currently housing the SRARC/ARES communication equipment. Though the current director indicated that he personally was not fully in favor of the decision, it was made as a pure business decision at a higher level over which he had little control. We have until Nov. 15, 2006 to vacate that room. We are in process of inventorying the equipment to complete that process by the deadline . * RV Donation (Red Cross) Last year during our efforts in support of the Red Cross and the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts at the Smyrna airport, a recreational vehicle was donated to the Red Cross to be used to support the emergency communication effort. Subsequent to the stand down of that operation, the RV was brought back to Murfreesboro and parked at the Red Cross facility. ARES asked if it would be possible to use it during the county wide exercise and was advised that Red Cross was not sure if the insurance was current. The director also indicated that there was intent to sell the RV. I asked if a consideration could be made to donate it to ARES since the original intent of the donation to Red Cross was for emergency communications.
When we received the letter of notification concerning the radio room, the letter also indicated that the RV would be donated to ARES and arrangements have been made to transfer ownership to Heart of TN ARES.
* Computer Donation (Bridgestone)
A few months ago one of our members WB8ZGM Jim, who works at Bridgestone corporate HQ in Nashville advised HOT ARES that Bridgestone has an ongoing computer recycling program. He provided the basic information to HOT ARES. K4CJE Chris and N9DGK Keith started the process of writing the letter of request to have HOT ARES considered for the program. The request was for 6 laptops, 3 desktops and monitors or flat screen monitors. This would be used to upgrade the current computer compliment as well as provide for field operations including digital communications. We were at first advised that the program had been temporarily suspended about two weeks ago. This week, an attempt was made to contact Chris. When they were unable to contact him a call was made to Keith to advise that Bridgestone would be able to act on our request. We would receive 4 laptops and 3 desktops and monitors. The transfer was made to HOT ARES Wednesday 10/18/2006. The computers are all in working order and are roughly two years old. They will serve us well for many years to come.
* Legislation (HR5441)
On Oct. 4, 2006, President Bush signed the 2007 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act HR 5441 which formally includes Amateur Radio Operators as a part of the emergency communications community of First Responders. You can read more at http://www2.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/10/04/100/?nc=1. In conjunction with this information you will also want to see the information on the FCC Omnibus Amateur Radio Report and Order at this link http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/10/11/100/?nc=1.
These actions increase the visibility of amateur radio operators to the public. Let make sure that we present ourselves in the professional and dignified manner that our avocation and passion deserves. |
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© Copyright Stones River ARC, 2006 |