SUMTER COUNTY
Amateur Radio Emergency Services Association (ARES)

 Sumter County, Florida

Activation: What to Expect

 

Emergency Management Daily Local Situation Notifications

Depending on how fast the storms is moving and whether the storm path is switching, County Emergency Management will began notifying County Departments, City and Town management, Utilities, Volunteer Agencies, and others.  This may start as early as five days from landfall.  The National Weather Service (NWS) will present their latest report and from that information along with State EOC Input, the County Emergency Management will issue their report about 9 AM.  Once Sumter ARES has received this report it will be forward to members.  As landfall gets closer, the report will be more specific with an additional report in the afternoon, and just be, a third one in the evening.

The format of the report will be:

Situation: Overview of the situation
Potential Impact:  Affect on area in next day or two (rainfall, winds, flooding, tornadoes, etc.)
Watches/Warning:  Current and upcoming watches and warnings from NWS - Tampa Bay
State Actions:  What is State is doing, State EOC Activation Level (3, 2, 1), Coordination
County Actions:  Emergency Management is doing - monitoring, coordination
Recommended Actions:  Assess and monitor, communicate in organization or department, family preparation.  This is ARES and you

Countdown

There are suggested actions that you might take to assure that you and your family are prepared.   These are suggested and you can develop your own to add/delete or put in a different order to fit the needs of your family:

96 Hours Out (4 days)   Organized to minimize trips and address where shortages might occur

  • Ace, Box Store  Clean up supplies (duct, painters tape; trash bags; clear plastic sheeting)
  • Ace, Box Store Quantity of 2 cycle oil (chain saw, weed eater, blower, etc.)
  • Ace, Box Store  Ace: Fill propane tanks; Box Store: Exchange propane tanks
  • Ace, Box, Dollar Store:  Review battery quantities (D, 9, AA, AAA, 2032, etc)
  • Sams, Dollar Store: Review paper plates, napkins, utensils, toilet paper, paper towels

72 Hours Out (3 Days)

  • Check food in refrigerators/freezers and plan purchases for filling in what you have
  • Grocery: Drinking water (1 gallon/day/person, animal)
  • Grocery: Packaged foods (bread, peanut butter, canned fruit, honey, dry cereal, energy desserts, snacks, canned vegetables, canned meats), Sports Drinks (heavy work afterward), Pet food, special diet
  • Drug Store: Medications, first aid supplies, sun block

48 Hours Out (2 Days)

  • Tools: Charge portable drill batteries, Comm Go-Kit batteries
  • Gas Station: Fill vehicles for travel to assignment
  • Gas Station: Marathon - fuel for 2/4 cycle engines (no alcohol, gasoline generators, tools)
  • Prep: generator, chain saw, blower, flash lights, rain gear, boots
  • Storage: MRE's (optional)

24 Hours Out (1 Day)

  • Window Prep: Install window protection.  Materials have been at home for at least a week if needing any installation. (Optional)
  • Prep: Move potted plants, grill, radio antennas, rain gauge, table, chairs, etc. inside or secured.
  • Prep: Set out Personal Go-Kit and Comm Go-kit for final check

12 hours Out

  • Package important papers
  • Charge cell phone, pads, hand-held radio batteries, laptop computer, shaver
  • Brace double garage door with 2x4/towel to vehicle with parking brake to prevent door from bowing inward
  • If being activated
    • Final preparation of Go-Kits
    • Prepare access home access doors with deadbolt and door brace
  • If staying at home
    • Fill bathtub with plastic liner and fill with water for flushing commode
    • Clean tools  Shovels, rakes, etc.
    • Get out battery powered lamps
    • Bracing of the exterior doors with a deadbolt and door brace can be postponed and set based on the direction of the winds.

Notification: Standby, Activated

At some point in the above countdown, the ARES leaders and the Agency (Hospital, Red, Cross, Salvation Army, etc.) will be communicating and finalizing plans.  The complete staffing of the EOC (Level 1) and storm shelters will be key events and may impact the schedule. 

Mobilization Questions To Ask if You Don't Already Have the Answers

  1. Point of contact (name) and contact information (phone #, email)

  2. Mission/Tracking #: (Hurricane "X", State/Federal activations may have a tracking #)

  3. Type of Event: (What will you be doing?)

  4. Reporting Location (Staging Area?  street address):

  5. Reporting Time & Date:

  6. Mode of Transportation: Your vehicle, pick-up enroute, etc.

  7. Route: (Take this route to avoid _ _ _)

  8. Length of Operation: (1,2-days to 2 weeks)

  9. Safety Issues:

The first shift (during the storm, a rotating runner and radio operator positions) will be designated and information provided to them as to times to set up and other information.  Our backup support role of primary communications will be between TVRH (Villages Hospital), LMRH (Leesburg Hospital) and the Sumter EOC via their Emergency Ops Net (147.925).  Secondary communications may include the Lake EOC and hospitals in surrounding counties.  The key person at the EOC will be the Florida Public Health person which the Hospital Incident Command person will be communicating.  This will be a long shift which starts before the winds climb and ends after the winds stop.  No one should travel once the winds reach 45 mph (all Fire, EMT, and police response stops). 

As the hospital radio can receive only on two frequencies there may be a need for one or more people at home.  Frequencies used during the emergency may be the following during a storm:

  • Sumter Ops Net 146.925
  • Crossover Frequency
  • TVRH and LMRH Communications  Repeater or simplex
  • Citrus, S. Lake, Waterman, Marion, Ocala, ER, W. Ocala Communications Repeater or simplex
  • Winlink Gateway
  • Lake Ops Net 147.255

And after the storm

  • TVRH and LMRH Communications  Repeater or simplex
  • Citrus, S. Lake, Waterman, Marion, Ocala, ER, W. Ocala Communications Repeater or simplex
  • Winlink Gateway
  • Fairground and Special Needs Shelters
  • CERT of the Villages 145.210
  • Red Cross
  • Salvation Army

The frequency assignments are being discussed.

During daylight hours, the SKYWARN Net will be operational and spotters desired (147.030)

A second shift (after the storm, rotating runner and radio operator positions) will be also designed to relieve the first shift.  Other than the possibility of the Sumter EOC discontinuing the Ops Net, the other communications will remain the same and the Red Cross and/or Salvation Army communications may be added.   The storm shelters in the schools will be closed and the remaining residents moved to the Fairgrounds which may remain open as needed.  It may be staffed by the County or the American Red Cross.   The Special Needs shelter will continue operating as needed.   It will be Florida Public Health and the Medical Reserve Corp.

A third, fourth, etc. shifts and assignments will depend on the Agency(s) needs.

Some of the assignments being discussed are windshield assessments after the storm, evacuation transportation communications, Red Cross feeding trucks, Salvation Army feeding vehicles.     

 

 Last Update:  07/03/2018    © Copyright Sumter County ARES. All Rights Reserved.