SUMTER COUNTY
Amateur Radio Emergency Services Association (ARES)

 Sumter County, Florida

Hospital Deployment for Radio Operator

Hospital Organization (Hospital Command Center "HCC" or "ICS room")

The HICS team (Command and General Staff) for which we will be communicating will be the key people in the room and should be wearing vests with the name of their position.  Please focus on the position as the faces may change from operational shift to shift. The positions that we would most need to provide communications will be the Incident Commander (IC), Liaison Officer, the Logistics Chief, and/or any other designated person. 

Patient Privacy, HIPAA, and Amateur Radio Communications

A more lengthy document is provided on Hospital Background and this one will just hit the high points.  Hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, and other medical entities have access to computerized patient records and the need to keep those records private especially for those not involved in patient care.  HIPAA went into effect in 2003 and was modified in 2013. 

Protected information is any individually identifiable health information to include physical, mental, and/or condition of an individual (diagnosis, medications, Social Security #, Insurance numbers, date of birth, provider names).  Radio operators are not covered and transmission of any of the above data, if not directed, will result in a reported violation of HIPAA.

To minimize the possibly of this happening, many hospitals use a record number instead of a patient name when passing information. In addition, to minimize the possibility of transmission being heard, radio operators should use the lowest transmit power that is practical, and select radio frequencies with minimal activity, whenever available (A, B, C...).   Digitally methods over analog frequencies are also attractive and reduce the possibility of being "heard" even more.

As to HIPAA, neither is Red Cross or Amateur Radio or other volunteer agency are considered "covered entities" under HIPAA because they don't bill electronically.   Bottom-line, if asked to transmit such information, double-check before sending.

Hospital Voice Communications

  • Hospital-County EOC (ESF # 8)  
    • Sumter EOC 146.925 from Promise or The Villages Hospital (TVRH)
    • Lake EOC 147.255 from Leesburg (LRMC)
  • Sister Hospital (shared system) 
    • Simplex A or Sumter repeater 443.225 
    • Simplex A or Lake repeater 147.225
  • Hospital-Hospital (same or surrounding county - simplex frequency (A, B, C, D or repeater
    • Marion:  Munroe Hospital
    • Citrus: Citrus Hospital
    • Lake: FLA Hospital-Waterman
    • Lake: South Lake (Clermont)

Hospital Digital Communication over analog frequencies

  • Radio Email (VHF Winlink software app)
  • FLDigi Messaging (VHF FLDigi software app)

Allocation of Radio Frequencies during a Hurricane and Assignments

Promise Hospital (Two Sumter ARES operators, rotating-eat, sleep, etc.)

  1. Sumter EOC Ops Net (ESF #8)
  2. Designated Hospital Net
  3. Check Winlink periodically

The Villages Regional Hospital (Two Sumter ARES operators, rotating-eat, sleep, etc.)

  1. Sumter EOC Ops Net (ESF # 8)
  2. Designated Hospital Net
  3. Check Winlink periodically

Leesburg Regional Medical Center (Two Sumter ARES operators, rotating, eat sleep, etc.)

  1. Lake EOC Ops Net (ESF # 8)
  2. Designated Hospital Net

At Home Radio Operator # 1 (One Sumter ARES operator)

  1. Marion: Monroe Hospital
  2. Citrus: Citrus Hospital
  3. Check in to hospital net hourly

At Home Radio Operator # 2 (One Lake ARES operator)

  1. Lake: Waterman Hospital
  2. Lake: South Lake Hospital
  3. Check in to hospital net hourly

Deploying to a Hospital and starting

  1. Must have been activated by phone call or email or text
  2. Assignment: To staff First Shift or Later Shift for the HCC backup communications
  3. Driving to Shelter, consider where the roads might be jammed traffic (Turnpike and I-75 North, 301, 441/27 North), with high winds avoid rail yard bridges (44, 301) in Wildwood, and avoid flooding anywhere.
  4. Parking:  Park close for unloading.  Afterward, move your vehicle to general parking and away from trees.
  5. Building security may need to check your name before entry and you need to sign-in.  Take your personal Go-Kit to radio area.
  6. Go to the Security Office to get the radio kit and take to the radio area.
  7. Set up radio, and test connection.  It should work fine.  Place a phone call if problems.
  8. Start your personal IS-214
  9. Shift Briefing - verbal or written IAP (Incident Action Plan) given by IC or is in writing.
  10. Meals - You will have the choice of the cafeteria or snack bar or vending machine (TVRH, LRMC only). Take cash or a credit card.  Promise hospital will provide meals.   
  11. Check-in to the County EOC Net (146.925) and the hospital net (A,B,C...).

Radio Operations

Yaesu FTM-440 Radio (Left) in Gator Case with a power booster (center) and switching power supply (right).  Laptop on center shelf and cables and reference documents on bottom shelf

  • Work with the HICS staff
  • Information may be passed between ESF #8 and the hospital
  • Request for inventory levels and other needs
  • Continue to document on your FEMA IS-214 form. Start a new one if the shift changes and start a turn-in folder to be submitted upon completion of assignment.
  • There may be the use of IS-213 forms in which case the IS-309 Log must also be used and go into the turn-in folder
  • There might be time periods during the night designated for rest with a check-in, probably, at 0600.
  • Attend staff briefings or if more than one, only one will attend and report or someone who will take notes for you.
  • Notification of shutting down the HCC will be from the IC or staff.  May be asked to inform ESF # 8
  • Shut down equipment and pack up
  • Return radio to Security (TVRH and LRMC only)
  • Sign out
  • If the radio was loaned, return it, and turn in all documents produced (turn-in folder) at the HCC.

Key Points for the Radio Operator

  • Your are in an important support role that does not put one in charge of anyone but insures that the message/report gets through. 
  • You are the backup to one or more communications systems, when they fail, you are the only one left.
  • Keep radio communications brief.

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