Please look inside this newsletter

for 2 additional articles with their

bios, photos, and equipment.

"Ask not what your

country can do for

you; ask what you

can do for your country." --

President John F. Kennedy

A considerate, upright, and

caring society is measured not

by how it behaves during

good economic times, but

how it responds to those in

need when the economy has

tanked and the local govern-

ments are suffering fiscal dis-

tress.

We applaud those rare people

who choose to step outside

their comfort zone to help

others in their time of need.

Several of them are on our

team. And two of them re-

cently showed their great gen-

erosity through their valuable

and selfless contributions:

They are: Dave K7HMP and

Chuck W1NW.

(See inside for details!)

Dave K7HMP is to the right

and below is Chuck W1NW.

Dave K7HMP & Chuck W1NW:

Two Generous Contributors

H I G H L I G H T S

I N T H I S I S S U E :

RACES RO

Report

6

“Snow-

pocalypse”

7

Hearability

Test

8-9

Community

Preparedness

10

New District

EC — AK1E

5

Stafford Alert

System

11

Severe WX

Reporting

16

Cartoon 17

Courtesy 18

2 0 1 0 A N N U A L N E W S L E T T E R V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

SPECIAL

POINTS OF

INTEREST:

Two Generous

Ham Donors

EOC Orienta-

tion

New Emergency

Manager

Who We Are

K3EP is MVP

Snow & Gas

Guides

T wenty members of the

Team attended the first

Stafford EOC orientation on

Saturday, December 5, 2010

from 10:00 to 11:30 AM.

Stafford Fire Chief Rob

Brown and Assistant Emer-

gency Manager LT Paul

Lupe provided encouragement

and support. Assistant Chief

& EM Mike Carter was in

North Carolina preparing to

move his family to Stafford.

LT Paul Lupe described the

current County organization

for emergency support, a

history of the past 5 years,

and answered many ques-

tions.

Dave K7HMP Williams

was commended for his

generous contribution of his

Ford Explorer 4WD vehicle

to the Team.

Dr Chuck W1NW Emely was

commended for his generous

contribution of his FT-8800 dual

-band mobile rig and mobile

repeater system for the Explorer.

Each attendee received a Team

mug, engraved carabiner, en-

graved tool, a current Team SOP

in a binder, a laminated fre-

quency card, and several printed

handouts. All gifts and handouts

were prepared and paid for by

Bart N3GQ and Dee K3KAT.

Dee K3KAT provided coffee

and many snacks in the kitchen

(Continued on page 4)

Stafford EOC Orientation

SSSUPERUPERUPER HHHAMSAMSAMS!!!

Stafford County’s

Volunteer EmComm

for

Sheriff, Fire & Rescue

S T A F F O R D ’ S V O L U N T E E R

E M E R G E N C Y R A D I O

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S T E A M

February 2011

P A G E 2

Stafford Fire & Rescue Department ONE MISSION, ONE DEPARTMENT, MANY PARTNERS… The Fire and Rescue De-

partment, established Sep-

tember 20, 2005, is an all-

hazards response agency.

The combination career-

volunteer department pro-

vides emergency response

and mitigation to all fire,

rescue, emergency medi-

cal and environmental

hazard (Haz-Mat)

incidents. In addition, the

department is the lead

agency for emergency

management and oversees

Explosive Ordinance

Disposal, building plan

review and fire code

enforcement, fire and en-

vironmental crime investi-

gation, and public fire and

life safety education and

preparedness.

The department is head-

quartered at the Public

Safety Complex in Staf-

ford, VA, and serves the

county with an integrated

workforce of 350 career

and volunteer personnel

operating from 15 fire and

rescue stations in partner-

ship with 14 volunteer

rescue or fire/rescue com-

panies. The County is

divided into two

Battalions operating 1

Division Chief/Shift

Commander, 2 Battalion

Chiefs, 18 Engines, 4

Ladders, 3 Heavy

Rescues, 20 ambulances, 3

fire-rescue boats and vari-

ous other support equip-

ment and answers 23,000

calls yearly. Qualified vol-

unteer chief officers rou-

tinely respond and com-

mand incidents in coop-

eration with county com-

mand officers. The Special

Operations Command de-

ploys various units to sup-

port the Technical Rescue

Operations Team (TROT),

Dive Team, Swift-Water

Team, Marine Fire-Rescue

Unit, Haz-Mat Unit and

Air-Rescue partnership

with LifeEvac Helicopter.

the same time.

In his absence, we

awarded Emmett K3EP

a special ARES 75th

Anniversary Mug and an

ARES Anniversary

Challenge Coin. Thank

you, Emmett, for your

many years of tireless

support to the Team,

SARA, the County

government, the citizens

of Stafford, and the State

ARES staff!

-Bart, N3GQ

Emmett Price, K3EP

continues to provide ex-

ceptional service to Staf-

ford County in several

capacities. Emmett does

a lot of work for us be-

hind the scenes. We

don’t know how he finds

the time for all his volun-

teer activities! Emmett

K3EP tried to make it to

our EOC orientation in

December, but he had to

attend a major EMS

meeting scheduled for

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

Stafford’s Fire

Chief Rob Brown

provides support

to Stafford’s

EmComm Team.

“The Stafford

EmComm

Group’s work

has been a team

effort that has

supported the

County well.”

—FORMER EM

GERALD “JAZZ”

JASKULSKI

Emmett—K3EP—MVP!

K3EP at the PSC roof

Antenna Party on 8-10-08

P A G E 3 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

L ast year, former Stafford Assis-

tant Fire Chief Gerald “Jazz” Jaskulski accepted a position with

the Federal Emergency Manage-

ment Agency at its headquarters in

Washington, DC. During the past 5

years, Jazz worked tirelessly to

support our team and build an emer-

gency management program for

Stafford County. Jazz accom-

plished this while maintaining his

other responsibilities and duties as

the Assistant Fire Chief within the

growing Fire and Rescue Depart-

ment. During the several EOC

activations during his tenure (i.e.,

the Tornado, Major Snow Storms,

Presidential Inauguration, Rain

Events, and other significant events

that could possibly impact Stafford

County), Jazz would often sleep just

for an hour or so in his office on his

Red Cross cot so that he could

maintain continuity of the emer-

gency situation, be available 24/7 to

support the needs of staff, and

ensure command and control of the

situation. Jazz’s legacy in Stafford

County is one as a true change agent

who left a solid Emergency

(Continued on Page 21)

Jazz Moves On ...Mike Assumes Command One Mission, One Department, Many Partners

A ssistant Fire Chief Michael

Carter took the reins for op-

erations and emergency manage-

ment last year.

Michael Carter currently serves as

the Assistant Chief of Operations

for Stafford County Fire and Rescue

Department. His experience in-

cludes time in non-profit, municipal

and county governmental fire &

EMS agencies in Virginia and North

Carolina. Mike is a member the

International Association of Fire

Chief’s where he is actively in-

volved with the EMS Section and

Communication Committee. He

holds an Associate degree in Fire

Science and General Studies, a

Bachelor’s degree in EMS Manage-

ment from Hampton University, a

Master’s degree in Public Admini-

stration from Old Dominion Univer-

sity and holds the designation of

Chief Medical Officer.

Michael P. Carter, MPA, CMO, NREMT-P Assistant Fire & Rescue Chief Operations Command 540-658-8590 (Office) 540-379-4947 (Mobile) mcarter@co.staffford.va.us

L ieutenant Paul Lupe is the go-

to person for all things dealing

with IT, support services, and gen-

eral emergency management. Paul

has served as a workhorse before,

during, and after all the activations,

ensuring all the logistical require-

ments related to the EOC operations

were met. He is also certified as a

firefighter/EMT. Paul Lupe cur-

rently serves as Lieutenant of Emer-

gency Management and Technical

Services for Stafford County Fire &

Rescue.

A graduate of George Mason Uni-

versity in Fairfax, VA, he has an

Associate degree in Computer Infor-

mation Systems and a Bachelor's

degree in Information Technol-

ogy. Currently, Paul is serving as

Vice Chair on the Northern Virginia

Emergency Managers Committee

and is an active member of the Vir-

ginia State and National Capital

Region radio cache teams.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Emergency Dial 911 General Info: (540) 658-7200 Fax: (540) 658-4545 E-mail Us info@staffordfirerescue.com

www.staffordfirerescue.com

P A G E 4

EOC Orientation (Cont’d) and break area. Many thanks go to LT Lupe for setting

up the EOC, handling IT, and making photo IDs after

our meeting. Attendees included AK1E, K3KAT,

K4KSQ, K4ZRL, K7HMP, KB4XF, KD4KDC,

KI4JVE, KJ4GYR, KJ4VOV, N3GQ, N4WDC,

N5ALX, W4CTD, W7IY, and WE4BSD.

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

20 Members

of the Stafford

EmComm

Team

attended the

first Stafford

EOC

orientation on

5 December

2010.

Photo: Chief Brown and LT Lupe in the EOC

The photo above is an exact likeness of the Ford Explorer that Dave K7HMP donated to the team.

Tom AK1E has stepped up to

the plate to replace Tom

Lauzon, KI4AFE as DEC-4.

Tom KI4AFE’s day job was

preventing him from devoting the

time he needed to serve the Dis-

trict. We thank Tom KI4AFE

for his 3 years as DEC-4. Tom

KI4AFE expects to continue to

serve as Spotsylvania's EC/RO.

Tom AK1E served as DEC-4 a

decade ago, so he is well aware of

the joys and tribulations associated

with the position! Tom AK1E

conducted his first District meet-

ing on Saturday, December 5th

from 8-9 AM in the Regional Red

Cross building. Several issues

were discussed and Tom handed

out a District frequency list, an

EOC equipment Wish List, and a

MARS-ARRL MOU.

District 4 Meeting attendance : AK1E, KI4AFE, WN2G, WA4PAG, N3GQ, KB4XF, KJ4VOV, N9VT, N4WDC, KD5KQD,

W6LWG, AJ4FB, & KI4JVC. Photo by K3KAT

Dave K7HMP

P A G E 5 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

New DISTRICT EMERGENCY COORDINATOR (DEC-4)

Tom Harmon, AK1E

Here’s a photo of Dave K7HMP — the gener-

ous donor of the Ford Explorer. He sent these

words to accompany the photo: ―Although

this appears to be "hamming," I was the

"Wireless Operator" on the Sailing Vessel (S/

V) Intrepid (moored over on the Chesapeake).

If I dig around enough, I have the callsign

someplace. I had just run a radio check with

WLO down in Louisiana to test the HF SSB

radio for the owner. I've had a commercial

radio license since the late 70s and that was

the first time I've ever used it for something

official.‖ (Continued on Page 11)

Chuck is the generous donor of

both the Yaesu FT-8800 dual-band

rig and the expensive portable

repeater system (worth at least

$3,000). ―Originally licensed in

1957 as WN3INW, then W3INW,

then W1NW. Amateur Extra,

FCC Commercial "General" (was

First Class Radiotelephone), FCC

Second Class Radiotele-

phone. Also ZF2NW, VK4INW,

FP0API, and numerous other port-

able DX calls. Former DX'er,

DXCC CW, DXCC Phone, #60 5-

Band WAZ. Life member ARRL,

QCWA. Member Collins Collec-

tors Association. Heavily in-

Chuck W1NW volved in MARS (as

AF3INW, AA9AAL, etc. during the

70's-90's) including Transcon operator

and heavy SE Asia phone patch activ-

ity. Heavily involved in emergency

communications ---primarily as

staff. Served as National Communica-

tions Coordinator for American Red

Cross National HQ on Hurricanes

Camille and Celia; responsible for

coordinating all military and civilian

disaster communications -- from HF

through SATCOM and landlines,

Communications Coordinator for

NDMS at HHS. ANRC Disaster

Operations Instructor. Wife is KM1F/

ZF2ME and son is KA1KIN.‖

See Page 10 for a description of the complete mobile

repeater system that Chuck W1NW donated.

P A G E 6

“This was our

EmComm

Team’s busiest

year yet — no

doubt about it!”

Dee K3KAT & Bart

N3GQ on the roof of

the Public Safety

Center assisting with

installing antennas.

Radio Officer’s Corner tions Course (ARECC)

Level I offered by the Ama-

teur Radio Relay League,

the national association for

amateur radio. This course

is by far the best EmComm

course available on-line.

Our relationship with the

Stafford Area Radio Asso-

ciation could not be better.

The SARA Board and

Technical Committee, who

are also EmComm team

members, continue to work

behind the scenes to ensure

the repeaters and radios we

depend on during emergen-

cies are all fully operational

at all times. I am happy to

report that thanks to them,

our operational status re-

mains top notch!

I am also very pleased to

report that our team mem-

bership has continued to

grow steadily during the

past 5 years. Among the 62

current members, 30 of you

are listed as Active Mem-

bers. We remain the largest

EmComm team in District 4

and we are reportedly the

largest team in the Com-

mo n we a l t h o f V i r -

ginia. Many other localities

are lucky to have only a

handful of members.

Our EM has asked us to be

involved in the Community

Emergency Response Team

(CERT) program. We look

forward to forging a mutual

support relationship with

our County CERT teams.

The number of members

who attend the weekly Sat-

urday morning breakfast get

-togethers at Perkins Res-

taurant continues to in-

crease, with an average of

20 members!

In addition to managing

monthly ARRL Volunteer

Examiner sessions, we have

used the Saturday breakfast

meetings for planning ses-

sions and to help keep our

members informed of our

operational status and vari-

ous related activities.

I would like to remind eve-

ryone that, like in the Staf-

ford Area Radio Associa-

tion (SARA) club, everyone

has a voice to help deter-

mine how we operate in an

emergency environment.

SARA’s technical team,

headed up by Emmett

Price (K3EP), has been

responsible for not only

performing preventive

maintenance so that the

repeater systems continu-

ously stay on-the-air, but

also for designing and

implementing the ongoing

system expansion.

I thank my family, and es-

pecially my wife, Dee,

K3KAT for her continued

devotion, support, and help.

As a volunteer, it is often

difficult to leave one’s fam-

ily during times of need,

such as inclement weather,

because it is often during

those times that our families

need us the most.

I thank the Stafford County

Sheriff’s Office and Fire &

Rescue Department, the

SARA Board members,

SARA’s Technical Staff,

and the members of the

Stafford EmComm Team

(continued on Page 12)

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

The Bartholomew

Ham Family, L-R:

Matt KI4LR

Bart N3GQ

Dee K3KAT

Ian KI4SLQ

D ear Fellow EmComm

Team Members,

Dee K3KAT and I hope

you and your family

enjoyed a very Merry

Christmas and a Happy

New Year!

Thanks to you, our

EmComm Team had a great

year in 2010! This was our

EmComm Team’s busiest

year yet — no doubt about

it!

We supported Stafford

County’s ―Snowpocalypse‖

EOC activations in

February.

In April, Stafford County

presented us certificates and

plaques at an Award Cere-

mony (see Snowpocalypse).

In August, we conducted

our county-wide VHF/UHF

―Hearability Test.‖

In December, we held our

first EOC Orientation.

We updated our SOP and

welcomed new members.

I urge all members to com-

plete the minimum educa-

tion requirements for all

volunteers, especially those

who would work in the

County EOC (FEMA online

course numbers IS-100, IS-

200, IS-700 & IS-800).

We hope that new members

have also had a chance to

register at the State level for

ARES/RACES.

It has been great to see

some of our team members

take the Amateur Radio

Emergency Communica-

P A G E 7 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

Because just about everyone in

the area was snowbound most of

the time, few have 4x4 vehicles,

and most lost power and internet

services from several hours to a

day, obtaining information and

volunteers was a challenge.

Residents who lost power and

were dependent only on residen-

tial VoIP telephone service were

incommunicado when their UPS

power expired. Fortunately,

Stafford and the surrounding

counties did not experience a

widespread telecommunications

outage.

Specific details are

contained in the

ESF-2 Duty Logs.

This was the

largest known

deployment and

participation of

Amateur Radio

emergency ser-

vices in Stafford

County's history.

Collectively,

despite the diffi-

cult conditions, a superb job

was done by all Amateur Radio

operators and support personnel.

On 6 February, the Free Lance-

Star regional newspaper

published a front page report

regarding the Stafford shelters

and 2 ham radio operators at the

shelters: http://

fredericksburg.com/News/

FLS/2010/022010/02062010/52

6302

On 3 April, Sheriff Charlie

Jett, 911 Center Director Carol

Adams, and Assistant Fire

Chief Gerald “Jazz” Jaskulski

awarded the participants with

plaques and framed certificates

of appreciation on behalf of Stafford County for

the 3 EOC activations. T he Stafford County Volun-

teer Emergency Commu-

nications team provided 24/7

emergency communications

support at the County EOC Ra-

dio Room as the ICS Communi-

cations Unit Leader (ESF-2).

Dates: 20 Dec 2009; 4-7 & 9-

10 Feb 2010.

The team staffed backup radio

support at the two Stafford

County shelters, and served as

the Net Control Station for

hourly Skywarn spotter weather

reports to Stafford County and

the National Weather Service’s

Sterling, Virginia Office.

Radio communications were

also maintained with the re-

gional Red Cross Amateur Ra-

dio station in Spotsylvania

County.

Thanks to the vigilant care of

the SARA repeater systems by

Trustee Emmett, K3EP and his

Technical Committee, the

SARA repeaters all operated

flawlessly during the incident.

Amateur Radio leaders and

operators of the ARES/RACES

Team, SARA, RVARC, and

Red Cross worked seamlessly in

cooperation to ensure emer-

gency communications person-

nel and assets were either in

place or ready for deployment.

“Snowpocalypse”

ESF-2 at the Stafford EOC Radio Room

N5ALX, N3GQ, & K4ZRL (photo K3KAT)

Incident Participants Incident Participants

& Their Call Signs& Their Call Signs

1 AC4SK Carolyn Cavanagh

2 AK1E Tom Harmon

3 K0RWB Robert Broeking

4 K3EP Emmett Price

5 K3KAT Dee Bartholomew

6 K4KSQ Chris Schmidt

7 K4TS Red Cross Station

8 K4ZRL Roy Snellings

9 KB4XF Jack Cavanagh

10 KD4CVC Dar Horne

11 KD4IQD Nolan Sargeant

12 KD4WUO Robert Cherry

13 KG4EYD Ted Eisenman

14 KG4LZC David Nance

15 KI4AFE Tom Lauzon

16 KI4GZY Dennis Wynn

17 KI4JVE Harry Kern

18 KJ4ALX Pete Burnett Jr.

19 KJ4CCU Andy Miles

20 KJ4DFN Jeffrey Burnett

21 KU4C Jim McCloud

22 N0RMC Rich Corrigan

23 N3GQ Curt ―Bart‖ Bartholomew

24 N4WDC David Collins

25 N5ALX Alex Johnston

26 NX4Q Jim Steele

27 W4CTD Charles Doyal

28 WB4LNT Gordon Thomas

29 WW4VA Stafford EOC

P A G E 8

“Can

You

Hear

Me

Now!?”

Stafford Area

Hams visited all

the Stafford

County Schools

to conduct the

successful

Hearability Test

using their mobile

rigs and handheld

transceivers.

Stafford Hearability Test Results Phase One

QTH 2M High 2M Low 440 High 440 Low 146.49 High

146.49 Low

445.975 High

445.975 Low

2 KJ4SDD x x x

4 KJ4VOV x X x x

16 W4CTD x x x x

5 KB4XF x x x

12 AD5QA x x x x X X

20 AK1E x x x

19 K4KSQ x x x

9 W7IY x x x x X X

29 KI4JVE x x x x

27 N4WDC x x x x X X

15 N1CDO x x x x X

20 KD4CVC x N/A x

Phase Two

QTH 2M High 2M Low 440 High 440 Low 146.49 High

146.49 Low

445.975 High

445.975 Low

17 AD5QA X X X X X 11

14 AK1E X X X

30 K4KSQ X X X X

6 KB4XF X X X

24 KI4JVE X X X

8 &18 KJ4VOV X X X X X

22 N1CDO X X X X X

28 N4WDC X X X X X

25 W4CTD X X X X X X 22

21 W7IY X X X X X X X

3 KJ4SDD X X X X X X 34

14 KD4CVC X N/A X

Phase Three

QTH 2M High 2M Low 440 High 440 Low 146.49 High

146.49 Low

445.975 High

445.975 Low

10 AK1E X X x

23 KI4JVE X X x x

1 KJ4VOV x X x x x

26 N1CDO x X x x x x

11 W4CTD x X x x x x

Legend: X=59 signal report Red Color = Nil Heard

5=Perfectly Readable 9=Extremely Strong Signal Strength

See the 2010 Stafford County Comprehensive Plan for the school legend (also in the EmComm SOP).

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

Stafford Simplex VHF/UHF Hearability Test

P A G E 9 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

A BBIGIG TTHANKHANK YYOUOU goes out to the 12 Su-

perHams who made the Heara-

bility Test on 8 August both pos-

sible and successful (in the order

in which they volunteered):

Jack Cavanagh KB4XF

Harry Kern KI4JVE

Chris Schmidt K4KSQ

Charles Doyal W4CTD

Bill Miller N1CDO

Bernie Behling KJ4VOV

Tom Jenkins AD5QA

Tom Harmon AK1E

Dar Horne KD4CVC

Stu Mitchell W7IY

David Collins N4WDC

Robert Cole KJ4SDD

Several other hams wanted to

participate, but their schedules

did not permit it. We had been

planning and postponing this

event for almost two years!

The data we collected will enable

our team and the County to deter-

mine and prepare for what radio

communications nets can be es-

tablished among the 30 possible

shelters located at the County’s

schools during a catastrophic

event ―when all else fails.‖

I searched high and low for ex-

amples of how hearability tests

are conducted elsewhere, but was

unable to find any examples be-

yond hearing or reading about

―hams driving around‖ an area

relatively arbitrarily.

Bernie KJ4VOV did a nice job

coming up with and printing

Hearability forms that he handed

out at breakfast.

Net Procedure: We asked each participant to

make a list of stations heard from

each school location. Participants

checked in with their call signs in

the order printed on the recording

sheets. The Net Control Station

(NCS)(usually!) came back and

asked for location, radio output,

antenna type, and the list of stations

heard.

Lessons Learned:

Almost everyone who participated

has sent me ideas on how to better

conduct the test – thank you to all of

you for taking the time to do

this. Because this test was a trail-

blazing event, we will be able to use

your insight and ideas during the

next test.

I can tell you that my first mistake

was not asking for help at the EOC

– this is definitely not an event for

only one person to serve as Net

Control Station (NCS): controlling

the radios, monitoring deployments,

and recording results.

Results: Please see the table on the previous

page for details. Because there are

possible errors in our data (I know

that may be hard to believe!), any

action we take based on the data

probably should be preceded by

more testing or confirmation test-

ing.

The Good: Thanks to the Stafford Area Radio

Association’s (SARA’s) expertly

maintained VHF and UHF FM re-

peaters, and the great antenna tower

location courtesy of Stafford

County, we are able to communicate

with ALL the Stafford County

schools on both the VHF and UHF

FM analog repeaters on both high

power (20-75 watt mobiles) and low

power (5 watt handhelds).

So we send a special thank you to

the SARA Repeater Technical Com-

mittee for doing such a fine job

maintaining and upgrading the

repeater systems:

Emmett K3EP

Dennis KI4GZY

Rich N0RMC

The Not So Good: The VHF and UHF simplex test

results were actu-

ally better than we

expected.

However, the Staf-

ford EOC was un-

able to hear either

VHF or UHF

simplex communi-

cations from the

following 8

Stafford schools

(see the 2010

Stafford County Comprehensive

Plan for the legend):

2, 4, 5, 10, 14, 19, 20, 24

The Stafford EOC was able to hear

only 2m high power VHF comms

from the following 5 schools:

4, 16, 23, 29, 30

Interim Emergency

Communications Plan:

Based on this test, if the SARA

analog repeaters are not useable for

whatever reason and we have to

switch to simplex communications,

we would probably have to setup

relay stations between certain

schools and the EOC. However,

Emmett K3EP told me that the

375 repeater can be packaged as a

mobile 2m repeater, which maybe

could be positioned to cover cer-

tain dead spots in the county. (The

mobile repeater that Chuck

W1NW just donated, would proba-

bly be a good fit for this job.)

While an option, I don’t think it

would be practical to consider

using HF (Continued on Page 13)

P A G E 1 0

“With a little

planning, common

sense, and

preparedness, you

can be better

equipped to

handle

the unexpected.”

A timely tip for you!

Community Preparedness raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism, crime, and other threats and emphasize the impor-tance of reporting suspi-cious activity to the proper transportation and law en-forcement authorities. What happens after police receive a report of suspi-cious activity from a con-cerned civilian? The “If You See Something, Say Some-thing” campaign is working in concert with the Nation-wide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative (NSI), a program managed by the Department of Justice. The NSI establishes a national capacity for gathering, documenting, processing, analyzing and sharing suspi-cious activity reports. The NSI plans to achieve their goals by utilizing innovative technological solutions for information sharing and by using existing data collec-tion methods, then making

Suspicious Activity Reporting: Stopping the Threat Overview

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano launched the “If You See Something, Say Something” public

awareness campaign this summer. The cam-paign was originally implemented by New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority and DHS plans to expand the campaign nation-

ally with public education materials, advertisements and other tools to engage travelers, businesses, com-munity organizations and public and private sector employees to remain vigi-lant and play an active role in keeping the country safe. The campaign is a simple and effective program to

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

them available to participat-ing law enforcement agen-cies and partners through a federated search capability. You can find topics such as this one and other Individual & Community Preparedness news on the Citizens Corps website at www.citizencorps.gov. Source: The National Office of Citizen Corps, FEMA Indi-vidual & Community Prepar-edness Division

Need a FAMILY

COMMUNICATION

PLAN?

Access PDF versions of this

information and other docu-

ments at www.ready.gov.

Chuck WINW’s portable repeater consists of two

Motorola UHF Maxtracs with a Motorola repeater

controller and a duplexer, complete with dual Astron

30 Amp Power supplies (for 110 VAC) with volt and

amp meters, and the duplexer is a Telwave TPRD-

4544. It is currently in a heavy duty, wheeled, and

shippable case with a Motorola MNO antenna mount

mounted in the case and a mobile type antenna. The

repeater is entirely self contained as it is, just plug it

in, and screw the antenna on top of the case. The

entire unit is mounted on a 19" rack panel built into

the case, so it could be taken out and put in a 19"

rack, and of course, the radios will run on 12 VDC,

so it could be a temporary base or mobile. It is cur-

rent; programmed on GMRS 464.5000 / 469.5000

and channel 2 464.5500 / 469.5500. It can easily be

retuned to ham frequencies (of course the duplexer

will need to be retuned also). Thanks, Chuck!

W1NW Portable Repeater

WANTED: A FEW GOOD HAMS

We Need YOU!

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

sonal connec-

tion to real-time

updates, in-

structions on

where to go,

what to do, or

what not to do,

who to contact

and other im-

portant informa-

tion.

Stafford County Government

does not charge a fee for use of

this Emergency Notification

System. However, by signing up

to receive text alerts to your cell

phone, please understand that

your private cell phone provider

may charge standard (text) mes-

sage rates, depending on your

service. Sign up at:

S tafford County uses the

Roam Secure Alert Network

to immediately contact you during

a major crisis or emergency. The

Roam Secure Alert Network de-

livers important emergency alerts,

notifications and updates to you

on all your devices: email ac-

count (work, home, other), cell

phone (via SMS), pager, smart-

phone/PDA (BlackBerry, iPod &

and other handhelds).

When a major crisis or emergency

occurs, authorized senders will

instantly notify you based on your

group(s) selection (notify Bart

N3GQ or Emmett K3EP to be

placed in the ARES/RACES

Group) using the Roam Secure

Alert Network. All users will re-

ceive emergency alerts that affect

the public's safety. The Roam

Secure Alert Network is your per-

Stafford Has Free

Alert System for Residents

I t’s all about volunteerism. Do you have a free

evening or Saturday morning each Month? Maybe there’s a small block of hours for one weekend a

month you could take to do something new or ‘different.’ You can rationalize doing something for

the members of the community or helping a

deserving organization, but we at Stafford’s Volunteer Emergency Communications Team know

the real reason people volunteer: - it makes them feel good! It feels good to work with others to accomplish a task or goal. It feels good to be part of a job well

done. It‘s a proud moment to help out and success-

fully participate in emergency exercises. It’s fulfilling to learn about how things work and contribute to

making them work better, whether it’s a radio, a pro-cedure or a special event. Join Us! Call or e-mail

Bart, any team member, or a SARA Club Official.

You deserve it! Visit www.ww4va.org

Community Service Through Communication

NET SCHEDULE (Weekly)

Stafford County Thursday Night Net, Emergency

Net & Tips, 8:00 PM 145.270 MHz MAJOR ANNUAL EVENTS

Richmond Frostfest in early February

Field Day, last weekend in June at Curtis Park

Manassas Hamfest in May

Dave K7HMP (Cont’d from Page 5)

“When a

major crisis or

emergency

occurs,

authorized

senders will

instantly

notify you…”

Dave Williams, K7HMP, was first licensed in Coos Bay,

Oregon in 1959 and initially went on the air with an

Ameco "AC-1" transmitter and a Knight-Kit "Ocean Hop-

per" receiver. An upgrade to a Globe Chief Deluxe trans-

mitter and a National NC-60 receiver, enabled his first

EmComm adventures as a frequent traffic handler for the

Oregon Emergency Net (OEN) on 3840 Kcs. (Yes, they

were "Kcs" [kilocycles] way back then.)

Dave currently holds an Advanced Class amateur radio

license and a commercial General Radio Operators

License (GROL). The latter was originally issued as a

First Class Radio Telephone License with Radar Endorse-

ment prior to licensing deregulation in the late 80s.

Over the years, Dave's Amateur Radio interests have pri-

marily centered around Low Power (QRP) construction

projects and operation. For a couple of decades (as a member of the

Sterling Park ARC), he has sponsored the "QRP Out-of-State"

plaque for the Virginia QSO Party. In addition, he has dabbled in

Short Wave Listening, Ten Meter ("10-10") activities, various

radio/scouting programs, collecting telegraph keys and related

apparatus, and restoring a couple "Ocean Hopper" receivers. Most

recently, he has been involved in portable operations from several

lighthouses and light ships around the Mid-Atlantic region.

Dave K7HMPis a member of the ARRL, QCWA, QRP Interna-

tional, the Morse Telegraph Club and is a trained SKYWARN

Spotter. He is employed by General Dynamics Information

Technology and lives in Stafford, Virginia.

Photo: This

is the radio

setup that

Dave used in

the Ford

Explorer he

donated.

P A G E 1 2

Possible New Training Requirements

for their tireless efforts that

have gone into making

sound preparations during

the past 5 years for a radio

communications emergency

in Stafford County.

Ham operators don't

depend on infrastructure.

We carry our infrastruc-

ture with us…

Thank you for the privilege

of serving you in this

capacity

Curt “Bart” Bartholomew,

N3GQ Stafford County RACES

Radio Officer

and ARES®

Emergency

Coordinator

Stafford Em-

Comm Team

IS-700 NIMS: An In-

troduction

IS-800 National Re-

sponse Framework

IS-240 Leadership &

Influence

IS-241 Decision Mak-

ing & Problem Solving

IS-250 Emergency

Support Function 15

(ESF-15) External Af-

fairs

IS-1 Emergency Man-

ager, An Orientation to

the Position

IS-288 The Role of

Voluntary Agencies in

Emergency Manage-

ment

IS-244 Developing and

Managing Volunteers

IS-120.a An Introduc-

tion to Exercises

IS-130 Exercise

Evaluation and Im-

provement Planning

IS-139 Exercise Design

IMHO, there should be a

few more courses added,

such as IS-802 (ESF-2), but

it is a challenge to get folks

to take all these courses,

even though they are free.

The field of emergency

management continues to

grow at all levels of govern-

ment — from federal to

local. I recently completed a

recommendation for federal

emergency managers that

included a list of 42 courses

(whew!).

T he National Associa-

tion for Amateur Ra-

dio (ARRL) has been dis-

cussing possible new re-

quirements for personnel in

key positions in its Amateur

Radio Emergency Service

(ARES®). ARRL’s ―Public

Service and Emergency

Communications Manage-

ment for Radio Amateurs‖

includes the following rec-

ommendations:

COML Course

(Communications

Leader — a position in

EOCs under ESF-2)

ICS-100 Introduction

to Incident Command

System

ICS-200 ICS for Single

Incidents and Initial

Action Incidents

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

Radio Officer’s Corner (Cont’d from P. 6)

Team

Members:

Thank you for

your continued

support!

R U FIRED UP?

One thing that I’ve observed about radio clubs is that they are almost always powered by the zeal of one individual. One guy gets all fired up about something in particular and his enthusiasm becomes infectious and the club grows. Eventually, he begins to burn out and the entire club membership starts to wane. ...Unless or until the next fellow steps up, provides a re-kindling spark, and then burns bright enough to reinvigorate the club. Discovering how to ignite and stoke the next fire before the previous one burns completely out is often the only way some clubs survive. -N3GQ

V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E A T

W W W / Q S L . N E T / S E M C O M M

Do you have a spare dual-band

2m/440 mobile antenna? The

new EmComm response vehicle

can put it to good use!

—Please contact Bart, N3GQ

Stafford Hearability Test (Cont’d from P. 9)

P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

NVIS to fill the void. The

propagation picture may also

change once we are established

at the Granby Tower in South

Stafford.

As a reminder, most of the times

that we have been needed have

been during inclement weather

conditions – so whatever contin-

gency option we go with should

consider how long it would take

us to setup relay stations and the

availability of hams with 4WD

vehicles. This is an issue for a

round-table discussion, to in-

clude what our future options

will be using D-Star digital

comms.

The following schools, based on

this test only, would require

relay stations or some other

solution:

2, 4, 5, 10, 14, 19, 20, 24

Possible Improvement

Plan: There are several remedies that

we can discuss based on our

results. These are just ideas for

discussion. I think you would

agree that, as a minimum, we

should achieve consensus on at

least an interim solution to the

simplex radio dead spots at the

8 schools.

EOC Antenna Elevation:

The preliminary results of this

test appear to point to an imme-

diate need for one rooftop dual-

band VHF/UHF vertical antenna

at the EOC to be elevated in

order for us to hear several

schools. Emmett K3EP has

spoken with Director Carol Ad-

ams about our placement of a tri

-band (2m/440/1.2) antenna on

the 40-foot pole tower behind

the Public Safety Center. That

additional height may be suffi-

cient for us to reach all the

schools without the use of relay

stations. Once that antenna is

installed, another Hearability

Test would be conducted with

the schools that are in the ―red

zone.‖

I don’t know what the status of

funding is for SARA at this time

for an antenna, hardline, and

connectors, but we may need to

raise the funds to obtain this

needed capability.

School Antennas:

Another consideration is to add

antennas on the school roof-

tops. One scenario would have

us add antennas to the schools

with poor propagation paths

($). Another scenario would

have us mount an antenna atop a

school that can be used as a

relay station to the EOC ($).

As a token of appreciation for

the Hearability Test partici-

pants, Dee and I passed out a

small addition for the partici-

pants’ Go Kits on a Saturday

breakfast at Perkins. We had

them made at personal expense

as handouts for my Dayton

Hamvention speech earlier in

the year and saved a few for the

EmComm Team.

—73, Bart, N3GQ

“While an

option, I don’t

think it would

be practical to

consider using

HF NVIS to fill

the void.”

SARA Repeaters

WW4VA (Analog)

145.270 MHz (-)

147.375 MHz (+)

444.450 MHz (+)

145.550 MHz Packet

Echolink Node 52256

WS4VA (D-STAR)

145.320

MHz (+) WS4VA C

447.275

MHz (-) WS4VA B

1282.20

MHz (-) WS4VA A

1298.40

MHz DD WS4VA A

D-Star

Gateway WS4VA G

D-Star

Icom

IC-91AD

Join Us! Over 20 of the Staf-

ford Area Radio

Association (SARA)

club and Stafford

EmComm Team

members routinely

meet for breakfast

on Saturdays at the

Perkins Restaurant

on Route 17 near I-

95 Exit 133.

P A G E 1 4

“With snow

expected and

possible power

outages, you

many want to

keep this

information

handy.”

Your Snow Emergency Guide W ith snow expected

and possible power

outages, you may want to

keep this information

handy. Portions courtesy of

WTOP Radio and AAA.

Supplies to Have on

Hand:

Portable radio. If your

power goes out, radio will

be your lifeline (if the sta-

tions have power). Pre-set

your radios to 103.5 FM /

1500 AM. If you live in

Virginia south of the Belt-

way you will also want to

pre-set 107.7 FM. (in Fre-

derick, Maryland, pre-set

103.9 FM) 103.5 FM works

just fine everywhere else.

You can also tune to

WMAL (630 AM), WFLS

(93.3 FM/1350 AM),

WBQB (101.5 FM), and

TV channels 4, 5, 7, , and 9.

Extra food. Consider

some foods that do not re-

quire cooking or refrigera-

tion.

Bottled water.

Prescription medicines.

Fill any you may need

ahead of time.

Extra baby supplies --

diapers, formula, etc.

First-aid supplies.

Flashlights and extra

batteries.

Manual can opener.

Extra blankets.

Backup heating supply,

such as a generator, fire-

place or space heater.

Snow shovel and ice

scraper.

Around the House:

Charge your cell

phone.

Check the batteries in

your smoke detectors and

flashlights.

If you heat your home

with propane or fuel oil,

make sure you have enough

to last a few days.

Set your thermostat a

few degrees lower.

If you use space heat-

ers, keep them 3 feet away

from anything that can

catch fire, including furni-

ture, curtains, and bedding.

Refrain from calling

911 or other emergency

services unless it is a true

emergency or life-

threatening condition.

Clear snow away from

neighborhood fire hydrants.

Make sure you check

on your neighbors who are

senior citizens. Are they set

with heat and food? Can

you help them shovel out?

Make sure the account

information on file with

your electric utility is cor-

rect. Have the number to

your utility handy, should

the power go out.

Utility Phone Numbers Pepco: 1- 877-737-2662

http://www.pepco.com/

home/requests/

Dominion Virginia Power:

1- 888-667-3000 http://

www.dom.com/

Allegheny Power: 1-800-

255-3443 http://

www.alleghenypower.com/

NOVEC - Northern Vir-

ginia Electric Cooperative:

1-888-335-0500 http://

www.novec.com/

Baltimore Gas & Electric: 1

-877-778-2222 http://

www.bge.com/portal/site/

bge/

SMECO - Southern Mary-

land Electric Cooperative: 1

-877-74-SMECO https://

www.smeco.coop/

Rappahannock Electric Co-

operative - 1-800-552-3904

http://www.myrec.coop/

outage-center/outage-

summary.cfm

Other Tips:

Don't try to remove tree

branches from a power line.

Treat fallen wires as if they

are energized.

If your home has a heat

pump, clear the ice and

snow away from the unit so

air can circulate properly.

If the power goes out

and you use a portable gen-

erator, always keep it out-

side - away from doors and

windows - to prevent car-

bon monoxide fumes from

coming inside.

Shelters Go to http://

www.wtop.com/?

nid=792&sid=1883026 to

find a shelter in your area.

Government Snow

Hotlines: D.C. - Residents can call

311

Maryland: Montgomery County - 240-

777-6000

Prince George's County -

301.350.0500

Frederick County - 301-600

-3000

Anne Arundel County - 410

- 222-0600

Howard County - 410-313-

2900

Virginia: (see next page)

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

Your Snow Emergency Guide (Cont’d)

P A G E 1 5

Arlington County - 703-228-

6485

Fairfax County - 703-817-7771

Stafford County - 540- 658-

5751

Road Condition Information Check local road conditions and

traffic cameras at WTOP's Cus-

tom Commute at http://

www.wtop.com/?

nid=370&sid=604381

In Virginia, you can call 511

for road conditions or go here:

http://www.va511.org/

RoadConditions.aspx?

j=All&r=1

In Maryland, you can go to

http://www.traffic.md.gov/

stormInfo/StormInfoMain.asp

for snow-related traffic informa-

tion. http://www.traffic.md.gov/

stormInfo/StormInfoMain.asp

In D.C., go to http://

app.ddot.dc.gov/

news_room_dsf/snow_alerts.asp

for snow-related traffic informa-

tion.

4WDs Needed at Hospitals In case of heavy snows, area

hospitals (Stafford and Mary

Washington Hospitals) and

nursing homes may ask for vol-

unteers with four-wheel drive

vehicles to help staff get to

work. We will announce any

such needs on the 145.270 MHz

SARA repeater.

Proper Shoveling Techniques

Pace yourself. Take breaks.

Drink plenty of water.

Don't eat or smoke before

shoveling.

Shovel close to the body.

Bend your knees.

Lift with your legs.

Read more on shoveling tech-

niques at http://

www.wtop.com/?

nid=25&sid=1881615

Tips for Driving in Heavy

Snow from AAA:

Don't drive, unless com-

pletely necessary.

Ask yourself, "Is this trip

really the wise thing to do?"

Make sure your gas tank is

full.

Dress warmly, in case you

get stuck.

Carry a cell phone in case

you break down.

Tell someone where you

are going and when you expect to

arrive.

Before starting your car, make

sure the tailpipe is free of snow.

Carry a snow emergency kit:

shovel, snow scraper, booster ca-

bles, blankets, flashlight, flares,

sand and salt.

Slow down. Stopping dis-

tances are 10 times longer in

heavy snow.

Use major routes that have

been treated

Don't pass snowplows and

spreaders. Make room for them.

Don't spin your wheels. You'll

only dig in deeper.

Keep the following items in your

car's emergency kit:

Cell phone

Blankets/sleeping bags

Extra clothes

Sand or cat litter

Shovel

Scraper

Jumper cables

Tool kit

Flares

Knife

High calorie, non-perishable

food

sight and reach. Only competent adults

should handle gasoline.

If fire starts while handling gasoline,

stop the flow of gasoline and do not attempt

to extinguish the fire. Leave the area immedi-

ately, and call for help.

Do not use or store gasoline near or

above possible ignition sources (i.e., electri-

cal devices, oil- or gas-fired appliances, or

any other device that contains a pilot flame or

a spark). Vapors from leaking containers or

inadvertent gas spills can travel down to

A lthough recent statistics show

that home fires where gasoline

was a factor have been on the decline

since 1980, the potential for a fire is

still very real and could lead to loss of

life and significant property dam-

age. The following simple safety pre-

cautions should be followed when

handling gasoline to enhance the

safety of you and your family

members:

Keep gasoline out of children's

lower basement areas and may be ignited

by open flame pilot lights for furnaces or

hot water heaters.

Store gasoline outside the home

(i.e., in a garage or lawn shed) in a

tightly closed metal or plastic container

listed by an independent testing labora-

tory or approved by the local or state fire

authorities. Never store gasoline in glass

containers or non-reusable plastic con-

tainers (i.e., milk jugs). Store only

enough gasoline neces-

GASOLINE SAFETY TIPS

Cont’d on P. 19

Do you have

fresh batteries

in your

flashlights and

radios?

Rechargeables?

V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

P A G E 1 6

Monitor

the145.270 MHz

FM Repeater

FCC Testing Schedule for 2011

Severe Weather Reporting Criteria T he following criteria to be used to deter-

mine severe weather is taught at the

Skywarn storm spotter’s training session.

Unless otherwise indicated by the net control

station, this is usually the only reportable

weather information during formal Skywarn

nets normally conducted on the 145.270

MHz FM repeater. This storm season’s re-

portable severe weather is defined and priori-

tized as follows:

1. Tornado on the ground

2. Funnel Cloud

3. Rotating wall cloud

4. Flash flooding

5. Hail – ALL OCCURRENCES

6. Winds over 57 mph - indicate measured

or estimated

7. Rain fall ONLY if the RATE reaches

over 1” per hour

8. Snow over 3 inches

9. Wind related damage:

a. Multiple trees being blown down or up-

rooted

b. Breakage of tree limbs 4‖ in diameter or

larger

c. Downed power lines

d. Commercial broadcast tower damage

e. Large permanent sign damage

f. Windows broken by wind – not by debris

g. Multiple home TV antennas being blown

over/down

h. Roofing being blown from buildings/homes

i. Wind-caused accidents

j. Injuries to people*

k. Severe mobile home damage

l. Major structural damage to buildings

If ―emergency traffic only‖ is ever declared, the

net control station will tell you what information

s/he wants reported. This usually only occurs

upon receiving reports of rotating wall clouds,

funnel clouds or tornados. At these times,

adherence to procedure is vital!

* If you encounter injured persons and cannot

contact 911 by conventional methods (cell

phone or land line phone) report your situation to

net control.

Any serious injury report should take precedence

over all traffic. Do not use the autopatch to call

911 during a net. Net control will determine

how to pass your traffic to emergency dispatch.

Please remember to bring a

photo identification card,

your original license (if li-

censed) and a copy of it, any

original Certificates of Suc-

cessful Completion of Exami-

nation (CSCEs) and copies of

them. Also remember to

bring the proper fee in cash

only: $15.00. The VE Team

will supply all necessary

T esting in Spotsylvania

County remains avail-

able via the W5YI VEC on

the first Saturday of odd-

numbered months at the Sa-

lem Church Library from

0930-1200 hours The Rappa-

hannock VE Group, which

provided monthly testing at

Perkins Restaurant, has dis-

continued testing indefinitely.

forms.

For further information,

please visit www.arrl.org or

www.qsl.net/RVARC, or

contact Lew or Barb Anker-

brand, W3GHU

or K6AGC.

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

Stafford’s Volunteer EmComm team continues to be hard at work improving

the Amateur Radio Station setup in the EOC’s Radio Room in the Stafford

County Public Safety Center pictured below.

A nyone is welcome to contribute to this news-

letter by sending articles, personal memories, or any-thing Amateur Radio or Emergency Communica-tions related. Items may be submitted either via email or snail mail. We look forward to hearing from you!

—Bart, N3GQ & —Dee,K3KAT

Editors n3gq@arrl.net

T he Stafford County (ARES/

RACES) EmComm Team

provides communications support

for Stafford County Emergency

Management, the Sheriff's 911

Center, the Sheriff’s Office, the

Fire and Rescue Department, the

Red Cross, and County citizens.

We also support our adjacent

counties in District 4. This com-

munications support includes op-

erations on any authorized equip-

ment or frequencies in support of

any need that might be in any way

connected with an eventual emer-

gency. This may include: cellular,

computer, email, facsimile, inter-

net, microwave, radio (police,

fire, amateur, etc.), satellite, tele-

Who We Are Submit a Story!

P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

phone, television, video conference, in-office support of

personnel, or operators of equipment and systems. In

addition, Stafford EmComm team members may volun-

teer their time to assist Stafford County Emergency

Management with other miscellaneous functions or op-

erations. The primary Stafford ARES/RACES objective

is to provide backup communications services to Emer-

gency Management during emergencies or disaster situa-

tions. This may consist of deploying operators to the

Stafford Emergency Operations Center, the Red Cross

EOC, Emergency or Special Needs Shelters, Search and

Rescue teams, or other locations that may need radio

communications or health & welfare messaging service.

▬Bart, N3GQ, EC/RO

EOC Amateur Radio Station

The Stafford County Emergency

Operations Center (EOC) is housed

here. The Stafford EmComm

Team operates out of the EOC Ra-

dio Room, shelters, Red Cross, and

wherever we are asked to help.

A Paradox?

In combat, misjudgment is often

punished by death.

What is the punishment for mis-

judgment in a federal bureaucracy?

My Answer: Nothing of note...

— N3GQ

P A G E 1 8

“Are we

becoming card-

carrying

members of the

Grumpy Old

Men’s Club?”

Courtesy

A recent article

about good man-

ners in the Free Lance-

Star by Judith Murray of

Locust Grove got me

thinking about courtesy

and its local application.

I concur with many of

her thoughts, some of

which are paraphrased

here.

Some of us consider

civility an integral fabric

of society and we note its

deterioration with great

regret.

When I was growing up,

manners and courtesy

were taken for granted.

We were taught to

respect our parents,

teachers, and elders.

Remember ―Sir,‖

―Ma’am,‖ ―Mister,‖ and

―Misses?‖ How about

―Please‖ and ―Thank

You?‖ Regardless of

one’s place in society,

these niceties were auto-

matic and expected.

Perhaps, as the son of a

career American diplo-

mat, I had more reason

than most to adhere to

the civil rules of behav-

ior.

However, these rules also

made life easier. When

you know what to say

and do, you eliminate

uncertainty in most

situations.

Changes in our society’s

behavior, I would guess,

began in the sixties.

Young adults thought

they had discovered a

new phenomenon with

the open and free use of

drugs, alcohol, and sex.

Soon, a defiance of all

authority followed.

Society’s mores were

ignored or openly

challenged.

In one way, with the bad

did come some good.

The lives and prospects

of minority groups

improved, which was and

is very important.

However, the disregard

for some customs and

moral standards eventu-

ally resulted in today’s

rude behavior, confronta-

tion, and vulgar

language. Have you

watched a movie lately?

Are these actors the role

models we want our

children to follow? What

about athletes and other

celebrities? What

happened to dignity,

respect, and self-control?

This behavior even

spawned a new industry

called ―anger manage-

ment.‖

In the US Army, one of

the leadership tenets we

were taught to follow

was ―lead by example.‖

If parents are not leading

by example, how can we

expect children not to

accost fellow students

and teachers with rude-

ness and anger?

Our self-important politi-

cal ―talking heads‖

compete in the media

with the most outrageous

discourse. They are paid

well to ridicule, lambast,

and smear others, backed

up with a dearth of facts

or reason. And the

public eats it up.

However misplaced, the

recent Tucson tragedy

started a national conver-

sation on the topic.

Questions regarding self-

control, empathy, and

thoughtful discussion

have now been raised.

Are we finally starting to

question this lack of

empathy, consideration,

and self-control? Words

amplified by the media

do have an effect –

remember Hitler’s

speeches and

propaganda?

We can’t blame most

religions, either. Most of

them teach "The Golden

Rule." Don’t we want to

treat others as we would

wish to be treated?

When was the last time

you observed someone

offer his or her seat to an

elderly person on the

Metro Rail?

By now, you may be

wondering what this arti-

cle has to do with the

Stafford EmComm

Team. The answer is

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

Cont’d on next page

Courtesy (Continued)

P A G E 1 9

plenty.

Breakfast at Perkins

Most of us have enjoyed

many Saturday ham break-

fasts at the Perkins restaurant

and at several other area

restaurants over the past two

decades. It is always an

event that I look forward to

and I have always cherished

the camaraderie.

However, there have been a

few occasions when someone

had a careless slip of the

tongue and seriously of-

fended someone else without

an apology. Those unfortu-

nate occasions not only re-

sulted in the loss of valuable

members in the Stafford Area

Radio Association (SARA)

and/or the Stafford

EmComm Team, but also in

the fellowship of Amateur

Radio operators and our

fellow area citizens. Was it

worth it? Over the years,

members of both SARA and

the EmComm Team have

had disagreements on various

issues. Some of these dis-

agreements became unneces-

sarily personal. Many of the

newer members of SARA

and the EmComm team

joined us after exposure to a

Saturday breakfast after pass-

ing an Amateur Radio exam.

But some of them left the

club shortly thereafter.

Why? Are we becoming card

carrying members of the

Grumpy Old Men’s Club? It

is natural for folks who enjoy

one another’s company to

gather and sit together. But

how many times have we

foregone our usual seat to sit

among others in the group?

We tend to sit in the same

chair every time. I am just as

guilty of this habit as the next

guy. Have you noticed that

the ―head table‖ gives the

appearance of being the most

valuable real estate? Maybe

we should start playing musi-

cal chairs. But since we are

all here of our own choosing,

no one in the group can tell

us to do anything, ever.

A Way Ahead

Can we re-condition ourselves

to being courteous, respectful,

and considerate? Can we

refrain from personal attacks?

Can we avoid offensive,

vulgar, abusive, hateful, or

defamatory language? Can we

ask for something instead of

telling someone to do it? Can

we speak quietly instead of

yelling or raising our voice?

Can we hold a door open for

someone to go first? Can we

wait our turn? Can we wait a

day before firing off an email

written in anger or without

research? I think we can, and

there is no time like the

present to start.

73, Bart

N3GQ

Do not smoke when handling gasoline.

Never use gasoline in place of kero-

sene.

Prior to handling flammable or com-

bustible liquids, touch a grounded metal

object to dissipate build up of any static

electrical charge. Although rare, an electri-

cal charge on your body could spark a fire,

especially during the dry winter months.

Fill portable gasoline containers out-

doors only. Place the container on the

ground before filling and never fill contain-

sary to power the equipment on hand.

Use caution when fueling auto-

mobiles or other gasoline powered

equipment. Before refueling let ma-

chinery cool. Gasoline splashed on

hot exhausts can ignite.

Never use gasoline inside the

home or as a cleaning agent.

Clean up spills promptly and dis-

card clean-up materials into a metal

can with a lid or outdoors where va-

pors may escape.

ers inside a vehicle or in the bed of a pick

-up truck.

When using electronic devices (those

with batteries or connected to an electri-

cal outlet) near gasoline follow all manu-

facturer’s instructions.

Reference: http://www.nfpa.org/

categoryList.asp?

categoryID=302&URL=Safety%

20Information/For%20consumers/

Gasoline%20&%20propane/Gasoline%

20at%20home

Gasoline Safety Tips (Continued from P. 15)

“Maybe we

should start

playing

musical

chairs.”

V O L U M E I I , I S S U E I

P A G E 2 0

“Assemble a

Tornado Safety

Kit.”

Preparing for Tornadoes

Tornado Basics Know the Signs

Strong, persistent rota-

tion in the base of a cloud.

Whirling dust or debris

on the ground under a cloud

base – tornadoes sometimes

have no visible funnel.

Hail or heavy rain fol-

lowed by dead calm or a

fast, intense wind shift.

Many tornadoes, espe-

cially in Virginia, are

wrapped in heavy precipita-

tion and can't be seen.

Loud, continuous roar

or rumble, which doesn't

fade in a few seconds like

thunder.

If it's night, look for

small, bright, blue-green to

white flashes at ground

level, as opposed to silvery

lightning up in the clouds.

These lights are power lines

being snapped by very

strong wind, maybe a

tornado.

Persistent lowering of

the cloud base.

─Excerpted from the

VDEM web site.

First aid kit and essen-

tial medications

Battery-powered radio,

flashlight and extra batteries

Canned food and man-

ual can opener

Bottled water

Sturdy shoes and work

gloves

Also include in the kit

written instructions on how

to turn off your home's utili-

ties (which should be

clearly marked).

Have a NOAA

Weather Radio with a warn-

ing alarm tone and battery

backup to receive updated

forecasts and critical infor-

mation such as watches and

warnings.

Keep a Virginia map

handy to help you follow

the movement of threaten-

ing storms from weather

bulletins.

─Excerpted from the

VDEM web site.

Prepare a Home Tornado

Plan

Develop a safety plan

for you and your family for

home, work, school and

when outdoors. Make sure

you practice the plan.

Review the plan on days

when severe weather is

forecast for your area.

Pick a place where

family members can gather

if a tornado is headed your

way. It could be your base-

ment or, if there is no base-

ment, a central hallway,

bathroom, or closet on the

lowest floor. Keep this

place uncluttered. If time

allows, bring your safety

kit.

If you are in a high-rise

building, you may not have

enough time to go to the

lowest floor. Pick a place in

a hallway in the center of

the building.

Assemble a Tornado

Safety Kit containing:

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

respected in the region as well

as the Commonwealth of Vir-

ginia. Good luck “JAZZ” from

your colleagues in Stafford

County!

Management program as well as

an all hazards Fire and Rescue

service that is self-

sustaining. Jazz brought 33

years of Fire and Rescue and

Emergency Management real

life experience to Stafford

County and used his vision,

talents, and staff to build solid

first responder programs in

Stafford County that are well-

batteries First Aid Kit including a list of allergies Extra contact lenses and glasses A written list of your prescriptions and the prescribing doctor(s) and at least a week’s supply of medications Sanitation Supplies:

Toilet paper Soap Plastic garbage bags Personal hygiene items Change of clothing, sturdy shoes and a blanket or sleeping bag Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members

Go to ReadyVirginia.gov to learn how to get a kit, make a plan and stay in-formed. -Courtesy of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management

G etting a disaster supply kit is easy.

Getting through a disaster without one is not. Do you have what it takes? In addition to making a family disaster plan, have supplies on hand to last each person at least three days. It's a simple, low-cost, but important step to getting ready. Put these essentials in your kit:

Food that won’t spoil, such as canned goods and packaged foods Water, one gallon per person per day A working battery-operated radio and extra batteries A written family emer-gency plan

Once you have the essen-tials, you should add these items to your kit:

Flashlights and extra

Disaster Supply Kit

Jazz (Continued from Page 3)

“Do you

have what

it takes?

Don’t forget your pets! Food and water (include a food

dish and water bowl)

Collar with identification

Sanitation items

Vet records

Current photographs of your

animals, preferably with you

A way to keep your animal

controlled and confined

(harness or leash – crate or

other pet carrier)

Long term medication

Favorite toys or bedding

Next Newsletter Tell All of Your

Friends

About CERT

Visit http://www.staffordfirerescue.com/content/cert/

Coming up in the next issue:

Humor: You may be an old timer if…

FEMA’s Independent Study Program

Why human Storm Spotters are still

needed and how Doppler radar works

Call Sign “Tags”—a useful technique

Poetic Reporting

NVIS: Near Vertical Incident Skywave

A handy device for power distribution

The ARRL “Radiogram”

The “GO” Bag

Quick Construction Project: a 300 Ohm

twin-lead J-pole antenna

One of the goals of

the Stafford Em-

Comm Team is to

coordinate a licensed

ham radio operator as

a member of each

neighborhood Com-

munity Emergency

Response Team

(CERT) for radio

communications re-

lays to the Stafford

Emergency Opera-

tions Center (EOC),

S T A F F O R D C O U N T Y V O L U N T E E R E M C O M M

Red Cross EOC,

National Traffic

System / Health &

Welfare nets, etc., as

needed.

Please contact the

Stafford County

Emergency Manager

(Assistant Fire Chief

Carter) or the Volun-

teer Radio Emer-

gency Coordinators /

Radio Officers for

more information.

Membership in the Stafford County Emergency Communications Team is

open to all individuals interested in emergency radio communications.

We serve Stafford County, Virginia (estimated population of 125,000 per the

July 2006 edition of the Free Lance-Star newspaper), the city of Fredericks-

burg, and the surrounding counties. Our beautiful and historic county is lo-

cated about 30 air miles from Washington, D.C.

We meet with members of the Stafford Area Radio Association (SARA)

almost every Saturday morning around 7 AM at the Perkins Restaurant off I-

95 Exit 133 on Route 17 West (at the first light). Everyone interested in

Amateur Radio is invited and welcome to attend!

In Stafford County, the services of the 62 ARES and RACES volunteers are

combined into one Emergency Communications (EmComm) Team under the

direction of Assistant Fire Chief Mike Carter, the Stafford County Emer-

gency Manager.

The SARA club consists of about 60 Amateur Radio Operators. The club

owns and operates several repeaters in Stafford, Virginia (please see the chart

on page 9). Our repeaters are on backup power and have a wide range of

coverage including the counties of Stafford, Prince William, Spotsylvania,

King George, and the City of Fredericksburg.

We’re on the Web!

www.qsl.net/

SEmComm Proud to Serve!

STAFFORD’S VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY RADIO

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

ADDRESS: Stafford County Fire and Rescue Dept.

Humphrey Public Service Building

1225 Courthouse Road P.O. Box 339 Stafford, VA 22555

www.staffordfirerescue.com

More Info: Call Bart N3GQ at 540.373.4506

or email him at n3gq@arrl.net

─Newsletter produced at personal expense by Bart, N3GQ and Dee, K3KAT