Homeland Security Conference - Amateur Radio

[Sioux Empire Amateur Radio Club W0ZWY]

SD Amateur Radio Clubs:


We wanted to inform you about what happened at the Homeland Security
Conference in Sioux Falls on June 15, 16 and 17 in regards to Amateur
Radio. Please share this at your club meeting and any club newsletter
or net you may have. Our presence at the conference was made possible
through SD Amateurs, Dakota Amateur Radio Network (DARN) MOA. We were
able to secure a free table at the conference attended by about 350
people. A table cost a business vendor $1000.00 so you can see our
connection through DARN was huge as it made this possible for free.
However we did have to pay the $150.00 conference registration each
for the four who worked the booth but were able to get the $150 fee
paid by sponsors such as our local EM as they had money available for
sponsorships. This gave us full access to the conference so we could
interact not only at the table but at breaks, presentations and all
other facets of the conference. We want to especially thank Rob
Fines Hughes County EM for his help that made this all possible.


We are pleased to report significant progress with various agencies
regarding "amateur radio" playing a role in "emergency
communications". Brian K0MCM, Ed W0SD, Tam AA0LY, and Jim KD0S
where present at the conference and each of us played a part in making
the case for amateur radio in South Dakota. Enclosed are pictures of
our display that was well received by the conference attendees. We
had input from our SCM, SEC, MARS, ARES, DARN, SDARC, GLARA and HF
Net Manager Tom NI0I and was a part of our tables materials. The main
document handed out is available from one of us and will be at ham
functions held in the state.

Here is an outline of what contacts were made and the plan we have
moving forward.

1. South Dakota Rural Electric Association would like access to
amateur radio during major power outages to coordinate the lineman
restoring power. Communications need to take place in affected areas
and also be relayed to the State E.O.C. in Pierre.
--Follow up plan includes providing a method of contact to
activate ham radio resources.
--Get a better definition of needs of the REA east and west
river.etermine which employees are already licensed
--Suggest radio equipment they could have on hand for use by
licensed operators (employee and non employee) for use during a power
outage disaster.

2. Hospital official in Mobridge had a ham operator that would assist
them that is a silent key. Requesting contact with other hams in the
area.
-Follow up plan includes contacting local hams to see who is
willing to assist this hospital with communications.

3. County EM in Douglas County (Delmont, SD) would like an amateur
radio resource for emergencies
.-made contact with K0UXC who is willing to assist this EM.
Email was sent to the EM and the local Ham providing each others
contact information.

4.South Dakota Department of Health has CDC requirements for amateur
radio capabilities at 66 medical facilities in the state. The state is
divided in to four districts. (see attached pdf)-- Informed the State
Department of Health that Sioux Falls ARES recently met with Avera
Hospital.
--Contact was made at the conference with Sanford's director of
emergency preparedness. Follow up will be done by SIoux Falls ARES
hams.
--Told the State Department of Health we would do our best to
locate resources for them for hospitals in their regions . Also
willing to train hospital employees to be hams and have them work with
hams in the local community. Suggested that we start with Region 3
(South East SD) and work out the best approaches for helping hospitals
and take lessons learned to the rest of the state.
--State Department of Health is interested in placing hams on
Serve SD calling tree for medical resources during drills and
emergencies need to follow up on getting an amateur radio category in
their computer system for tracking and activation.

CONCLUSION:
Obviously to be effective with helping these agencies with emergency
communications we will need the participation of a number of amatuers
in SD so if you are interested in any aspect of emergency
communication here is your chance to get involved "AND" if there is a
real emergency "WE WILL BE CALLED UPON"!!! There will be lots of
information coming out over the coming weeks and months as to how you
can get involved. One good place to start right now is to get set up
to recieve and send the digital MT-63 mode on VHF and HF. Of course
voice and CW comms will be involved but our big selling point with
the hospitals is our digital abilities.

Brian K0MCM
Jim KD0S
Tam AA0LY
Ed W0SD