The Salvation Army. The annual Metropolitan Emergency Communications Council MECC Simulated Emergency Test (SET) Exercise Saturday, October 1.

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1 The Salvation Army The annual Metropolitan Emergency Communications Council MECC Simulated Emergency Test (SET) Exercise Saturday, October 1. The Exercise, a large earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) has occurred in the southeast portion of Missouri. Many counties in eastern Missouri have been impacted, including the St. Louis area. The Kansas City region is setting up reception sites to receive the estimated 250,000 evacuees expected from the impacted areas in eastern Missouri. Amateur radio operators will be expected to support the operations at the reception centers, shelters, hospitals, and EOC s throughout the metro. This scenario takes place 3 days post-earthquake.

2 SATERN responded to Emergency Disaster Services Office, Corps facilities and from a Hamfest. Rich Britain NØENO (left) Kansas & Western Missouri SATERN Divisional Coordinator provided radio communications with Emergency Communication Services. Jim Alexander KIØCT (above) Metro Coordinator was the Controller/Coordinator. In Wichta, Henry Monton (WØIE) SATERN Assistant Divisional Coordinator, J.B. Scott (KDØCSL), Anna Monton (WØAJM), Larry Grimes (ABØRC) and Lynn Grimes (KGØWQ) played a part in the exercise from the Wichita Area Hamfest. At the June Jeffers Memorial Radio Room at the Olathe Corps we had John Capra (KDØEVM) and Jay Greenough (WJØX) working the radios. The SATERN Communications Vehicle proves it worthduring the drill

3 From Kansas City, Missouri Emergency Disaster Services at 1110 East Truman Road the Communications Vehicle dashed to 600 Walnut Street in Leavenworth, to the Kansas Salvation Army Social Services Office to provide radio contact for simulated shelter meal needs. A SATERN member contacted Lt. James Beardsley, the Corps Officer, to display team support should the need appear. While there, radio contact was established with the Leavenworth County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. By radio dispatch, Chuck Simpson KCØNUG (Pictured) & Mike Asselta KDØCDQ then motored to Harbor Light Village the Salvation Army facility in Kansas City, Kansas. That facility is led by Major Timothy and Beverly Best.

4 A Real Life emergency occurred while the SATERN members were on site unrelated to the exercise as seen above. Sometimes problems are uncovered during these drills as the SATERN members discovered as they attempted to access the radio room at Harbor Light Village to establish contact with EDS KCMO. It was discovered they could not gain access to the radio room with their keys and access badge. A positive during an exercise is to uncover problems, and come up with solutions. Better now during a drill Back to Kansas City, Missouri EDS the Communications Vehicle demonstrated the versatility of multiple radio technologies on wheels. The vehicle unified multiple Salvation Army Shelters with various County Emergency Communication Services (ECS) in two states. SATERN at the MECC Drill Our goals were to support simulated canteen (feeding) and sheltering operations of The Salvation Army during the SET by providing radio communications. What we accomplished 1. Opened up and communicated from the Emergency Operations Radio Room at The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Office in Kansas City, MO.

5 2. Made a request to the Johnson County, KS ARES Emergency Coordinator (SATERN has a National Memorandum of Understanding with the American Radio Relay League) for volunteers. This was one of our operational goals and the EC assisted us with our need. 3. Opened up and communicated from the Olathe Corps (Olathe, KS) from the June Jeffers Memorial Radio Room staffed by two amateur radio operators. 4. SATERN Communications Vehicle sent to Leavenworth, KS to operate from outside the Leavenworth Corps. 5. SATERN Communications Vehicle was then redeployed to Harbor Light Village (a Salvation Army Facility in Kansas City, KS) to provide communications. 6. Established contact by radio with Divisional SATERN members in Wichita, KS. 7. Sent and received about 20 pieces of formal written traffic during the SET. 8. Established communications with the SATERN International/National Net (on 20 meters) and the SATERN Central Territorial Net (on 40 meters) advising of the drill. 9. We had eleven volunteers help support our operations. Let s step back a day Pictured is SATERN Divisional Coordinator Rich Britain, NØENO, on the roof of The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Office in Kansas City, MO on September 30, Rich is securing a Comet GP 3 Dual Band 146/446 MHz antenna to a small tower located on the roof. SATERN member Lee Clark, NDØK, donated the GP 3. The GP 3 replaces a two-meter ground plane antenna that was not working properly. Kansas City Metro Coordinator Steve Leiker, who took the photograph, assisted Rich.

6 When All Other Communications Fail, Try SATERN Photo: SATERN volunteer Pete Tiffany (KT4BW) at the amateur radio operating station in the Salvation Army's Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Trailer. Courtesy Bill Feist WB8BZH SATERN Territorial Coordinator Southern Territory SATERN was Activated For Hurricane Matthew The information was written while Hurricane Matthew was still an active storm The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) is actively monitoring its frequency of MHz for emergency, priority and health & welfare messages. SATERN amateur radio operators are listening for any emergency communications coming from the Caribbean as a result of Hurricane Matthew. The SATERN frequency will be monitored continuously until 9:00 PM (Eastern). After 9:00 PM, SATERN operators will assist the Hurricane Watch Net on its night-time frequency of MHz. Any licensed amateur radio operator, regardless of nationality, is welcome to participate on the SATERN frequency to assist in monitoring for, or to send or receive, emergency, priority or health and welfare messages. Although SATERN will be accepting emergency, priority and health and welfare messages out of the impacted area, it is not possible to send or deliver health and welfare inquiries into the impacted area. William Feist - WB8BZH bill.feist@uss.salvationarmy.org (601)

7 During times of weather events is a link to SATERN activities. (Editor s note) SATERN Meeting Information: KANSAS CITY METRO SATERN meeting November 14 th The Salvation Army Corps, Olathe Corps, 420 East Santa Fe, Olathe, Kansas SEDGWICK COUNTY SATERN meeting on the 2nd Thursday of each month, in the City Command building, at 6:30 PM local time. The address is 350 N. Market, Wichita, Kansas WYANDOTTE COUNTY SATERN meeting - held on the third Thursday of the month at the Harbor Light Village Salvation Army Corps, 6721 State Avenue, Kansas City, KS. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Jayhawk Amateur Radio Society. Mike Asselta kdøcdq@arrl.net Kansas & Western Missouri Divisional PIO Editor Volume 6 Number 11 November 2016