Released: 12 August 2011 Community Emergency Response Team Personal safety is ALWAYS the number one priority Work as a team Wear personal protective equipment gloves, helmet, goggles, N95 mask and boots The CERT goal is to do the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number Hope for the best but plan for the worst Visual 9.1 Standard Forms of Communication Messenger / runner U.S. Postal Service Telephone, voice mail & messaging Standard unit ( landline ) Mobile Pager E-mail Radio broadcast, business, FRS, licensed amateur (hams) public safety (police, fire, public works) Visual 9.2 Rev. 12 August 2011 1
Post Disaster: Loss of Communications Messenger / runner U.S. Postal Service Telephone, voice mail & messaging Standard unit ( landline ) Mobile Pager E-mail Radio broadcast, business, FRS, licensed amateur (hams) public safety (police, fire, public works) Visual 9.3 Disaster Communications Communications for CERTS Face-To-Face: vocal Within Sight: signs and signals Beyond Sight: runners and two-way radio Visual 9.4 ABOUT FRS (Family Radio Service) RADIOS (No License Required) Very low power, 1/2 watt ERP Very low cost No license required Personal and business use OK Shares FRS channels 1-7 with GMRS Channels 8-14 are FRS only; 14 total for FRS Channels 15-22 are GMRS only (ok to listen) No external antennas allowed Typical 0.5-1 mile communication range Visual 9.5 Rev. 12 August 2011 2
FRS Radio Features & Functions Antenna Off-On/Volume Control Channel Push To Talk Switch Ring Tone Function Down Key Ear Phone Jack PL Tone Monitor/Scan Key Function Up Key Menu Key Speaker/Microphone Visual 9.6 Motorola Model T6500 Front Panel Closeup On- off/ volume Battery status PTT: Push to talk Antenna Channel All-call indicator Sub-channel All-call button Down Channel scan Up Menu Visual 9.7 Midland 710 Showing PL Tone Subchannel Channel Visual 9.8 Rev. 12 August 2011 3
Batteries AA alkaline cells Rechargeable Rear cover Visual 9.9 FRS Channels Channel Frequency (MHz) Notes 1 462.5625 FRS/GMRS Shared 2 462.5875 FRS/GMRS Shared 3 462.612 FRS/GMRS Shared 4 462.6375 FRS/GMRS Shared 5 462.6625 FRS/GMRS Shared 6 462.6875 FRS/GMRS Shared 7 462.7125 FRS/GMRS Shared 8 467.5625 FRS Only 9 467.5875 FRS Only 10 467.6125 FRS Only 11 467.6375 FRS Only 12 467.6625 FRS Only 13 467.6875 FRS Only 14 467.7125 FRS Only 1-7 - $85 FCC LICENSE REQUIRED 8-14 MAXIMUM ½ Watt Low Power - NO LICENSE REQUIRED Visual 9.10 SELECTING FRS RADIOS FRS / GMRS with 22 channels Motorola FRS/GMRS Midland FRS/GMRS Uses AA alkaline batteries. Not AAA, and not rechargeable batteries unless they can also use AA. Ignore mileage claims. Battery life is more important than transmit power. Recommended Models MFG MODEL APPROX. PRICE ($) Motorola EM-1000 R $54.00 Pair Midland GXT- 760 VP4 $60.00 Pair Visual 9.11 Rev. 12 August 2011 4
FRS Range FRS Range limits line of sight Visual 9.12 Using the radio Select a channel your team leader will tell which to use Test the radio before you venture out Make sure you can communicate with your team It is not a cell-phone To talk; hold radio 2-3 from mouth, press the button To listen; let go of the button Visual 9.13 Communicating Listen! Speak clearly, calmly, carefully Get the message across without a lot of words Visual 9.14 Rev. 12 August 2011 5
Radio Protocols - I Talking Calling another: Use agreed-upon identifiers Team 3 this is Team Leader. Over Wait for response, which should be: Team leader this is Team 3. Over Or just Team 3. Over Speak in a normal tone of voice, and speak clearly! Visual 9.15 Radio Protocols - II You have made contact: exchange questions and answers in brief, clear language understandable to all who may listen NO 10 codes or 11 codes! NO CB jargon! NO slang or ethnic / gender slurs You are conveying important information to people you may neither know nor have worked with in the past Visual 9.16 Radio Protocols - III Sample exchange Team A this is Team Leader Team A over What is your location? over Corner of Moraga Way and Moraga Road over Check Safeway for damage and injuries over Will check Safeway for damage and injuries. Team A out Visual 9.17 Rev. 12 August 2011 6
Basic CERT Disaster Communications EOC CERT Incident Command CERT Team CERT Team Visual 9.18 Sample DISASTER Communications Plan Neighborhood Homes Neighborhood Homes FRS Ch.8 Citizens Captains/ CERT Teams FRS Ch. 9 Hams Captains/ CERT Teams Professionals EOC County Dispatch Law Enforcement Fire & Rescue Medical & Relief Visual 9.19 Suggested FRS Channel Allocations Ch. 8 Ch. 9 Calling Emergency messages for relay Message passing between CERT and hams Ch.10-13 Secondary emergency channels Used as needed Ch. 14 Light Search & Rescue Visual 9.20 Rev. 12 August 2011 7
CERT Radio Communications Non-Disaster FRS Communications Channel allocations: Channels 8 14 Sub-channel, PL Tone, Privacy code, as directed by the team leader Remember, all team radios need to be set to the same channel and privacy code Visual 9.21 Unit Summary Standard forms of communication not available Radio is always available FRS requires no license FRS has short range Listen first, then speak clearly, calmly, carefully without using a lot of words Use plain English, no codes All team members must use the same channel Visual 9.22 Questions? Visual 9.23 Rev. 12 August 2011 8