Report of the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service 2008
The Town of Southwick Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (R.A.C.E.S.), under Federal Emergency Management Agency jurisdiction and Federal Communications Commission regulations, reports to the Southwick Emergency Management Director. R.A.C.E.S. is an important communications facet of the Town’s Emergency Operations Center with all members being licensed FCC amateur radio communication operators appointed by the Town of Southwick.
These volunteer members provide government emergency public safety communication linking the Emergency Operations Center within Southwick and with adjacent community Emergency Operations Centers during severe weather and critical emergency incidents and disasters. Emergency communication liaison is also established and maintained with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, National Weather Service - Taunton, the American Red Cross and to the Amateur Radio Emergency Service representing other Public Service Agencies during times of emergency activation and need.
Monthly radio communication drills are conducted between Southwick and adjacent communities and also to other Hampden County communities, to the Massachusetts Emergency Management on the first Monday of every month. Our members participate in weekly emergency radio drills each Sunday on 75 meter High Frequency for Western Massachusetts communications and on 2 meter VHF using simplex and repeaters for local and regional communication.
In May members participated in the National Hurricane Center Communications Test. In August our members, using the Emergency Operations Center and mobile communications command vehicle, along with other Massachusetts R.A.C.E.S. groups, the Military Affiliated Radio System, American Red Cross, National Weather-Taunton, and Massachusetts Emergency Management conducted a Statewide Hurricane scenario disaster communications exercise. Members participated in a FEMA Functional Hurricane Exercise.
During the last weekend of June, Southwick R.A.C.E.S. with the Emergency Management, C.E.R.T. and Auxiliary Police members participated in an annual continuous twenty-four hour disaster communications exercise hosted by Southwick Emergency Management Agency. Springfield, Chester, Granville, East Longmeadow, Westfield and Ware R.A.C.E.S. also participated in this event held on the Town Offices and Prifti Park grounds. During this exercise, while operating under field disaster conditions and emergency generator power, simulated disaster messages were sent and received to areas throughout the United States and Canada. Local, regional and national communications were established using SSB, digital packet, FM, and CW on the 75, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 meter frequency bands. Our FCC call sign of WC1SW was used. Southwick participants were:
Director Charles Dunlap K1II, Assistant Director Chuck Housner KB1FLI, Assistant Director Keith Stromgren N1MOC, Pauline Dunlap N1EVE, Dave Houle KB1NCK, Robert Miller and Howard Pohlman, Mary Grasso and Joan Boissonnault.
Activations this past year were: State Declaration of Emergency for the December 12th thru 14th severe winter Ice storm for EOC and shelter communications and four EOC activations for severe weather. Members provided services during a State–wide hurricane drill on August 4th, the August National Moto-Cross, Southwick Firemen’s Carnival / Fire Works, Halloween Eve and Halloween night Regional School anti-vandalism detail, and the January Penguin Plunge.
Two members attended an Advanced Emergency Communications Workshop and the Southern New England Weather Conference, and four members attended National Weather Service SKYWARN certification training.
FCC Licensed RACES Members are:
Director: Charles Dunlap, K1II
Radio Officer: Eric Carroll, N1HVM
Assistant Director: Keith Stromgren, N1MOC
Assistant Director: Charles Housner, KB1FLI
Pauline Dunlap, N1EVE
David Houle KB1NCK
Anyone interested in R.A.C.E.S. membership should contact any member or call 569-0308. Additional information is on the SEMA website.
Respectfully submitted,
Charles H. Dunlap, Director