The most common scenario when discussing emergency situations seems to be a, "Jump in there and help!", kind of feeling. Sometimes, the best help the average person can provide is keeping out of the way, keeping your mouth shut. Ever listened to the nets, especially when they have attempted to pass traffic out of an affected area? All the clamoring from people trying to offer help or get traffic into an affected area? Unbelievable, ain't it?
[First priority is traffic OUT OF the affected area. Otherwise, how do you know what's needed, or how you can help?]
There always has to be a "Boss", a net control station who directs what happens. No "if's", or "but's". The NCS is the boss. If he/she tells you to do something, do it. If he/she says "Shut UP!", you'd better do exactly that. If he/she says go to another frequency, accept traffic from so-in-so and pass it to what's-his-name, do exactly that.
Then report back when completed, or explain why it isn't.
Emergency communication takes time to implement, a bunch of discipline, and some knowledge of procedures about how to do all that. The first 'trick' is to gain the required knowledge. Second 'trick' is to keep your mind on what you are doing to the exclusion of all the other little thingys that usually occur when you are trying to do something. That's where the discipline comes in, and it really is a necessity. The third 'trick' is to keep records of what's happening and what you are doing. That 'Big- Chief' tablet and a sharp pencil is a lot handier than you'd ever believe! (So is a computer, if you aren't in danger of power outages.)

A common 'language' is very nice! That means that if 'they' don't know what 'QRX' means, then tell them in plain English/French/German/Swahili whatever. 'Simple' is good! Patience is another good thing, and you WILL need it!

The 'other' part of all this is called 'work', a four letter word that you'd better be willing to get a lot of. With radio stuff that work is mostly of the "brain sweat" variety, lots of thinking. That's where your imagination comes in very handy. Can't figure out how to get something to somewhere odd? Got a phone? Know the local non-business number for the police/fire department? They don't mind helping too. Got an internet connection? All kinds of possible solutions. Think about it.

Thinking! Do that part now, before you need to actually do it, it helps (cuts down on that 'brain sweat' thingy).
- 'Doc

PS - No, I'm not an 'expert' at this stuff, but I have done a little of it. Took a few years to learn what little I know, and lots of that four letter word thingy. Been on both side of it, at work and with amateur radio. It isn't easy. Things go wrong. Then again, when things go right, you can't believe how good it makes you feel. Weird, huh? The hardest part is waiting till YOU are needed. Then it's, "OH Sh**" city!

Another lifetime ago, while I was in high school and had had my Conditional (General) ticket for about two years, the State of Nevada had a week-long emergency drill, involving (simulated) heavy snow in the northern part of the state around Reno, widespread flooding in southern Nevada (Las Vegas area where I was), and a variety of other statewide "problems". I was one of the operators at K7HYP, the Las Vegas High School ARC. No telephones (and certainly no CELL phones - this was 1961!). Very few VHF stations but I don't remember anything above 2 meters. Noise levels so high that SSB was just about unusable except within one's own area.

The only station that could copy all the others was K7HYP, and the only mode that was really reliable was CW. I operated almost the whole time, with the ham club advisor and two or three others. We had three stations going at the same time, with statewide coordination on 40 meter CW, 24/7. What a rush THAT was! We all got a big ATTABOY! from the Governor and AREC folks. We had quite a few visitors to K7HYP following that, with lots of questions about what Ham Radio was all about. About a dozen new hams sprouted from that. Lots more fun than Field Day!

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73 de K7KBN

I was a police dispatcher for about 5yrs, have a ton of experience in that and as a volunteer EMT and FF as well. Very well familiar with handling incident traffic.

I'm now a RACES volunteer since I got my ham ticket. It's been rather 'interesting' to see the level of preparedness or lack thereof in the local area.

There is a massive amount of emphasis on protocols and fidgeting over traffic handling forms and the like. There is very little going on in the way of actually valuable drills though. I really wonder just how quickly our 'infrastructure' will crumble when something goes South.

When I was the training officer for dispatch on the job, the one thing I learned is, you can never predict the people who will do that job well until you put them under an actual pressure situation on the air. Those who seemed buttoned up and composed will totally lose it and panic. Those who seem to be sloppy and not quite right, will rise to the occasion under real world stress and just knock it out.

I've been trying to hint some of this to the local coordinators, but they are fairly entrenched into the world of "Oh he can't get the patch of the month for his jacket because..." mentality. There are almost no members in the county wide network of RACES groups with real world em-comm experience.

I attended a county session and asked them what are evacuation plans were, where they were located and what categorizations/scenarios were attached with any of the various plans (as far as chemical/nuclear/biological/weather etc).

I got blank stares. That sort of bothered me....it's a bit of a charade around here. Nobody seems to know what the actual questions to ask of the state or other ruling bodies are.

They simply don't know.

I'm hoping I might be able to stir up some reality here but I'm not very hopeful. Luckily in NJ we don't have regular disaster situations like earthquakes or tornados...but then again, that's likely why we aren't very prepared, and isn't that a cliche...

So I have been involved with the organizations that are really "clubs" of one sort or another. There is nothing wrong with that at all. For me, I keep my batteries charged, my solar gear in order and a good HF rig and a backup. Most important to me is to STAY INFORMED on what is going on that might well affect ME. I will always be there to help anyone that needs it.

Being prepared seems to run from a home made QRP rig running off of a 9 volt battery to the fully stocked RV that has soup to nuts.

I have many LDS friends and have learned how to store water and food etc. That seems to make a lot of sense?

Do what you will and have a blast!! )

de N3KHI in Zona

What's the LDS-storage link?

My Grandfather was a minister in the Reformed(the ones who stayed in Navoo), never heard of them having a reputation for being more prepared than others.

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