RACES SERVICE PLAN FOR SUPPORT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT DURING EMERGENCIES

I.             Introduction

A.     Scope:  This plan provides guidance for the Amateur Radio Civil Emergency Service (RACES) to support local government officials during certain emergency conditions.

B.     Purpose:  This plan is intended to provide coordinated operation between the RACES organization and appropriate units of the various governments within Johnson County, Kansas during times when there are extraordinary threats to the safety of life and or property. Maximum benefits from a RACES organization can only be obtained through careful planning, which identifies the organizations, agencies, and individuals concerned and assigns definite roles to each. This plan enables agencies and organizations having emergency responsibilities to include the RACES organization in local emergency plans and programs.

C.     Operations:  This plan becomes official for Johnson County, Kansas when signed by the FEMA Regional Communications Officer, Deputy Director Kansas Division of Emergency Management, Kansas State RACES Officer, Director Emergency Management Department Johnson County Kansas, and RACES Coordinator Johnson County Kansas.

Under this plan, the Emergency Management Department is empowered to request the use of available volunteer communications facilities and personnel. Acceptance of participation in the plan shall not be deemed as a relinquishment of license control of the licensed party, and shall not be deemed to prohibit an amateur radio service licensee or broadcast licensee from exercising independent discretion and responsibility in any given situation under the terms of its license.

II.             Authority 

Part 97, Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations.

III.             Authentication 

The form of authentication that will be used between the activation official and RACES organization is personal identification or knowledge of the individual involved.

IV.             Identification

The RACES group in the Johnson County Emergency Management Department is known as “Emergency Communications Services, Inc.” (ECS) The method used to identify the RACES members and key personnel during a communications support are the following:

1.  Johnson County Emergency Communications Services, Inc. identification card

2.  Schlage Electronics door card registered to the individual that carries the card

3.  Personal acquaintance.

V.             Implementation Procedures

A.     Procedure for Government Officials:  Upon notification or determination of an emergency condition or a situation posing an extraordinary threat to life and/or property, the Director of Johnson County Emergency Management or the Duty Officer will contact the RACES Coordinator, Johnson County.

B.     The Director of Johnson County Emergency Management or the Duty Officer will use the following format when contacting the RACES Coordinator.

“This is (name of official), (title of official), requesting that the RACES organization be activated for Johnson County because of (description emergency situation).”

In order to speed personnel activation during emergency conditions or provide other announcements, an authorized official may contact the Metro Area Emergency Broadcast System Station and request a public service announcement be made to assist activation of the RACES organization. If the need is less urgent the RACES net control can be pager or via public service. Upon conclusion of the emergency condition, the appropriate government official will issue a termination notification.

C.     Procedures for Amateur Radio Operators:  Upon request by authorized authorities, the designated RACES members will report to the EOC and activate the required emergency nets using the frequencies below.

Local RACES members without a predetermined assignment or designated assignment are encouraged to check in at any time. In the event those amateurs who are not members of Johnson County RACES, those amateurs (because of liability considerations) offer of assistance will not be assigned or dispatched. However, their reports concerning immediate threats to public safety or protection of life and property will be welcomed. At the cessation of the emergency, authorized officials will initiate roll call from the EOC using nay of all of the previously listed frequencies. RACES members will then acknowledge and confirm receipt of the termination message.

VI.             Test

Test of the system include:

A.     One test per week by the RACES organization

B.     Annual emergency exercises

VII.             Annexes

Annex A:  List of RACES officers, operators and telephone numbers

Annex B:  List of authorized RACES radio frequencies.

Annex C:  Functional block diagram of agencies that interface with the emergency

Annex D:  Local checklist.