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STATE OF KANSAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT RACES COMMUNICATION PLAN (AS AMENDED March 2001) Purpose To provide Emergency Management with Amateur Radio Communications through networks using State/County owned and/or privately owned equipment, authorized under the Federal Communication's Commission, and operated by licensed Radio Amateurs in the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES). This plan supersedes all State RACES Plans and amendments previously. New county and area plans must conform with the current State RACES Plan and approved by the State RACES Officer and State Emergency Management Operations Officer. Amateur Radio Networks (RACES) RACES Radio Networks will be organized as follow: A. State Network Will provide for command and operational communications between the State Emergency Management Control Center, and the Area and/or County Networks in Kansas. A diagram of the basic State RACES Network and Area Networks are indicated on "Attachment A". B. Area Networks Area networks covering several counties are authorized and shall provide for communications between such Emergency Operations Centers within that specific area and the State Emergency Management Control Center. Each Area RACES Network will consist of an Area Net control station and secondary stations located within that area. Net Control Station will be a State-owned or private station (volunteer) operated as directed by the State during a State, Area, or County emergency or RACES drill exercise. Secondary stations of the Area Network will be county-owned or private (volunteer) stations cooperating under the direction of the Area Net Control Station during such emergencies or drills. An Area Emergency Management RACES Radio Officer will be appointed for each Area by the State RACES Officer and approved by the State Operations Officer. The State RACES Officer will guide and assist Area RACES Officers in the formulation of the Area RACES Plans, which must be submitted and approved the State RACES Officer and State Operations Officer. Area RACES Plans must include the following: a. The Area of the State for which it will serve, including all counties and cities, and Emergency Management Centers. b. Network diagram indicating communications links between net control and the secondary stations. RACES frequency to be used for each link. RACES frequencies to be used for these links are specified by the State RACES Plan. Refer to "Attachment B" of the State RACES Plan. c. A complete list of all Net control stations for the Area and all secondary stations and all stations Call sign, class of license, location and capabilities, including emergency power.
C. County Networks County networks covering a specific county are authorized to be organized and shall provide for communications between that County Emergency Management Center, secondary stations within that county and the Area Network. Each County RACES Network will consist of a Net control station and secondary stations located within that County area. Net Control Station will be a County-owned or private station (volunteer) operated as directed by that County Emergency Operations Center for State, Area, or County emergencies or RACES drill exercise. Secondary stations of the County Network will be county-owned or private (volunteer) stations cooperating under the direction of the County Net Control Station during such emergencies and drills. A County Emergency Management RACES Radio Officer will be appointed and approved by the State RACES Officer and by that County EM Coordinator. The Area RACES Officer will guide and assist County RACES Officers in the formulation of County RACES Plans, which must be submitted and approved by that County's Emergency Management, State RACES Officer and State Operations Officer. County RACES Plans must include the following:
a. The County that it will serve, including all cities and Emergency Operations Centers. b. Network diagram indicating communications links between net control and the secondary stations. RACES frequency to be used for each link. County Networks are authorized to use only those RACES frequencies specified for their locality by the State RACES plan. Refer to "Attachment B" of the State RACES plan. c. A complete list of all Net control stations for the County and all secondary stations. Shall include all stations Call sign, class of license, location and capabilities, including emergency power.
D. Communication with Regional Headquarters RACES communication between the Kansas State Emergency Operations Center and the DOD-OCD Regional Headquarters will be via the DOD-OCD Region VII RACES Network. This network, operates under the control and direction of DOD-OCD Net Control Station. Liaison between the Kansas State Emergency Operations Center and the FEMA Region VII RACES Net Stations in Kansas will be provided by the State. Message may be exchanged between these respective points via telephone, RACES, Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS), National Attack Warning Alert System (NAWAS) or messenger, whichever is most practical. Special RACES frequencies have been assigned by and for the Regional Net operation. Only the FEMA Region VII net stations are authorized to use these special RACES frequencies in an emergency. Area and County RACES stations in Kansas are cautioned to avoid operation on these Regional frequencies during emergencies and drills.
Personnel The Kansas Division of Emergency Management or county emergency management officials will make use of local law enforcement agencies to determine the loyalty and general reliability of all Emergency Management RACES Radio Officers, and Amateur Radio Operators assigned for operation in RACES networks. All operator personnel will be provided with Emergency Management Identification Cards signed by a proper Emergency Management authority signifying that a loyalty check has been made. Facilities available for determining the loyalty and general reliability of the personnel as follow: 1. Local Police Department 2. County Sheriff's Office 3. Kansas Highway Patrol 4. Kansas Bureau of Investigation Operational Procedures All RACES Stations and Networks in Kansas will operate in accordance with this Plan and Rules and Regulations specified by Part 97, Subpart B, of the FCC Rules and Subpart F of the FCC Rules. Specific operational instructions and net procedures will be issued by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. Operational procedures for county Networks will be issued by the county RACES Officer, but in all cases such procedures and instructions must comply with the intent of the Federal Communication's Commission Rules and Regulations governing RACES. Network Frequencies and Coordination The frequencies authorized for use by State, Area, and County RACES networks are those specified in the State RACES Plan, "Attachment B". Other frequencies are NOT authorized. The Operations Officer of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, in cooperation with the State RACES Radio Officer, will coordinate the use of these frequencies (as required). Only those frequencies that are contained within the frequency bands authorized for RACES by the FCC may be considered.
Emergency Management RACES Officer Each RACES Network must have an Emergency Management (RACES) Radio Officer. The RACES Officer is appointed by either the State or County Emergency Management Office. The RACES Officer is directly responsible either to the Communication Officer of their appointed County or to the Operations Officer of the Division of Emergency Management. The authority for matters pertaining to Area RACES Radio Officers may be delegated to the State RACES Officer. The Kansas State RACES Officer, Area RACES Officers, County RACES Officers and alternates are indicated in "Attachment C" of this plan. A RACES Officer must hold an amateur radio operator license of General Class or higher.
RACES Station Authorization No radio station may be operated in the Radio Civil Emergency Service (RACES) in Kansas except by authorization of an Emergency Operations Center. A station authorization for RACES will be issued only to a person who holds an amateur radio license, other than Novice Class. Each application for a station authorization or for renewal thereof shall be submitted, signed under oath or affirmation by the applicant and countersigned by the appropriate Emergency Management Office.
Emergency Management Authority The State Operations Officer of Emergency Management is the legally appointed authority, for all matters pertaining to RACES Radio Nets used for Emergency Management in the State of Kansas. The authority for matters pertaining to RACES nets may be delegated to the State RACES Officer. Activation and Notification A. Activation of State RACES Personnel The State Races Personnel can be activated by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management Duty Officer for the following criteria: * Any emergency event which the EOC is activated. * Assist the Duty Officer with communication needs during a minor event. * Participation in monthly and quarterly nets and exercises.
B. Notification of State RACES Personnel Kansas Division of Emergency Management Duty Officer will notify the State RACES Officer to request activation of the State RACES Personnel. If the State RACES Officer cannot be reached, then the next RACES personnel in order should be notified. Notification will be by telephone or pager. If the RACES personnel suspect that the EOC or Duty Officer is or will be activated, due to knowledge of an emergency event gained by a news broadcast or other source, he/she should contact the Duty Officer for notification. C. Participation RACES is to complement communications and thus can be activated during any event. It is most beneficial to include RACES activation and participation throughout the event and not limited participation to after all communications systems have failed.
Amendments This Communication Plan may be amended as the need is indicated. Such amendments will be distributed to all agencies concerned. This amended plan shall encompass all personnel, communications, plans, licenses, equipment, authorizations, etc., previously approved under the original Kansas State RACES Plan and subsequent amendments, except those officially cancelled.
Attachments The following listed attachments are considered to be part of this plan: Attachment A. Diagram of the Area RACES Nets for the State. Attachment B. Authorized frequency assignments for State, Area, and local RACES Networks in Kansas. Attachment C. List of State RACES Officer, Area RACES Officers, County RACES Officers, and alternates. Attachment D. List of State Net, Area Nets, and County Nets including frequency, time, Net Control Station, location, and FCC Call signs Attachment E. An example of a County Network Operational Plan for RACES.
Signed: __________________________________ _____________________ Sandra Johnson Date Operations Officer Kansas Division of Emergency Management
___________________________________ _____________________ Joseph Plankinton Date State RACES Officer Johnson County Kansas
Emergency Communications Service, Inc.
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