Malad Idaho Stake
Emergency Communications Plan
Individuals:
In the event of emergency priorities are important. Making sure that you are safe comes first, so that you can make sure that your family is safe. Once your family is safe make sure your home is safe, then start checking on neighbors paying special attention to the elderly and those with special needs.
If you discover that there are needs, they may be taken care of by yourself or neighbors. In the event that further assistance is needed a call to emergency or professional services would be in order.
Note: Fire/rescue, ambulance, law enforcement will be limited. In a widespread situation we may be our own rescuers until additional help arrives. Depending on severity, that could be hours, days or weeks away.
If an event is widespread then information will need to be compiled and reported. Responses will be coordinated at a local level, area level or an even larger area.
Priesthood leaders:
Reporting should be done through established leadership. Reporting to Elders Quorum and Relief Society Presidencies, who will in turn report to Bishopric members and they will in-turn report to the Stake. The Ward Emergency Communications Specialist, (WECS) should be used to coordinate those communications.
WECS should have a complete list of phone numbers, email addresses, and radio channels/ call signs, and note books on hand. Also Church reporting forms.
Having phone numbers written down is important. Each WECS should have a list of numbers written down. They should also have an established and tested method of communication in the event that traditional communications fail.
If phone lines are tied up, text messaging is the next best. Text will often go through when voice communications fail.
If phones fail then FRS radios will be used.
Depending on distance and ability messengers may need to be used.
If normal communications do not work, then two way radios will be used. In that event, FRS radio channels will be assigned to avoid cross communication and interference.
If you report an incident or problem make sure you have the needed information. Rescue, medical concerns and personal safety situations will get priority.
Be ready to report who is involved, what the problem is and what is needed to resolve it. When does the incident need to be resolved and Why? Finally be able to give a location by address of Where the problem exists. WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE AND WHY.
If resources are stretched, it is important to report again if a situation is resolved, so resources are only sent to where they are needed.
WECS-Stake and Ward Emergency Communications Specialists:
Stake and Ward communications specialists have been called and should have access to FRS and HAM, (Amateur) radios.
The Local HAM Club Repeater will be our primary channel @ 448.950 – tone 77.0HZ.
The secondary channel will be 146.540 Simplex.
FRS Channels will be as follows:
No sub channels! For example, Stake is channel 11.0 not 11.3 or any sub number
Malad Stake will be channel 11
First ward will be channel 1
Second ward will be channel 2
Third ward will be channel 3
Fourth ward will be channel 4
Fifth ward will be channel 5
Sixth ward will be channel 6
7th ward will be channel 7
Pleasantview ward will be channel 8
St John ward will be channel 9
Holbrook Ward will use channel 10, but then will need to communicate with the Stake via Ham radio or by messenger. There is a ham radio at the county shed in Holbrook. The repeater should be used first or simplex if the repeater is down.
** If Families wish to use FRS radios for general communications during an emergency please use channels 12 through 22
Priesthood leaders and ward leaders should gather all incoming information on their assigned channel and then ward leadership will use the stake channel, (11) to report their situation and needs to the stake. After the report is made updates need to be given especially if a situation is resolved.
FRS radios are limited by distance and terrain, so if you hear someone calling for assistance and they are not getting an answer, go ahead and answer then relay for them.
The stake building is higher in elevation than the valley floor and should be reachable by most wards. Brother Llewellyn lives at a higher elevation in Samaria and can relay, if he is at home.
Location may be a consideration for calling ward communication specialists. Those in higher elevations will have better communication abilities over those in flat or low lying locations.
There is a weekly HAM radio “NET” held every Sunday night at 8:00pm. It is hosted by the Raccoon Amateur Radio Club, usually on frequency 448.950mhz, quarterly on 146.540mhzAny ham operator is able to check in. Visitors are always welcome.
Having a weekly ward/stake net on FRS radios would create awareness of communications abilities in the event that phones fail. Ward Radio Net checks will be conducted at 7:00 pm. Each Ward should use their assigned frequencies/channel so as to not walk on other wards. WECS should use the Radio Net Protocol form for conducting this Sunday evening radio exercise. WECS should share their results with the Bishop and Ward Council members so that you can identify your dead or weak areas and encourage more families to participate and perhaps may be needed to help relay messages from one to another.
A Stake wide communication Net for Ward Emergency Communication Specialists and/or Priesthood Leaders to check in will be held on Sunday evenings at 7:30 pm. FRS channel 11 should be used for that net.
In each case, these nets will help familiarize individuals with their radio equipment, abilities and limitations of their FRS radios. It would be great practice and provide realistic expectations of how to communicate in an emergency when conventional communication fails.
Upon gathering ward information, Bishops will contact the Stake President with specific needs.
The Stake President will Report to Area President Hess and coordinate with him and VOADs as necessary.
Government Help will be assigned by priority. Our community will be low on the priority list.
FEMA will help to restore infrastructure. They do not assist the individual.
Ward, Stake and Community leaders should make logs of all recovery efforts. Volunteers, hours, all efforts to restore and repair damages need to be recorded. This information is used to reimburse local entities for efforts.
Priesthood leaders should identify all concerns that require responses which result in assisting/rescuing others, evacuations, repairs….
This is a work in progress. Weekly Sunday night Radio Nets may be needed at first and then as we get it done and feel good about results, we can then move to like every 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. Keep those radios charged and ready to go.