11/03/2023

Editor's Note:

Tuolumne County Amateur Radio and Electronics Society (TCARES) members Rich
Combs, KN6HSR; Ned Sudduth, K6NED, and Toni Sudduth, K6TNI reported that the
October 2023 Great California ShakeOut exercise was an "outstanding" success.
Here is their story as reported to ARRL News:

"This is a drill. Drop! Cover! Hold on!" was the mantra for the Great ShakeOut
exercise on October 19, 2023, at 10:19 AM in Tuolumne County, California.  

The Great ShakeOut is an annual international event that promotes awareness of
how to prepare for and react to an earthquake. For the past 2 years, TCARES has
used this event as an opportunity to test our ability to provide backup
communication for the county public safety agencies. Considering that over the
past year there have been two instances where primary communication systems
went down -- one due to a fire, and the other due to a damaged T1 fiber optic
cable -- this was a timely opportunity. It is a great chance to partner with
first responder agencies, build trust, and develop awareness of mutual
capabilities and needs.  

There was an amateur radio operator stationed at the Tuolumne County Emergency
Operations Center, which was operated by the Office of Emergency Services.
After a preparatory simulated 5.0-magnitude San Francisco earthquake preamble
at 10:19 AM, Ned Sudduth, K6NED, began taking check-ins from amateurs
throughout the county with his wife Toni, K6TNI, who logged the reports. County
Geographic Information System (GIS) staff loaded the real time of those hams on
a map that was displayed on a TV. Tuolumne County is fortunate to have a
backbone of four linked, 2-meter repeaters that cover almost the entire county.

There were 38 amateur radio operators providing reports on conditions
throughout the county. In addition, we had four Neighborhood Radio Watch (NRW)
communities using Family Radio Service radios, General Mobile Radio Service
(GMRS) radios, and a few GMRS repeaters to add an additional 28 reports. Each
NRW community has an embedded ham who monitors the NRW traffic, and then
provides a summary to the Incident Commander during their check-in.  

Considering it was a Thursday morning, we felt this was a great response.
Participation increased from last year's check-ins. Although Tuolumne is a
large county by area, it has a population of just more than 55,000, and it is
primarily rural and mountainous in character. Nonetheless, the combination of
NRW communities with embedded ham radio operators and a robust repeater system
has shown that even when the power and internet are down, first responder
operations can continue to operate, and communities can immediately communicate
and mobilize to help themselves.  

During the net, net control began by asking for regional check-ins based on
repeater location, starting with the most remote corners of the county. Roll
call was not conducted, but check-ins in small batches of three or four allowed
for concise reporting with "yes" or "no" comments on the availability of grid
power and telephone services. Most stations checking in had clear audio and
delivered their local status professionally. Some stations learned they needed
to make improvements. Stations at sites of interest, like schools or government
buildings, were asked to state their affiliation with organizations like the
Community Emergency Response Team, Search and Rescue, Crime Scene Unit, etc.
Mobile units also checked in and made reports. Those in nearby counties checked
in, too, and they reported their local situation reports.  

Ideas for next year are already underway with plans to assign operators to
specific locations like the local fairgrounds, hospital, Red Cross, fire
stations, etc. The Automatic Packet Reporting System can also provide value
next year with real-time location and status updates from mobile operators.
Thanks to TCARES, the Tuolumne County Sheriff, the Office of Emergency
Services, and GIS staff, and the radio operators who have made this an
outstanding exercise for the last 2 years.  

Thanks to TCARES for the information contained in this report.

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