Time To Practice!!!!!

If a fire is coming, can you quickly notify EVERY ONE of your neighbors?  After an earthquake or a sudden evacuation can you tell First Responders, We've got 4 hurt and 10 missing?

Each year in October, Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) conducts a drill of emergency communications.  This year, South Skyline Emergency Organization is organizing a  REGIONAL DRILL SATURDAY MORNING 11/02/2024.
 
Goals:

  1. Get as many neighborhoods to participate as possible.
  2. For "established" neighborhoods that have done this before​
    1. Make sure your directory is correct and you can reach everyone
    2. Train someone new to help coordinate the event and report results. Don't always rely on the same people!
  3. For "new" neighborhoods just getting started
    1. Simply get as many immediate neighbors together, and agree on ways of communicating.  You can use our guide to neighborhood organization. Every neighborhood should try and contact ALL their residents as quickly as possible and make sure everyone is "ok".
    2. ​We're giving a prize of 4 GMRS/Ham radios to the 2 largest new neighborhoods to participate.


How to Participate: (SUPER EASY)

  • Before 11/2, update your neighborhood directory, and consider how you will reach out to your neighbors: messaging, email, phone, radio, in person. Keep in mind in a real emergency you'll have to try a couple of things, and be prepared to do that too during the drill.
  • On Saturday 11/2: 
    • You don't even need to be home. Just respond when contacted!
    • At 10:30am each neighborhood will try and get hold of one another however they wish as quickly as practical. It's ok for someone to vouch for family members or immediate neighbors.  
    • Then between 11:30 and 1pm, report back on how many you found, say 13 out of 17 people. 


Here' how to report back:
You'll want to tell us which neighborhood, and that you contacted X people out of Y total people. See which of these works for you!

  1. If you have a GMRS radio, contact the Longridge Repeater (channel 48 if preprogrammed) at Portola Heights 462.600 / 467.6000  / 114.8
  2. If you have a HAM radio, contact  CMD31 at 146.730 Offset - CTSS 114.8 T Sql
  3. If none of that works, send an email to kd6uca@winlink.org   
    • The Subject Line of the message MUST be: //WL2K O/ Emergency Drill <Name of Neighborhood>. , otherwise it won't succeed in sending.
    • This message will be delivered by Ham Radio. 
  4.  We are also experimenting with receiving cell phone traffic at our Communications Trailer site. You can try calling 650-733-5313. (In spite of everything we may say elsewhere, if the cell phone still works, go ahead and try and get through!) 
  5.  If you eventually find the stragglers, you can email the update later as in #3. 

Regional Drill November 2, 2024 10:30AM