Chapter 1.1.6
Earthquake Net Control Procedure

Originally written for SPECS by George Parks, W6AOF
(Adapted for SVECS by Dick Rawson, N6CMJ)
December 22, 1988

The following are suggestions to supplement the SVECS Basic Disaster Response Procedure (Handbook article 1.1.1) in event of an earthquake.  The purpose is to learn what amount of damage happened and where, and to report that information as appropriate.  If the situation is not serious, that is about all the net does.  Otherwise, the following is only a start, and the net operation must be adapted to the situations, see also the Basic Disaster Response Procedure.

Make it clear that the net can be interrupted for emergency traffic, as usual.

    At first, ask for damage reports only: while asking other stations to standby.
    Bear in mind that someone having serious damage will be busy dealing with it rather than getting on the air.
    If someone reports damage requiring immediate aid, determine if he needs your help in obtaining aid.  While telephone service in his area may be out or overloaded, someone else might be able to phone the report to an emergency dispatcher in the victim's city, or to a different city which could relay the report to the victim's city.

    After a few minutes of no new damage reports, request volunteers to QSY to the following frequencies to monitor for reports for five minutes, and then return to the repeater and report what they heard.
     

    W6ASH 145.270 (-) SPECS—covers Mountain View to Redwood City
    K6FB 145.450 (-) High-level coverage, including coast areas
    WB6OQS  146.760 (-) High-level coverage
    K6THR 147.825 (-) South Santa Clara County
    CONDOR (220 MHz) Linked system
    KCBS SYSTEM 740 kHz Prompt quake reporting in the past 

    While the volunteers are off channel, conduct a roll call of EC's and AEC's, by cities, to make a more thorough survey of the situation
     

    Campbell   Santa Clara  
    Cupertino   Saratoga  
    Los Gatos   Sunnyvale  
    Milpitas   So. County  
    San Jose   Anyone else?  

    After receiving the reports from other frequencies, direct ECs (or alternates) to report the situation to their respective cities. They should also mention if serious situations were reported out of the immediate area because those might result in mutual aid requests.

    Each city's EC should know what person or office to report to. ECs who have no contact prearranged for such reports may, at their discretion, contact an emergency services dispatcher. It is recommended not to call 911, or another emergency number, unless of course the situation merits it (or unless that's what the city has pre-arranged).

    Direct the stations assigned in step 3 to return to those repeaters and report to the net control station the situation as known to SVECS.

    Request any comments from those on frequency. Do this city by city if necessary.

    return to Top of Page            return to Table of Contents
       

      Comments and corrections should be addressed to the Webmaster
Last edited on: August 30, 1999