"Hams" Test Emergency Communications Teams Up with the American Red Cross of Central Texas

American Red Cross volunteer learns the importance of ham radios. 

The American Red Cross of Central Texas and Travis County Amateur Radio will partner to replicate a disaster scenario on Saturday, November 5, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center and the American Red Cross of Central Texas offices. The purpose is to practice response and support capacity with the use of area Amateur Radio operators, also known as "hams". 

Using emergency powered radios and working with local agencies, the hams will have only a few hours to create extensive radio communication networks which can be used should there be a failure or overload of normal services. The hams' ability to get back "on the air" quickly is critical following major incidents. In addition, the ham radio operators provide "interoperability". This means they can pass information between the many government and volunteer agencies which are needed in disasters but often have incompatible communication systems.

Amateur Radio volunteer operators around the country respond to many calls for aid every year. They provide their services and equipment free of charge to their communities, saving both lives and thousands of dollars for neighbors. During Hurricane Irene, the hams were critical in providing immediate, ground-level reports to the National Weather Service. After the storm, hams continued to provide help in the many flooded communities and areas that lost electric power.

There is no doubt that these operators take their work very seriously. They are "Amateurs" only in that they are not paid, but their service in a disaster can be priceless.

The Amateur Radio Services is a national partner of the American Red Cross. We are excited to be a part of their annual simulated emergency test, and feel that this will help us communicate and respond more efficiently the next time there is a disaster or emergency in our area. Thank you Amateur Radio Services for all of your help!

Social Media in Disasters

With Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google+... the list goes on and on. Social media has grown tremendously over the last few years. We are no longer only using these social tools to expand our social circle. Because of its fast pace, many people are turning to the various social tools to give and receive information during disasters or emergencies. I think it is a great way to communicate information rapidly, but what happens when it's not the right information?

Although there are many great examples of social media gone right, people can also be misinformed. Many state, government, and local organizations have used social media as a way to disseminate important information regarding emergencies or disasters happening in the area, but sometimes outside sources may misinform the public in their attempt to help. During disaster response and emergencies things can happen so quickly and drastically that this may cause this misinformation.

Make sure to always call or check the website to stay informed about disasters or emergencies.

RED CROSS DISPATCH FROM THE ROAD IN MISSISSIPPI

From John O'Donnell, Emergency Services Response Specialist

We finally arrived and spent the night in Clinton, MS. Got to the job headquarters this morning, where we met up with (Red Cross Volunteer) Carole, and they then sent us to Ackerman, which is about 2 hours northeast of where we spent the night. We arrived at the Baptist church where the Baptist Men had their feeding kitchen set up. There was a lot of confusion about where the shelter was located, but we eventually found it in a town 15 minutes north of Ackerman. The towns in this area are crazy small. Ackerman doesn't even have a stoplight. We stopped by the police station and there was a note on the door saying the officer (officer, singular) was on a call. Totally new world down here.

We're getting pretty close to Alabama. There's been a lot of driving and searching today. We have seen a lot of trees down but no structural damage yet. I reckon (the South is rubbing off on me) that once we head north, we'll start seeing the more severe damage. 

Lots of southern accents and fried food so far. Also, saw my first wild turkey and almost ran it over by accident.

Editor's Note: John recently moved to Austin from Chicago, where he also worked for the Red Cross.  This deployment marks his first experience visiting the deep South.  

LONG WEEK AT YOUR AMERICAN RED CROSS OF CENTRAL TEXAS

It has been a very long week for your American Red Cross! All week Jose Dominguez, Thad Rosenfeld, and Lane Pearson, have been dealing with the logistics and actual deployment of six volunteers to San Antonio, Laredo and Harlingen. In the meantime Emergency Services responded to and assisted victims of three house fires. We continue to offer financial and other assistance to four to six military families every day.

Your local Red Cross is also preparing for Mass Care Boot Camp this Saturday! It will give people the opportunity to fulfill all the prerequisites to becoming a shelter manager in one day. All week we have also been making sure that Sunday’s Volunteer Recognition at the Dell Diamond will go on without a hitch. It is an opportunity for us to say a big THANK YOU to all the people that make what we do possible.

It never ceases to amazes me the great work that my fellow Red Crossers do every day!

MEET THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION RESPONSE VEHICLE

From Kevin McCoy, Emergency Services Volunteer

Most of the time American Red Cross of Central Texas volunteers focus on helping our own community respond to disasters.  Many of us are also in the Disaster Services Human Resource system, or DSHR.  The DSHR system records the capabilities of volunteers across the nation so that the American Red Cross can scale up nationwide to handle larger emergencies such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods. 

     

Some of these disasters can be so devastating that power and phones are knocked out.  Establishing headquarters close to the disaster site has a lot of advantages, but this can only be done if communication and computing resources can be delivered.  One resource that helps ensure that crucial communication and other technology lines remain open and functioning during a disaster is the Emergency Communications Response Vehicle. 

Recently I traveled to the Greater Houston Area Chapter with fellow Volunteers Fred and Marcia Marks to learn to use and deploy the Emergency Communications Response Vehicle.  This could be locally for Central Texas chapter needs, or in a National Level Disaster.  

To overcome the effects of a disaster, the vehicle has its own power source, two satellite dishes, numerous radios, wired and wireless routers, laptops, Internet telephones, satellite phones, and patch equipment to join radio systems into networks.

 Marcia and Fred Marks with the ECRV

          

I got to take the class with good friends Fred and Marcia Marks who are also in the Austin Area.  I have worked together with them responding to  Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Ike, and on the ARC of Central Texas Mass Care Action Team or MCAT.  MCATs respond to Shelter, Feeding, and Distribution needs caused mostly by weather and fire based emergencies.

 The ECRV mast fully extended

The ECRV satellite dish

ARC OF CENTRAL TEXAS CANTEENING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

In the early morning hours yesterday, our Director of Disaster Services was called because our services were needed in Spicewood, Texas. An off duty Department of Public Safety trooper had gone missing on Lake Travis and the search was underway to find him. Volunteers were deployed within hours of getting the call.

I still marvel at how quickly we notify our volunteers, pack up our Emergency Response Vehicle and get on our way. By 7:30 yesterday morning hot breakfasts and coffee were being served to the rescue teams. Our volunteers stayed the whole day and provided lunch and dinner. They were deployed again this morning and will stay through lunch.

A big thank you to Opie's Barbecue for providing the first responders with lunch AND dinner! 

ARC OF CENTRAL TEXAS RESPONDS TO TWO FIRES

Your American Red Cross of Central Texas responded to two fires this weekend. A fire destroyed a family home in the early morning hours on Saturday, May 15^th. The Red Cross provided shelter and other essentials for the couple who had lost their home.

On Sunday, May 16, your Red Cross responded to a massive hotel fire that left 5 people displaced. Smoke from the destroyed building could be seen for miles in both directions on I-35. Twelve volunteers and our Emergency Response Vehicle (the ERV) were deployed shortly after the fire started. They provided food and drink to the eighty or so firefighters who responded to the fire. In addition, the Red Cross had Mental Health volunteers in case anyone needed to talk to someone about the day’s events.  

A great thank you and kudos to our wonderful Disaster Action Team volunteers!!!  

FIRE SWEEPS THROUGH NORTH AUSTIN APARTMENT COMPLEX

A fire ripped through an apartment complex in northwest Austin early Tuesday morning. The fire destroyed sixteen units at the Cottages Wells Branch Apartment Complex and displaced approximately 20 people including a number of children. As of 8 this morning the fire was out, however fire crews still have the immediate area cordoned off for further investigation.  

As in any fire, the American Red Cross of Central Texas quickly responded to the fire. Our volunteers met with each of the affected residents and provided the necessary resources to get them through the next couple of days. Air mattresses, blankets and other essentials were provided to the victims.

“In the past couple of months we have seen a great outpouring of support for our international efforts in Haiti and Chile but what many people forget is that every day, we’re helping countless military families and people who have lost everything in a fire,” said CEO Marty McKellips. “The Red Cross depends on local donors to help Central Texans when they need it most.”

The Red Cross of Central Texas responds, on average, to a house or apartment fire every other day. It is through the generosity of the people of Central Texas that we are able to provide our services to every family affected.

RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS ON THE SCENE AT ECHELON PLANE CRASH

From Kevin & Sandy McCoy, Disaster Volunteers

February 18 & 19, 2010 – Echelon Plane Crash and Fire

Today Sandy and I received a ping from Fred and Marcia Marks that there was an airplane that had flown into a building on Research Boulevard.  It made the national news and left the city stunned.

The on-call Mass Care Action Team - Bill Saul, Derek Clarkson, Marcia and Fred Marks arrived on scene with the Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and a pickup at 12:45 PM. We began serving snacks and water to all of the first responders. In addition to Fire, Police and EMS, federal agencies such as the FBI and NTSB were there as well as Travis County Emergency Services.

Incident Command ordered 100 pizzas which were delivered at about 3:30pm and distributed out of the ERV. Bill and Derek used the pickup to gather feeding materials that we found that we needed which were donated by a local Walgreens. In addition, Bill and Jose visited Sam's, Krispy Kreme and Plucker's to pick up dinner and coffee for this evening.  

Incident Command ordered Jason's Deli sandwich boxes which were delivered at 6:30 and distributed out of the ERV.

Kevin and Sandy McCoy and Tim Garland relieved us at 7 PM and will cover things tonight. 

 Tim Garland serves Pizza from the ERV

Until about midnight, Firefighters were still crawling through the building in search of a missing person (IRS employee Mr. Vernon Hunter, 68, later found deceased). The Firefighters were kind enough to stop by and say thanks as they left the scene.

Sandy and Tim get a Hot Wings delivery ready to serve.

It's after midnight and we are still getting traffic from responders (Fire, APD, AFD, FBI) at this time. 

Fred and Marcia should be back to relieve us at 7AM, while another team works to get breakfast ready.

Stay Safe,

Kevin & Sandy

The American Red Cross of Central Texas would like to thank all our volunteers who worked this disaster for their dedication.  We would also like to thank the following restaurants for their donations of food and beverages for First Responders, allowing them to work around the clock securing the scene:

Pluckers Wing Bar

Schlotzsky's

Thundercloud Subs

Krispy Kreme

Starbucks

Taco Cabana

Whataburger 

Walgreens

RED CROSS RESPONDING TO NORTHWEST AUSTIN PLANE CRASH

We are responding to a plane crash at the Echelon building in Northwest Austin at 183 and Mopac. We believe that at least one residence has been affected in addition to the office building. Our emergency response teams are responding and we have sent a 3-person PIO team to the scene as well. We will continue to update as we receive information.  

Austin American Statesman Blotter

RED CROSS FEATURED IN AUSTIN CHRONICLE BEST OF 2008

The American Red Cross of Central Texas upped our “street cred” this week when we were featured in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of 2008 Critics Poll. The ARC of Central Texas was recognized, along with the Capital Area Food Bank, as the Critic’s Choice for Best Response in a Crisis for our work with evacuees from Hurricane Ike. The recognition is rightly attributed to volunteers for both organizations who tirelessly devote their time and energy to help those in need, while still maintaining their regular responsibilities to work and family.  Your continued efforts allow us to open our community in response to disasters such as Hurricane Ike in ways we could never manage without you.  We join the Chronicle in recognizing our volunteers and staff who make the American Red Cross of Central Texas work. Thank you!

From the Austin Chronicle:

Best Response in a Crisis: Central Texas Red Cross, Capital Area Food Bank
It's not their job. That's the first fact that everyone should remember when thinking about how the volunteers with these two charities stepped up to help the Hurricane Ike evacuees. It was the Red Cross that staffed shelters and the Capital Area Food Bank that handed out emergency supplies to those that had fled the coast. This award is not so much for the institutions but for the people that sacrificed their time and energy to help those in need – and will again.

American Red Cross of Central Texas 

2218 Pershing 

928-4271 

www.centex.redcross.org

Capital Area Food Bank 

8201 S. Congress 

282-2111 www.austinfoodbank.org