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Kitsap County ARES/RACES/ACS

Announcements
Updated 2009-06-28 (GMT-7)

Training for Message Preample, Addressee, and Text
Each week a new one is added until all the sections are covered.

Training -- Message Preamble (2009-06-03).pdf

Training -- Message Addressee (2009-06-14).pdf

Training -- Message Text (2009-06-21).pdf

Training -- Message Signature (2009-06-28).pdf
 

Click here to read letter regarding swine flu
from Kitsap County Health District
April 28, 2009
 

H1N1 influenza A

Don't catch it. Don't spread it.  Practice proper hygiene habits.
 

What is the "true" form of a message?
This image shows the "true" form of a message, just a string of characters traveling through the ether.
 

Draft of Communications Plan

This is a draft copy of the communications plan.  There is still work to be done.  We need comments on what needs to be done to improve it as we work on the document.  Review the document and send your suggestions to:

Draft of Communications Plan
 

What natural disasters top scientists’ worry list?
Here are the top 10. (Are you ready for number 10?)

1. Total Destruction of Earth -- Okay, so nobody is spending too much time worrying about what to do if the planet is annihilated, but at least one person has seriously pondered whether and when it could happen. From being sucked into a black hole to being blown up by an antimatter reaction, there are scientifically plausible risks of an event that would render this whole list moot.

2. Gulf Coast Tsunami -- A fault line in the Caribbean has generated deadly tsunamis before. Up to 35 million people could be threatened by one in the not-too-distant future, scientists say.

3. East Coast Tsunami -- It seems no coast is immune to the threat of tsunami. For the Eastern United States, the likeliest scenario is waves kicked up by an asteroid splashing into the ocean. Astronomers already have their eye on one rock that could hit in the distant future, but the cosmos could hold a surprise, too.

4. Heat Waves -- Heat waves kill more U.S. residents than any other natural disaster. As many as 10,000 people have died in past events. As urban areas get hotter, electricity systems are strained and the population ages, the risk grows.

5. Midwest Earthquake -- It has been nearly two centuries since a series of three magnitude-8 quakes shook the then-sparsely populated Midwest, centered near New Madrid, Missouri. Another big one is inevitable. Now the region is heavily populated, yet building codes are generally not up to earthquake snuff. What’s more, geology east of the Rockies causes quakes to be felt across a much wider region. Shelves would rattle from Boston to South Carolina. Some homes along the Mississippi would sink into oblivion.

6. Super Volcano -- It probably will not happen for hundreds or possibly even millions of years, but nobody really knows when Yellowstone will blow again, destroying life for hundreds of miles around, and burying half the country in ash up to 3 feet (1 meter) deep.

7. Los Angeles Tsunami -- An earthquake fault just off Southern California could generate a major quake and a $42 billion tsunami that would strike so fast many coastal residents would not have time to escape. Add to that the unprecedented destruction from the earthquake’s shaking, and the situation would be reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina.

8. Asteroid Impact -- Scientists cannot say when the next devastating asteroid impact will occur. Odds are it will not be for decades or centuries, but an unknown space rock could make a sucker punch any time. Many experts say planning to deal with a continent-wide catastrophe should begin now.

9. New York Hurricane -- Major hurricanes have made direct hits on the boroughs before, but the interval between them is so long that people forget, and officials fear they might not take evacuation orders seriously. The larger problem: It would take nearly 24 hours to make a proper evacuation of New York City, but hurricanes move more swiftly as they race north, so real warning time could be just a few hours.

10. Pacific Northwest Megathrust Earthquake -- Geologists know it is just a matter of time before another 9.0 or larger earthquake strikes somewhere between Northern California and Canada. The shaking would be locally catastrophic, but the biggest threat is the tsunami that would ensue from a fault line that is seismically identical to the one that caused the deadly 2004 tsunami in Indonesia.
 

NIMS and ICS Training and Certifications

Review the Training page for information about NIMS and ICS Training and Certifications.

Having taken these courses is becoming a vital part of our volunteer service to your served agencies.  In addition to your emergency worker ID card, you will be issued an ID card showing your qualifications based upon what NIMS and ICS training you have had.

Please work towards taking these classes.

Listen to a Public Service Announcement about Amateur Radio

It's not your granddaddy's radio anymore.

Visit the Hello Radio web site.

Signup for Amber Alert Notifications

Visit http://washingtonamberalert.com/ to signup to receive Amber Alerts.  If you receive an alert feel free to come onto the Kitsap County Emergency Net repeater on 145.43 MHz (tone 179.9 Hz) and disseminate the information.

Sign Up for Local Alert & Warning Program

Sign up for the alert, warning and public information program so you and/or your loved ones can be notified by e-mail for most situations or phone during extreme emergencies.  Go to the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management web site and click on the image that looks like this:

Message Handling Updates

Please review the material on the Message Handling page.  Originating, relaying and delivery message is our primary mission.

Kitsap County ARES Membership

For membership in the Kitsap County ARES, complete this form and return it to AB7Y.  You may e-mail it to the address at the bottom of this page, or send a message asking for a mailing address if you wish to mail a printed copy.  (Note:  The KCACS e-mail box in only check about once a week, so do not send urgent messages requiring immediate response to it.)

All current ARES members are also asked to complete this form so we can update our ARES roster.

Kitsap County ARES Member Form

Washington State Emergency Worker Card

Emergency Worker Card Application

A Washington State Emergency Worker Card is required for volunteers to support our served agencies at their facilities or at an incident in Kitsap County.  Emergency worker cards are administered by the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management. To apply, fill out a Application Form and Background Check Form.  A digital photograph is also needed for printing onto the ID badge. These forms and instructions are found on the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management web site at the link above.  (The card is not required for people operating from home or for public service events, but everyone is encouraged to get the card.)

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