Emergency Procedures

§ 97.401 Operation during a disaster.

     (a) When normal communication systems are overloaded, damaged or disrupted because a disaster has occurred, or is likely to occur, in an area where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC, an amateur station may make transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and facilitate relief actions.

     (b) When a disaster disrupts normal communication systems in a particular area, the FCC may declare a temporary state of communication emergency. The declaration will set forth any special conditions and special rules to be observed by stations during the communication emergency. A request for a declaration of temporary state of emergency should be directed to the EIC in the area concerned.

     (c) A station in, or within 92.6 km of, Alaska may transmit emissions J3E and R3E on the channel at 5.1675 MHz for emergency communications. The channel must be shared with stations licensed in the Alaska-private fixed service. The transmitter power must not exceed 150 W.

§ 97.403 Safety of life and protection of property.
     No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.
§ 97.405 Station in distress
     (a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station in distress of any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance.
     (b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in the exceptional circumstances described in paragraph (a), of any means of radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a station in distress.
§ 97.407 Radio amateur civil emergency service. (see FCC Rules and Regulations Booklet)
(Note: All information on Part 97 - Subpart E has been used by special permission from the FCC)

This webpage includes a form to copy hurricane information to be passed on the those who request it as well as the incoming net control.

NEVER MOVE THE EMERGENCY OFF FREQUENCY- YOU MIGHT LOSE THEM

US COAST GUARD SEARCH AND RESCUE NUMBERS

1-510-437-3700 Alameda, California
1-757-398-6231 Portsmouth, Virginia

COLLECT EMERGENCY CALLS ACCEPTED

When an emergency is reported on frequency, first make an attempt to be reasonably sure it is genuine. There are more hoaxes and pseudo-emergencies than real emergencies. However, if some person , somewhere is in a panic, then it is reasonably certain that it is a real emergency and you must handle it as such. Here are the basic things to do.

Keep very calm yourself. Tell everyone on the Net to go silent unless you call them.

Immediately begin to keep a log of the emergency. DATE, TIMES, CALL-SIGN, etc.

If it is an inland emergency, contact police local to the position of the emergency.

If it is a maritime emergency, call the US Coast Guard. Follow whatever directions the USCG gives you. (See below for detailed information you should try to get from the stricken vessel.)

If propagation prevents you from being effective, let other NCS help you with the emergency who is best suited to handle and hear the station with the emergency. Bear in mind his location and the ability this station has demonstrated in the past during similar situations.   DO NOT EVER MOVE THE EMERGENCY OFF FREQUENCY. THE NCS WILL USE HIS OWN JUDGMENT IN ALL DECISIONS CONCERNING THE EMERGENCY.

All stations on frequency are to refrain from transmitting unless the NCS asks for assistance and then only do what the NCS instructs you to do and report back directly to the NCS on frequency before transmitting other information to anyone else. THIS IS A DIRECTED AND CONTROLLED NET and even more so in the case of an emergency.

Every so often please indicate to those on frequency that the net is operating an emergency situation and will return to normal operations when the emergency is under control.

It is NOT necessary or desirable to call the FCC. They are not in the emergency business. They should be called only regarding communication problems (i.e. continual interference during an emergency).

MARITIME EMERGENCY FORMAT

Information you should get upon hearing the emergency:
NAME OF THE PERSON INITIATING THE EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT:
CALL SIGN (IF THE PERSON IS A HAM OPERATOR):

NATURE OF THE EMERGENCY, LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE (OR GENERAL POSITION).

NUMBER, AGE, AND CONDITION OF PEOPLE ON BOARD.

WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?

WHAT IS THE SEA STATE?

The following information can/will be obtained by the Coast Guard if and when they come on frequency:

DO YOU HAVE A VHF RADIO?

WHAT IS THE REGISTRATION OR DOCUMENTATION NUMBER OF THE VESSEL?

REGISTRY OF THE VESSEL (COUNTRY, HOME PORT).

TYPE AND LENGTH OF THE VESSEL COLOR OF THE HULL.

COLOR OF THE SAILS (IF APPROPRIATE).

LAST PORT OF CALL ( Helps to determine if it is a hoax).

NEXT PORT OF CALL ( Helps to determine if it is a hoax).

ANY NON-SWIMMERS ON BOARD.

ANY MEDICAL PROBLEMS ON BOARD.

WHEN SICKNESS IS INVOLVED

NAME OF SICK PERSON

SYMPTOMS AND VITAL SIGNS OF SICK PERSON

IS THERE A DOCTOR ON BOARD?

MEDICATIONS ABOARD SHIP?

HAVE ANY MEDICINES OR MEDICAL TREATMENTS BEEN ADMINISTERED TO THE PATIENT?

IF SO, HOW LONG SINCE LAST TREATMENT?

HOW LONG HAS THE PATIENT BEEN ILL?

AGE OF PATIENT

FAMILY DOCTOR'S PHONE NUMBER

REPORTING LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HURRICANES

Reporting Station:_________________________________
                          (Callsign and/or First & Last name)

Geographic Location:

Address:________________________

City:____________________________ State:___________

Country:_____________________
Location (Latitude/Longitude):________Degrees N ________Degrees W

Date:_______ (month-day-year)
Time of Observation:_______ (indicate time zone)
(GMT UTC Zulu prefered)

Please indicate if your Wind Measurements are measured with
weather instruments or estimated.
( ) Measured ( ) Estimated

Sustained Wind Speed:_______________ MPH KNOTS KHP(Kilometers Per Hour)
                                  (Over One Minute)

Gust Speed:________________________ MPH KNOTS KHP

Wind Direction:__________, ________Degrees

Barometric Pressure:______________ Inches Millibars
(must be measured with calibrated barometer)

Comments:_________________________________________
                (Rain amount, Damage Report, etc...)

Latitude is always reported first, either North or South of the Equator. Longitude is next, either East or West from the Zero Meridian to the International Date Line. When receiving a LAT/LON report from any source, you must know which format it is in. Modern day technology navigational equipment can be programmed to show Degrees and Decimals of Degrees. The Hurricane Center in Miami uses this format in their reports. (i.e. 27.40N, 80.50W). Most mariners are using modern GPS systems...(stands for Global Positioning System) which yields their position as Degrees, Minutes, and fractions of a minute (i.e.. 27 degrees 40.830 minutes). We should recognize that for our purposes however, the decimal portion is of little importance for the following reason. Considering that a "minute" is one nautical mile, it makes little sense for us to worry about the fractional increment (".830" in the above example). Therefore, it is quite adequate to merely document "degrees" and "minutes" when involved with position reports from mariners. It is very important however, that you are aware which format is in use by the reporting station, by asking specifically. When passing LAT/LON to others the most common format is Degrees and Minutes, although Seconds are available, they are not needed for our purposes. When receiving a Lat/Lon position report, ask the station which format? Then report only Degrees and Minutes or Degrees and Decimals of Degrees. Which ever is the format in use. Example: 26° 57' N - 80° 05' W