NOTES FOR SHELTER OPERATORS
If you are responding to a shelter location carry your ID card with you. As you get on site, ask for the person in charge and introduce yourself as the emergency communicator assigned to serve that location. The person-in-charge MAY be busy, so spend only a moment explaining that you are there to set up a communications station for that location. If the shelter is one of those "officially" designated by the EOC and ARC, it is likely there will already be an "operating position" established on-site for you to set up your equipment.
If this is not the case, be prepared to suggest an appropriate location -- one that can serve as an operating table and message desk; has feed-line access to the window, outdoors or roof; access to power and telephone, and is away from the command center to avoid commotion from disturbing either the communications center or shelter "residents". Many schools have roll-up doors near storage areas. These rooms can let a coax cable run outside and keep the door locked without damaging the cable. Ask an Assistant Principal or Custodian for access or other ideas.
Move your equipment, battery and power cords into position. Hopefully, you've arrived as a team of two or more, so that a person can start setting up while the other person is ferrying some of the equipment in. The first priority would be to set up a 2m mobile station to establish essential contact with the net. Use the lowest power setting that produces reliable contact. Since you're operating in an unfamiliar environment, resist the temptation to run high power, which could possibly damage your radio due to high SWR or cause local interference into nearby equipment. If you carry a SWR meter in your jump kit, however, you can do a check on the shelter antenna prior to transmitting. This would be a good idea, considering the possibilities that the cable may have been cut or damaged since the last time it was used, or perhaps even the antenna could be damaged from a lightning strike. In the event that your shelter does not have its own outdoor (permanent) antenna, its vitally important to carry along a mag-mount, folded dipole, J-pole, ground-plane or other suitable portable antenna in your gear bag or box.
Once you have established communications with the net, your second priority is to stay in touch with the Shelter Manager. A pair of FRS radios are indispensable for this purpose. Make sure both your FRS radios have your call-sign marked clearly on them. Ensure both have fresh batteries, set both radios to the same channel and privacy code (CTCSS tone) and LOCK the controls on both. Test them in both directions. Once you are satisfied the they are working dependably, find the shelter manager, give him one radio, and ask him to keep the radio close by at all times. Explain how the PTT button, call button and volume control work, and do a quick test transmission in both directions while you are in sight of each other. Remind the manager to give the radio back to the ARES operator on duty when the shelter closes. Carry your FRS radio with you at all times, and if you sleep, keep it turned on and close enough to wake you up.
Your third priority is to establish a routine for reporting shelter census information. Normally, the ARC will want to know the number of shelterees and staff present at each shelter every hour. Discuss this requirement with you Shelter Manager, and set up a schedule so you will be sure to have the required information on hand every time you are asked for it.
Debriefing:
As part of the after action debriefing, the following things should be addressed:
Notes should be jotted down, especially those stating at what time-critical events occurred. It is useful in the after action analysis to determine time frames for activation, setup, transit, etc. Note what happened. Note who was around. In case there are questions, you will know who to contact for further information.
Note the hours of operation. Note what was accomplished. Often, the list of accomplishments need to be related to those who weren't there at the scene/operating location. Note what's pending. If there were unfinished items, note them so that someone else can follow-up.
Jot down the things that went well. Often, in the heat of the moment, we forget that there were things that worked in our favor. Note what needed improvement. This is fairly easy to note, as we remember easily the items we struggled with the most. (Yes, that's a LOT of notes!)
Thank those who turned out and were involved. Even a simple verbal thank you goes a long way, compared to not hearing a single word. Make sure you make it a point to thank those around you and your family for letting you get the job done.
PACKING LIST FOR SHELTER OPERATORS