Posted: 6/14/2008 12:45:57 PM EDT
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Some of you may already be aware of a thread I posted in TEAM (ARFCOM Disaster Communication Contingency Plan in TEAM FORUM) For those of you who don't have access to team, let me fill you all in. The purpose of the thread was to brainstorm and come up with ideas to help interested ARFCOM members stay connected during a SHTF type scenario. The original idea was to establish a safe/secure way for people to reach out to other like minded ARFCOMMERS during crisis time, either to give or receive information on the current situation, or to provide 'waypoints' for people who wish to mobilize to other areas. The desired purpose would be to gain information/intelligence, and to allow one to rest/recover and stay out of harms way until they can either move on to their more distant BOL or return to their homes. Having people extend themesleves as 'campsites' or secondary BOLs would be an added benefit, but not required to participate. This idea was met with a lot of input both positive and negative. The negative stuff really just served as motivation for the interested people to come up with brighter solutuions. The naysayers unexpectedly became a very effective tool. After only a few pages of (mostly) constructive and intelligent discussion, mhoffman was able to provide a very nice summary and what could possibly be the foundation for a great plan. Here's a summary of the best and most agreeable plans we were able to come up with as summarized by mhoffman: 
I'm sure there are many who've met throughout Florida and I'm probably wayyyy behind the 8 ball on this. I actually have never met another ARFCOMMER, but I think this would be a great opportunity to change that. Now what's needed is YOUR input. Everyone's is welcome as we want to explore any potential flaws or weaknesses so that they can be addressed and/or corrected. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT OUR IDEAS AND INVITE YOU TO SHARE YOUR OWN For those that are TEAM MEMBERS, please feel free to post your comments in either thread, and those who aren't, please post your comments here. This is a great opportunity for like minded people to come together and prepare for SHTF, no matter how big or small the scenario may be. As all of us Floridians know, these situations are not so unlikely or infrequent. Thanks for your time, David (North Dade County) |
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Count me in. After going through 2 hurricanes in S. Fl and a portion here in Jax... I know what it's like to be with out electricity and water for a week. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Just being able to take a nice hot shower was a blessing!! Let me know what I can do. I have yer standard 8mi walkies... need to invest in a cb for the truck though. I do think that the paswords need to come from higher up and work their way down. That way their the same for all HTF... Just a thought. I'll double up & copy into the Team forum. Great idea!! David |
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Interesting. I'm part of a similar group on another forum, and I'm sure the more networking, the better. Count me in. I don't have comm. transmit capabilities (other than cell/digital land lines), but do receive AM/FM/NOAA/SW/TV. and My girl and I got a month's worth of food, triple redundant water sources/purification, and in typical ARFCOM style, enough ammo to fight off a year's worth of looters =P. |
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Thanks for the input guys. For those that are interested and replying in this thread, I think it would be a great idea (only if you feel comfortable) to post what part of FL you're in. If you've already replied, feel free to edit your post with the information as I have done above. Let me mirror something I posted in the original team thread:
At some point we will figure out a way to gather peoples information (screen names with email addresses - any other information is optional) so that only those who are truly interested in participating will receive the necessary 'logistics'. For the time being, that information (email contacts) does not need to be provided. Let's just use this thread (for now) to gather input from FL ARFCOM members about this whole idea and see where it goes. |
You should install a KY196 in your truck. I'll do the same thing, and we'll have it covered. 
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Kcolg30 ... Ive been looking into the same ... send me a PM if you don't mind with some advise on how I can get started ... |
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Count me in! I do have FRS radios but I am buying a hand held CB now and I am planing to buy a CB base station with antena and all. The idea of forming a network to communicate or relay info is awsome. Wether is natural disaster, Terror attack or Government confiscation "ala Katrina", we can do CB localy and have regional Ham radio members relay the info state or counry wide. We with the CB's can concentrate on local stuff and support I reside in Miami and will be in this area at least for the next 3 to 4 years brfore I move to the central Florida area. I also recomend we all m,ake a better effort to meet other arfcomers and practice simulate drills ...etc. Again, it would be nice that we all had Ham radios but it is not realistic. CB's have been around for ages and are most common and most affordable. Like I suggested, One Ham radio team member for ever X amout of miles is a thought. Lets make it happen! 223SAINT |
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Just in case you guys are interested, we will be having a SHTF type course in November but there are a few requirements before you can attend. This is what we will be covering in the class: Specialized Urban Survival Readiness - November 8 - 9th, 2008 - St Augustine, FL (Bushido Graduates and by invitation only) (This class will cover basic land navigation, basic first aid, basic survival skills, team building, natural disaster based scenarios, shooting exercises, skills testing / challenge with an over night camp out. - this class will be very physical in content) |
Miami02TJ, An IM has been sent to you. |
| I'm definately interested. Us South Floridians know a thing about SHTF after all the foul weather we've had. I have acess to two large SUV's for transportation, and I use a large cargo van for work. I did alot of disaster recovery work for FEMA right after charlie, wilma, katrina all the way up from pt st. lucie, indian river county, okechobee, and I've worked almost every city down to key largo. I think pooling our resources together is a great idea should the time come we may need help from each other. |
Welcome ChaptainCha0s! Thanks for sharing your resources and experience. I'll note your location and put you down as 'interested' This idea all depends on having people like you and the others above who are interested in making it work. The more we can gather, the sooner we should get together. Please feel free to share any ideas of what it would take to make something like this work. |
I haven't read the Team posting yet but I'll do that today. I'm sure most of you can figure out where I am.  For those of you with only cell phones/landlines let me urge you to get some other means of communications. It really doesn't take much to wipe out both of these services. Depending on your area it could take less. Think about trying to call home on Mother's Day. Remember that dreaded "all circuits are busy" message? Now add 10,000 more people trying to call. During the Bugaboo fire last year that burned up so much of S GA and N FL one of our neighboring counties lost all phone service because the systems became overloaded and crashed. This affected everyone including LEO and other emergency personnel. Circuits that were still alive after 9/11 and Katrina soon exceeded capacity also. There is one tip for you, though. Use text messaging and ensure your friends and family know how to do it (this is especially important for older family members). You probably read about how people were able to text after 9/11. Text messaging uses the cell's control channel to send/receive instead of a regular voice channel. Not only does it take less bandwidth, but it is also there when a voice channel can't be allocated. As long as your phone is talking to a tower you should be able to text. While it's not guaranteed message deliver, text/SMS is store-and-forward so the chances of delivery are greatly increased. Miami02TJ, I'm an Extra class amateur operator as well as a Volunteer Examiner. If there's anything I can do to help you or anyone else get started with getting an amateur radio license I'd be more than happy to help. How can amateur radio help? Just as it was mentioned about being able to give a guy a place to stay, amateur radio can also be a lifeline to those in affected areas. Every night there is a Florida phone net where operators throughout the state including GA and AL get on the radio to pass message traffic. This could be health/welfare traffic from a flood victim in Orlando to family in TN. During the same Bugaboo fire I had a friend trying to get from Tallahassee back to Jax. I was able to get on the radio and talk/listen to another operator in Lake City providing real-time updates as to road closures, etc. When the shtf power is critical right? If you've got a battery backup for your HF radio you can still communicate for a relatively long period. There are some modes of operation that work very well with low power. These modes can even get through when voice modes can't (kind of like the SMS of the amateur radio world). It's not at all uncommon to make very long distance contacts with very low power. I have a friend that routinely works the world on 1-2W. This type of radio can be powered with a 9V battery or a set of AAs and fits in an Altoids tin. SSA, that sounds like a sweet course! How much and how do I get invited?  Ok, any of you guys doing the CB thing around me? I just put one in the truck but have no way to test that it's really working as I expected. I hear truckers but haven't made contact with anyone. I'd love to hook up with someone with a known good install to do a little test. |
I'm sorry to say that the original thread in TEAM has gone downhill and efforts to coordinate on a national level will have to be looked at another time. The positive thing that came out of this was the recognized need for coordination on an HTF level. I'd like to provide a snip from feedback I received:
I hope that at the very least, this thread got people to focus on a plan, rather than waiting till SHTF. I hope that at some point, I'll have the opportunity to meet with some of you on a friendlier scenario than SHTF. By no means should anyone consider this topic to be over. I hope that it encourages activity that will help us get to know eachother and formulate plans. I for one would be willing to participate if and when these activities come up. |
I don't know about your new ride, but mine is not a 28VDC vehicle. How 'bout a KY-197? |
a crisis is not the time to reach out to like minded folks. NOW is that time. Dont get me wrong the idea is a good one, but one that is full of issues per say. For example, if i had a working BOL in central fla( not some po dunk 2 acre ranch in a subdivsion 10 minutes outside town)do you think i'd want poster x,b,d,f, and r that ive never met to know where it is and what is there? What will they bring to the table as well, what is their REAL personality like,not what you read or hear over a phone. what about family,how many, screaming kids that have zero respect, bicthy wives, or typical couch commando laziness. Combined with and more than likely bneing armed in a time of stress. see where im going. again the idea to help folks isgreat, but anything more than a basic information exchanging medium is well suited for failure. personally ive met alot of arfcomrs through camp outs, the survival forum hikes and camps.. and even though they may have a "set up" or be ready for events, there are many i would NEVER let through my front door! YMMV |
You do have a point....but I believe communication is key and information is nessesary to survive a SHTF situation. I dont expect to let anyone inside my house but we can warn eachother or if someone requests for help and if I can help them I will. 223SAINT |
communication is a vital part, and alot of place have "nets" set up. mostly by ham op's. The issue is when folks get some preconceived notion that this is the "plan", and it goes sour....stress,guns,shtf..doesnt make a good cocktail...
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