"The intent of COMMEX is to test and exercise interoperablecommunications (federal/state/local/tribal/amateur) during a majordisaster, where communications infrastructure would be significantlydamaged or destroyed," a FEMA Region X announcement said. The initialexercise will take place on January 18. Goudreau said that while there's still room forimprovement in the digital area, overall, she was happy with how theexercise played out.ĭuring 2017, FEMA Region X will hold a communication exercise (COMMEX)on the third Wednesday of each month, 1500-2100 UTC. The net included a digital component, intended as a one-way broadcastto test FEMA's ability to send messages and for remote stations toreceive them. Theinteroperability aspect between federal stations and Amateur Radiolicensees was coordinated and authorized by the NTIA and the FCC. "It was very successful and also included our firstdigital test." The "COMMEX" event consisted of check-ins fromauthorized state, tribal, federal, and Amateur Radio stations to testHF interoperability in case of an emergency or disaster response. "We had 48 check-ins, of which 42 were amateurs," Goudreau said of theDecember event. FEMA Region X, whichconsists of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, now has announcedthat it will hold similar exercises each month in 2017, with all radioamateurs welcome to participate. Laura Goudreau, KG7BQR, Regional Emergency Communications Coordinatorfor FEMA Region X, said a December 21 Region X interoperabilitycommunications exercise on 60 meters went well. FEMA Interoperability Exercise Deemed a Success, Monthly Exercises Set for 2017:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |