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ARES After-Action Report:
Support of Elbert County EMS Conference

by Ron Poinsett (W3DKH), Mission Coordinator,
District 24, Douglas & Elbert Counties, 28-Apr-2001
  1. Date of activity: April 28, 2001

  2. Description of activity
    District 24 was invited to participate in Elbert County's 3rd Annual EMS Mini-conference. The conference was attended by over 100 folks, and began at 8:00 am with presentations from Douglas County's bomb squad, Dr. Mark Kozlowski on triage during disasters, and Monty Taylor, an FAA Investigator who discussed the dangers to EMS personnel responding to an aviation crash scene. Following lunch, the conference organized a simulated plane crash and mitigation exercise. District 24 provided communications during the exercise. The conference and exercise were held at the Peaceful Valley Boy Scout Ranch in Elbert, Colorado.

  3. Duration of activity
    0800 - 1530 (7.5 hours)

  4. Serving amateur radio groups participating
    • Colorado ARES District 24 (Douglas & Elbert Counties)
    • Colorado ARES District 22 (Arapahoe County)

  5. Served agencies participating
    • Elbert County Emergency Management
    • Elbert Fire Department
    • Kiowa Fire Department
    • Simla Fire Department
    • North Central Fire District
    • Elbert County Sheriff's Posse
    • Elbert County Search and Rescue Team

  6. Describe served agency participation
    Attended conference, participated in exercise as first responders and incident command.

  7. Number of amateurs participating: 14

  8. List of amateurs participating
    • K0GS
    • N0NXD
    • W3DKH
    • KO4LB
    • W6AUN
    • N0PKY
    • KB0OYZ
    • KB0SJZ
    • N7ZFN
    • AB0PG
    • W0CBH
    • KB0VJY
    • W0RMJ
    • KB0UBZ (D22 observer and participant)

  9. Person-hours of amateur service: 28

  10. Describe the Goals of the Activity
    To provide communications during the exercise, via both voice and packet, between command post, triage, morgue, transport, and Elbert County Sheriff's office.

  11. Did the Event Fulfill the Goals? Yes.

  12. What Went Well?
    Our ability to organize ourselves under confusion and construct a communications system to provide information as needed by the event.

  13. Areas needing improvement
    We need to improve the time it takes to set up a packet radio network, and get data entered into the database. We need to review and practice net operating procedures during an incident, providing a smooth flow of communications between stations. We need to introduce EMS agencies to ARES District 24, and convey how we can help them.

  14. Lessons learned
    During a short term exercise, it is probably better to forgo packet and stick to voice communications. Also, confirm assumptions to avoid later confusion.

  15. Additional training needed
    D24 exercises in mission coordination, ARESData, and net control/participation.

  16. General comments
    This was a great event held in a beautiful place; we hope to be invited back next year.