Page 1 of 1

Alabama Dept of Homeland Security Exercise 20090507

Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:06 am
by wb5rmg
Today the ADHS 2009 Exercise is underway in preparation for a hurricane emergency.
Many federal, state, and local agencies are involved - and you may hear some "exercise message" reports on the air.

* * * This is a test * * *

Here are introductory remarks by Les Rayburn - N1LF, ARRL ARES Alabama Section Emergency Coordinator :
To: Alabama ARES members

On Thursday, May 7th, the Alabama Department of Homeland Security will
conduct their annual statewide drill. This year's scenario will focus on
a hurricane that makes landfall near Mobile, Alabama. The category four
storm will take a due North course, through the state of Alabama,
remaining at hurricane strength until it reaches the Tennessee line.

Alabama ARES will participate in this exercise on a statewide basis,
with nets operating on HF (3965khz LSB voice), digital HF, (3570khz USB
MT63, PSK-31), D-STAR (repeaters linked to the reflector), and VHF FM
Nets. The exercise begins at 8:00AM and will continue until
approximately 5:00PM.

KF4LQK (Alabama State EMA) will be active throughout the event, with
the SEC positioned in Clanton. DEC's and EC's are urged to activate for
this event, and man stations at their local EMA's and other EOC's if
possible. National Weather Service offices in Mobile and Birmingham will
also be manned by SKYWARN & ALERT and available to receive message
traffic. Mobile communications units from the Alabama EMA will deploy to
the area, and our ability to interoperate with various public service
agencies will be tested.

If possible, we'd like for all EMCOMM groups in the state, including
SKYWARN, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, SATERN, etc. to participate
in the exercise as a nice "tune up" for Hurricane Season.

As always, all exercise traffic should be marked "EXERCISE" or spoken
"EXERCISE MESSAGE".