Brainstorming Results – CERT Emergency Communications Plan

Here are the ideas that we generated. There are over 140 ideas. Hopefully these give you a head start on developing your plan.

IdeaBucket
Work with local AM / FM stations to get message out. (Highly rated idea by group)Beacon / One Way Comms
Create AM / FM bandit stations for a hyper local reach (added after the session)Beacon / One Way Comms
MESH NetworkBeacon / One Way Comms
SPOT/Garmin BeaconsBeacon / One Way Comms
Tell citizens to turn on AM or FM radio to a preplanned channel / frequencyBeacon / One Way Comms
Use air raid sirens to get citizens to check for infoBeacon / One Way Comms
Add org chart to planCERT Team
Add rotation plan to comm planCERT Team
cache radios for use in emergencyCERT Team
comm plan “jobs to be done” listCERT Team
consider situation where CERT is used as helpers instead of standalone groupCERT Team
create comms map for each band for Lee countyCERT Team
create form for passing messages (needs / requests / news) via voiceCERT Team
Create member capabilities list (skills, interests, experience and equipment)CERT Team
create trailer with telescopic mast and battery / solar to use a temporary repeaterCERT Team
develop online repository for standard formsCERT Team
Forms list for comm plan, use ICS forms (ics-214, 201, 205, 205A, 213, 214, 217, 221, 211,222)CERT Team
get more CERT members to take ham test so they can help with Lee county EOCCERT Team
Go bag plan for comm planCERT Team
have (email / voice / phone) contact in comm plan for tech support / comm plan questionsCERT Team
look at our plan using interoperability continuum from ICSCERT Team
should different message types be transferred on different frequenciesCERT Team
use for ICS 221 after demobilizationCERT Team
use form 213 for message taking / delivery / resource requestsCERT Team
use form 309 to document interactionsCERT Team
use issue tracking software (online?) to track requestsCERT Team
Take a look at the Lee County Emergency Communication plan and report (Highly rated idea by group)Communication between CERT and local community
Develop a communication plan and network of people (chainsaw brigade) that allows us to direct a chainsaw network that clears trees off the road after a weather event. This helps clear the roads quickly so first responders can reach people in need. This network would need to work with various parties to identify locations of blocked roads then send out requests for network members to go clear those roads (Highly rated idea by group)Communication between CERT and local community
Develop ways to communicate with Lee County EOC (Highly rated idea by group)Communication between CERT and local community
Use community centers as a shelter, muster point, comm point or cache point (Highly rated idea by group)Communication between CERT and local community
add HOA layer to comm planCommunication between CERT and local community
add relationships layer to comm planCommunication between CERT and local community
better integration of Lee County Emergency MGMTCommunication between CERT and local community
CBCommunication between CERT and local community
create contact list for Lee County and Sanford emergency mgmt and EOCCommunication between CERT and local community
create list of emergency contacts across county (public / CERT / private)Communication between CERT and local community
create list of how to reach EOCs for areas outside of the countyCommunication between CERT and local community
create list of lee county / sanford and adjoining city / county /agency frequenciesCommunication between CERT and local community
Degraded Power Grid – If cell is up, utilize cell – HAMs will likely conduct accountability via COMM nets – GMRS for short distance non-HAM commsCommunication between CERT and local community
Determine muster points for CERT to meet and exchange info face-to-face in bad weather. Alternate communication path for those who don’t go outCommunication between CERT and local community
Develop CERT teams across county, possibly using fire station coverage map to drive CERT team AOCommunication between CERT and local community
Develop community network around volunteer fire departmentsCommunication between CERT and local community
Develop list of areas where CERT under serves the community and determine if there are areas that could benefit the most from a local CERT teamCommunication between CERT and local community
Do welfare checks on people with mobility or other health issues (esp during an emergency)Communication between CERT and local community
Hand-held walkie talkiesCommunication between CERT and local community
How can we fill in gaps with the Lee County Emergency Communication plan?Communication between CERT and local community
How do we communicate with citizens in economically distressed areas?Communication between CERT and local community
If teams are dispersed, it becomes more troublesome. Best scenario is to have multiple methods of communication lying within CERT EOC to serve as broadcast beacons, i.e. multiple HAM radios programmed to different frequencies, if issues arise on one frequency, you swap to another frequency and periodically blast net messages on degraded frequency indicating the swap to the secondary frequency.Communication between CERT and local community
Interface with Lee County Emergency ManagementCommunication between CERT and local community
share a version of the com plan with local groups (church, prepper, community, etc)Communication between CERT and local community
use fire stations as a gathering / communications pointCommunication between CERT and local community
Use map of fire station map to understand community relationsCommunication between CERT and local community
use microwave or other rf connections to fire stationsCommunication between CERT and local community
VIPER (if able to utilize)Communication between CERT and local community
Within Trace this should be fairly easy and facilitated via CERT runners within our respective communities. Individuals that are CERT members could be arranged into “teams,” with those teams being broken up into respective HOA groups. One CERT member, preferably a HAM, could operate as a base station and send the runners out into their respective HOAs and conduct welfare checks on residents and report back to base station.Communication between CERT and local community
work with nextdoor.com as a broad communications toolCommunication between CERT and local community
ZelloCommunication between CERT and local community
Hold ham crams in churches or other groups or HOAs (Highly rated idea by group)Deployed Communication
Engage local HOAs and help them develop networks or CERT teams and then fold that into our CERT network (Highly rated idea by group)Deployed Communication
ATAK network (transported over MESH network)Deployed Communication
Can we get an affinity group to help develop a communication network (providing people, location or funds)? Could be someone like the Sanford Business League. Also, local business could work with us to help them and their employees be prepared both at work and at home.Deployed Communication
GMRS, MURS, CB (short distance comms)Deployed Communication
HAM (for those licensed)Deployed Communication
Have one person that takes notes for the deployed teams to track activities and have a way to share them. Could those notes show up online and realtime? Could be someone that doesn’t have their ham license or is without radio experienceDeployed Communication
Hold exercises that include these ham / radio operators so CERT can practice communicating to their group through themDeployed Communication
How many community groups, organziations (including HOAs) have ham operators? Can we form a group of those ham operators, so the operators can interface with the groups they are members of, becoming a force multiplier. Have those operators train together. Also consider other means of communication such as GMRS, meshtaastic, cb, etc. or means we haven’t considered yet. Maybe even have social events for those operators. Train together and with CERT and develop those relationships.Deployed Communication
Map social network – including affinity groups, churches, business, civic groups, government. Maybe develop a list of group sites like on facebook, nextdoor, etc.Deployed Communication
MESH network (Meshtastic devices, etc)Deployed Communication
Place meshtastic nodes or equipment caches at locations where the community groups meet (groups that have ham operators that are part of the network).Deployed Communication
ZelloDeployed Communication
Use DMR repeater in Lee County (Highly rated idea by group)Digital Comms
create form for passing messages (needs / requests / news) via winmailDigital Comms
DMRs (Digital Radios)Digital Comms
MESH networkDigital Comms
Software defined radiosDigital Comms
Use group.me app for group text messagesDigital Comms
Communicate through grocery stores, home depot, gas stations and other places people go in an emergency to get supplies (Highly rated idea by group)Gathering Points
Consider parks and schools as possible gathering pointsGathering Points
Develop a PACE plan for the gathering pointsGathering Points
Incentivize groups to communicate with us. Maybe find a local company(s) to help fund some of these activities and partner with us. Also work with churches and other local groupsGathering Points
Look for organic gathering points as a place to get the message out. Maybe Walmart or Lowe’s Home ImprovementGathering Points
Use gathering points to disseminate information to communityGathering Points
Use a balloon or kite to hold meshtastic node at an elevation, check for coverage and consider competing interference in the LoRa band (Highly rated idea by group)Grid Down
A MESH network that is properly constructed (Solar power, hardened) and is adequately distributed across the county should be able to provide this “beacon” and be accessible to everyone in the community as long as you have a device to enter into the network itself. Obviously this has limitation as you need to have the device and have it properly configured.Grid Down
Develop type of even list – nuclear, hurricane, etc and try to consider a lot of possible eventsGrid Down
Have someone monitoring the situation so a runner can be dispatched (walking or driving). This way we can reach people in a hyper local area and manage emergency requests even if the person needing help can’t directly communicate with us. Use this to communicate with and help people in an area where people can’t actually leave home or the local area.Grid Down
I believe this is likely the most difficult situation to rectify until we answer some of our other questions. Obviously the most fool-proof way of communicating during a grid down situation is by runners between CERT members, with a HAM CERT member acting as a control station for people to check in with. Once we flesh out some other methods of communication that are more fail-tolerant, we can utilize those.Grid Down
Iridium (Cost prohibitive but will function as long as you have battery in the phone and SAT Uplink)Grid Down
Runners/Foot MobileGrid Down
use radio propagation software to determine expected coverageGrid Down
Use Rattlegram as a beacon (maybe on HAM, CB, GMRS, MURS?)Grid Down
use solar powered repeaters (ham / grms / meshtastic?)Grid Down
Use support nets in comm planGrid Down
Connect APRS to satellite for messaging and locationsHam comms
connect to state Winlink Service (shares)Ham comms
create an adhoc winlink server for CERT group / remote message server / rms relay softwareHam comms
determine coverage of repeaters and other comm sources in planHam comms
determine how long lee county and moore county repeaters stay up when grid is downHam comms
Hold schedule update (radio show like) at specific times and dates / intervals during an emergency, i.e. a form of wilderness protocol. This minimizes power usage during a grid down situationHam comms
Hold schedule update (radio show like) from drone that carries up an antenna at specific times and dates / intervals during an emergency, i.e. a form of wilderness protocol. This minimizes power usage during a grid down situationHam comms
Use APRS for textingHam comms
Use APRS to locate a victim or track team member locationsHam comms
Use balloon or drone to launchHam comms
use field situation report to apprise state EOC of status (nceoc.ncdps.gov), maybe through winlinkHam comms
use national calling frequency 146.52 or 446.0 from page 46 of the AuxfogHam comms
use winlink to transfer info among CERT members, how can we do that with and without an internet connectionHam comms
ADS-B (Aircraft Tracking)Improving situational awareness
ATAK (General SA collation tool)Improving situational awareness
Better understand why people don’t prepare ahead of time so we can help people understand why it is important to be prepared, or somehow encourage them to prepareImproving situational awareness
Downlinked NOAA data (WX tools)Improving situational awareness
Have someone continually monitor what’s going on. Have someone able to communicate immediately if someone else needs help.Improving situational awareness
Know any communication alternatives, so you can change what you are doing and still be able to communicateImproving situational awareness
Signals Plan/PACE PlanImproving situational awareness
Understand that we can only help people prepare that will help themselves. We can old help so much and have to be ready to deal with unprepared neighbors in an emergency situationImproving situational awareness
Attach Meshtastic to HF to reach Internet via Gateway. Use remote HF transceiver for access (Highly rated idea by group)Non-Ham Comms
ATAKNon-Ham Comms
Attach Meshtastic to internet at far distributed pointsNon-Ham Comms
Cache Baofengs at different locations across the countyNon-Ham Comms
can we runwinlink over gmrs or cb?non-Ham Comms
CBNon-Ham Comms
Cell network, ZelloNon-Ham Comms
Create list of existing tower sites with existing and unused feed linesNon-Ham Comms
Create list of tower or other sites where we could put repeaters (meshtastic, GMRS or other)Non-Ham Comms
Full Power grid/All services – This is likely a pre-call out function – Utilize cell, email and prep for no-grid possibility.Non-Ham Comms
GMRS, MURSNon-Ham Comms
Hand-held Walkie TalkiesNon-Ham Comms
If a robust and fail-tolerant Mesh network is developed, you can utilize that for message traffic and indicate to deployed teams the changes required.Non-Ham Comms
If cell services are operational/slightly degraded, you can still utilize those as a means of broadcasting changes as well.Non-Ham Comms
If grid is still up, cell network is likely the best option and is likely the easiest option for most members as well. If deployed and in a grid down situation, that is when our MESH/ATAK network would likely provide the easiest geolocated SA tool for status. HAM and GMRS radios can also be utilized for this function as well.Non-Ham Comms
If we have an emplaced CERT EOC, it is likely that team members will be co-located at some point during deployment. This would assume that word of mouth would be the primary method of change management for commo methods.Non-Ham Comms
look at Cert team in Cary’s plan for GMRS usage (contact Virginia Enzor for info)Non-Ham Comms
No Power Grid/Initial — Runners within Trace (if movement is safe)//Need strip maps for non-Trace CERT members – HAMs that have back-up power serve as beacons for runners for accountabilityNon-Ham Comms
Outside of Trace this may become more difficult. Strip maps of all non-Trace CERT members should be developed and located within the CERT administrative documents. This would facilitate accountability to send runners from Trace CERT to non-Trace CERT members. Lee County governmental organizations, Emergency Management, would also play a role in this. We should understand their game plan for an actual call-out and develop a link-up protocol with them. This would provide them extra manpower via CERT members and would facilitate the flow of information.Non-Ham Comms
Place meshtastic nodes at local stores, churches and other organizationsNon-Ham Comms
Provide data to host (tower or building site) as a thank you for hosting our equipmentNon-Ham Comms
Put repeaters / Meshtastic nodes at Lee County Emergency Mgmt siteNon-Ham Comms
Put repeaters / Meshtastic nodes on church buildingsNon-Ham Comms
Put repeaters / Meshtastic nodes on Duke Power sitesNon-Ham Comms
Put repeaters / Meshtastic nodes on water towersNon-Ham Comms
Stand up a solar GMRS repeaterNon-Ham Comms
Stand up GMRS repeater in Lee CountyNon-Ham Comms
The easiest way to improve SA is to ensure that we have multiple, easy methods of communication between team members. Obviously some members will have more experience and have preferences on which communication method to prefer and that’s ok. We need to develop a solid signals plan that lays out what we do in particular situations, develop a PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) plan for various instances.Non-Ham Comms
This assumes that we have in-roads with the local emergency management here in Lee County during the emergency. It is imperative that we wargame the scenario with local EM reps to ensure we are all on the same page in the event a large scale disaster happens. This would likely include what methods of communication they will be utilizing, disaster response plans and basic link-up procedures.Non-Ham Comms
Use GMRS repeater that is already running in Harnett CountyNon-Ham Comms
Use SDR dongle with loop antenna and android device to allow listening to a CERT status update on HF (or other frequency). Create a standard design with tutorials to make it easily accessible to as many people in the county as possible (CERT members and everyone else). Create youtube video to explain how to setup and useNon-Ham Comms
Develop SOPs for emergency communication roles, actions, responsibilities, etc. (Highly rated idea by group)SOPs

Brainstorming! – CERT Emergency Communications Plan

We gathered as group at the training room in the local fire station. This was great venue with whiteboards and plenty of room to spread out.

Great team contributions
  1. Introduction
    • Participants – everyone introduced themselves
    • Plan for the morning
    • Go through the rules for brainstorming
      • Capture ideas as we go
      • No analysis or critiquing idea, instead just let the ideas flow. It is good to build on ideas
    • Looked at the buckets and challenge / specific questions
  2. Review the brainwriting results – quickly went through all of the brainwriting ideas
  3. Brainstorming session – after the first idea went out, this group really took off with ideas. We posted stickies with written ideas on the white board and grouped them by bucket.
  4. Analysis – we ended the brainstorming session. The next steps:
    • Everyone voted on their favorite ideas, working to identify ideas that we should explore
    • Talked about the highest priority ideas and looked for themes (ideas that grouped together around a common theme)
  5. Identified next steps and concluded the meeting

An enthusiastic group that really wants to find better ways to help out in the community during an emergency really made this morning a joy.

Here are some images of the ideas on the white board.

Results

Between the brainwriting and the brainstorming, the team generated over 140 ideas! Many of the ideas were very high quality. There is lots of interest in pursuing those ideas in the wild and turning them into actionable plans.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

We’ll publish detailed results in a separate blog post, or 2 or 3, where we can look at them in detail. The ideas and the themes we discovered are all helpful.

Next Step – Getting Ready for Brainwriting – CERT Emergency Communications Plan

The next step in developing our CERT Emergency Communications plan is the brainwriting challenge for team members.

Let us talk about brainwriting and how to do it

Challenge Question

How do we create a workable plan that allows the CERT team to communicate within the team, with local authorities and the community in an emergency

Specific Questions

  1. How do we communicate with all CERT members (Ham and non-Ham) during a deployment?
  2. If we have an issue with one communication path how do we let everyone know that we need to switch to another method (maybe another channel, repeater, app or method all together)?
  3. How does the CERT team communicate with the community during a grid down situation?
  4. How does the CERT team communicate between members (HAM and non-HAM) during a grid down situation?
  5. What would a one way communication / “beacon” do and how could it be accessible by hams, non-hams and the general community in an emergency?

Buckets

Deployed Communication
Communication between CERT and the community
Ham Comms
Non-Ham Comms
Grid Down
Beacon / One Way Comms
Digital Comms