Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarnä

Operations Manual

Created June 13th, 2008 Updated June 18^th 2008

* The Operations in this manual can be altered at ANY time during Skywarnä events by the Skywarnä Coordinator, Assistant Skywarnä Coordinator, and the Emergency Coordinator of Sandusky County. *

Purpose:

Skywarnä is a program created by the National Weather Service whose purpose is, above all, to save lives and property. The idea behind this program is to have NWS-trained weather spotters look for the visible signs of severe weather in their area and report these sightings directly to the local NWS Field Office or go through an Amateur Radio Net.

Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ is an organization composed of interested individuals whose major purpose is to provide volunteer county wide severe weather spotting services.

The purpose of this Manual is to provide set guidelines for the Operation of Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™.

Limitations:

The information contained in this Manual is to be used as a guide. It is not the intent of this Manual to limit the actions of any operators who are on site and best able to assess the prevailing conditions in their area. However, members of the Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ spotter program are encouraged to adhere to these guidelines.

Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ is organized to provide severe weather spotting services only. Personnel on Skywarn™ duty are neither expected nor required to serve in any other function. The authenticity of all reports is the sole responsibility of the originating authority. Either shall determine the validity of such messages:

A) The Net Control Station – if reports are taken by radio by a Net Control Operator

B) The Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ Coordinators - if reports are sent to the Sandusky/Ottawa Skywarn™ Center

Note: Reports of severe weather will be given greater consideration and a higher sense of urgency if reported through the above official channels by officially trained Skywarn™ personnel. The highest credibility will always be given to those who have had NWS Skywarn training.

Any radio operator may report the weather conditions, but trained spotters may verify the reports.

Legal:

Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn hereby relinquishes all responsibility for any and all damages incurred to life and property of storm spotters, chasers or any other terms used to identify persons reporting to our net control.

All Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn members and any net control are prohibited from directing any spotter or chaser to any specific area. The NWS may ask for reports from a specific area and net control can relay this request to members, but may not ask specific mobile stations to respond to specific areas.

We are not here to “chase, follow, tag along with” or “look for” storms! There is a difference between looking for a storm and keeping an eye on an approaching storm.

Spotting storms carries a certain inherent element of danger of its own.

Chasing storms is not sanctioned by Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn. You do so at your own risk.

All spotters will be required to sign a Release Form to acknowledge their acceptance of this Legal position.

This Manual is subject to alterations and/or revisions as required by the Skywarnä Coordinator, Assistant Skywarnä Coordinator, and the Emergency Coordinator of Sandusky County.

Organizational Structure:

The following are leadership positions and responsibilities in the Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™:

A) SKYWARN™ Coordinator shall:

1) Coordinate operations within Skywarn™

2) Coordinate Skywarn™ activities with other surrounding counties, where appropriate, and offer assistance when requested.

B) Assistant SKYWARN™ Coordinator shall:

1) Assist the Coordinator in the performances of his duties

2) Keep an up to date roster of Skywarn Members.

3) Act on other requests by Coordinator

C) Net operator(s) shall:

1) Be appointed before severe weather arrives

2) Serve as an operator to start a net if needed.

3) Perform functions as needed by the Coordinators.

4) Perform Safety Officer operations if no one else is available to do so.

Membership

Membership in Skywarn™ is open to any individual who has taken the National Weather Service Spotter Training Class. Training every 2 years is required to keep your status current.

The National Weather Service upon completion of their spotter Training Class will issue spotter Identification Cards.

All members should report their operating equipment and capabilities to the Skywarn Coordinator or Asst. Coordinator and advise of any changes.

All members are encouraged to take part in further training sessions that may be provided.

Training:

The Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ will operate under the authority of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service of Sandusky County. Training nets are held every Sunday at 7:15 P.M. local time on the W8NCK repeater, 145.250 and the NF8E Clyde Amateur Radio Society repeater, 145.350 and the WB8JLT Oak Harbor repeater, 443.850.

The Coordinator or the Asst. Coordinator when deemed necessary will hold preparedness classes. Training classes are the most effective means of training Skywarn™ members.

Training functions may include Skywarn™ participation in local events and other functions, such as weather-related talks and presentations to improve knowledge, communication, organization, discipline, and judgment skills.

There shall be a minimum of two Simulated Emergency Tests per year, preferably at six-month intervals.

Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ members are encouraged to continue development of a strong background in spotting procedures and net operations on their own through outside education. Pertinent literature is available from various sources including Internet sites and the Sandusky County Emergency Management Office.

EOC Access and Procedures

Criteria for entering the EOC and radio room:

1. During normal business hours, Monday thru Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, notify EMA director upon entry.

2. After business hours key holders call the jail at 419-334-6542 before entry or 6542 from the radio room phone immediately upon entry. Key holders do not use their keys during business hours.

3. After business hours non-key holders call the jail at 419-334-6542 BEFORE coming to the jail. Tell the jailer when you will be arriving and your reason is Skywarn activation. This is the ONLY reason to enter the EOC after business hours. When you arrive at the jail use the door buzzer and let them know who you are and why you are there.

ARES ID IS REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES TO ENTER THE BUILDING AND WHILE IN THE BUILDING.

All trained net operators know entry to the radio room.

Procedures for activation in EOC for Skywarnä:

1) Sign in on clip board just left of entrance inside of radio room, and execute call list above sign-in clipboard

2) Get all necessary supplies that you will need. (Paper, Pens, Ect.)

3) You may turn on T.V. in radio room on table next to phone and change channels to your preference.

4) Turn on VHF Kenwood radio (bottom) by south wall. Check into the Toledo Skywarn Net (Call: “Toledo Skywarn Net Control, this is N8SCA Sandusky County” to get Toledo call sign)

5) Turn on 2 Meter radio by computer on north wall in corner. If you are the first station to start a net, all Skywarn papers are above the radio on the shelf. The computer should be on, just by moving the mouse the monitors will turn on. Storm Lab and the Internet are available on both computers.

6) If a Skywarn net has already been activated, inform them that you are at the EOC and will take over the net as soon as you are ready.

7) When the watch or warning for Sandusky and/or Ottawa Counties has expired and the Toledo District 1 net is still active, inform them that you are ending the weather net for our counties. On most occasions our net will end when the Toledo District 1 net ends.

8) Leave both computers ON and turn the radios OFF.

9) Leave all paperwork underneath the computer keyboard for Coordinators.

10) Turn lights off, sign out, lock door and return key.

District 1 Procedures

How to call District 1

“District 1 Net Control, this is N8SCA, Sandusky County Skywarn”

Weather Traffic Types and what to report for each type.

Routine

• Hail less than ½”, including “pea-sized hail”.

• Winds between 40 and 50 mph.

• Measured rainfall over a measured amount of time.

• Old reports of storm damage.

Priority

• Hail, ½’ or larger not associated with any tornadic activity.

• Winds in excess of 50 mph.

• Flooding in progress

• Storm related damage (recent)

EMERGENCY

• Tornadoes (including waterspouts and cold-air funnels that are on the ground).

• Funnel Clouds.

• Wall Clouds.

• Hail, ½” in diameter or larger during a Tornado Watch, Warning or when there have been reports of

rotation in the area.

After making initial contact, you must give the report in this manner:

County name, City name (or miles and direction from a known town), the report and time of occurrence.

A typical exchange with W8MTU District 1 Skywarn Net Control might sound like this:

N8SCA calls District 1 - “W8MTU, N8SCA Sandusky County Skywarn with priority traffic.”

District 1 responds – “Sandusky County, District 1, go with your report.

N8SCA responds – “2 miles south of Fremont, 64 mph measured winds, two 12” live trees down, time of occurrence 6:15pm, N8SCA

District 1 responds – “Thanks for that report. We will pass it along to Cleveland. W8MTU

Activation:

Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ shall activate a spotter net:

A) When the NWS indirectly requests spotter net activation by a tagline appended to the bottom of a severe weather alert/statement.

B) At the direct request of the National Weather Service Staff either by telephone, cell phone, text message or amateur radio to the Skywarn™ Coordinator, Assistant Skywarn Coordinator or Emergency Coordinator.

C) Upon issuance by the National Weather Service of any severe weather related Watch or Warning.

D) At the request of the Sandusky County Emergency Management Agency Director or assistant.

E) When the Skywarnä Coordinator, Asst. Skywarnä Coordinator or Emergency Coordinator deems it necessary to activate a weather net based on weather conditions.

When requesting the establishment of a Skywarn™ net by bulletin, the National Weather Service will, in most cases, add a line to the bottom of a local severe weather bulletin or special weather statement, such as:

SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATER

-- Or --

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY

...Or similar statements.

Regardless of whether, the National Weather Service has issued an official request for spotter activation or not, the Skywarnä Coordinator, Asst. Skywarnä Coordinator or Emergency Coordinator may at any time determine a weather condition exists that requires the activation of Skywarn™ spotters, and act to establish a spotter net.

If spotter activation is warranted the Skywarnä Coordinator, Asst. Skywarnä Coordinator or Emergency Coordinator shall:

1) Notify Skywarn™ members via the W8NCK / N8SCA Fremont repeater 145.250 PL 186.2, or the WB8JLT Oak Harbor repeater 443.850 PL 186.2, and via Telephone or Text Messaging.

2) Send Net Control Operators(s) to the Emergency Operations Center to:

A) Monitor weather-related RADAR and satellite imagery and reports any pertinent information to the Toledo District 1 Skywarn™ net or the National Weather Service in Cleveland if Toledo is not operating.

B) Notify all operators of weather-related warnings and bulletins that come into the EOC.

All Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ members should monitor the 145.250 MHz repeater for call-up advisories and operations whenever a severe weather condition appears to be developing or is already apparent.

On rare occasions, the National Weather Service may specify the information and time they want to receive reports. For example, they might request that observed wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and precipitation type be reported every hour or half-hour.

The Cleveland National Weather Service may also indicate particular areas in which they are interested.

They will break into an active Skywarn™ net to request any information.

Mobilization:

SKYWARN™ members should monitor the primary net frequency if they suspect that a severe weather condition may exist such as the presence of a severe storm.

Mobilization is initiated by the opening of a Skywarn™ Net on the primary net frequency by a Net Control Station.

SKYWARN™ members will check into the net from their home or mobile stations.

The Sandusky County Sheriff’s Dispatch will be notified by the Skywarn™ Coordinator, Assistant Skywarn™ Coordinator, Emergency Coordinator or Net Control Operator that Skywarn™ spotters are active in the county. This will eliminate confusion with law enforcement.

NOTE:

If you are approached by law enforcement or public safety units, show them your ARES ID or SKYWARN ID, tell them who you are and why you are in your current location. If they order you to leave, YOU MUST LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. ALWAYS OBEY AN OFFICER’S COMMANDS. As soon as you are in compliance, call net control to report your move but do NOT announce anything about the officer’s commands or behavior over the radio. Remember everyone is listening and this is the time for us to be professional.

If you are asked to do ANY operations by public safety units during Skywarnä, (Traffic control, block road, CPR, ETC) Please remove any identification on your person that refers you to Skywarnä, ARES or EMA

Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn™ will activate using the following sequence:

1) A station that has been designated or available for net control will contact an authorized station to

link up repeaters (Oak Harbor in weather mode to Fremont and Clyde to Oak Harbor). If an authorized linking station is not found within ten minutes, start the net on the 145.250 repeater. The net control station can search for an authorized station later during the net as long as the net is in condition GREEN.

2) The net control station will use the following script for opening Skywarnä:

This is (Your Call) net control activating the Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarn net.

This is a controlled emergency weather net that will remain in effect until further notice.

This net is linked to the Clyde 2 Meter, and Oak Harbor 440 repeaters.

My name is ______ and I am located in Sandusky County in the town of (Your Town) My ID is (Your Call)

NOTE:

THE ONLY STATION TO CALL TOLEDO OR CLEVELAND WITH REPORTS THAT

COME TO THE SANDUSKY/OTTAWA COUNTY SKYWARNä NET IS THE ACTIVE

NET CONTROLLER OF SANDUSKY/OTTAWA COUNTY SKYWARNä NET.

After activating the Skywarnä Net for Sandusky and Ottawa Counties, tune to 147.375 NO PL for

the District 1 Skywarnä Net (separate radio if available). Tell net control your call, location, and

that you are Sandusky/Ottawa Counties Skywarnä Net control.

If you are a temporary net control station (until someone arrives at EOC), once you transfer net control to N8SCA at the EOC, they will call District 1 Skywarnä Net and tell them the change of call sign, location, and there name for Sandusky/Ottawa Counties Skywarnä.

ONLY if Net is in condition GREEN will N8SCA and the previous net control station exchange check-in’s and weather reports. (You may use e-mail; call the EOC at 419-334-6426, or the CHAT feature in WXSPOTS to transfer information).

If you are able, please monitor 147.375 NO PL on a separate radio for traffic your way. IF the Toledo Net is

not up, still monitor the frequency until it is activated.

ONLY if any of the below happens and the Toledo net is NOT up, call the direct number to the National Weather Service in Cleveland 1-800-262-9683. Give them your name and tell them you are running the Sandusky/Ottawa County Skywarnä net. Give them your report and location of report.

ONLY REPORT THE FOLLOWING TO TOLEDO AND NWS:

Gust front arrivals with there wind speed and locations

Funnel Clouds

Tornado on ground

Hail with size

Property damage from winds more than 40MPH.

Skywarnä Scripts:

Once the Skywarn™ Net is activated, the following scripts will be used by Net control:

GREEN:

Tornado WATCH

Severe Thunderstorm WATCH

ECHOLINK MAY STAY ON UNLESS IT INTERFEARS WITH TRAFFIC EXCHANGE OR BY NET CONTROL DISCRESSION

Net Condition GREEN

This is (Your Call) Sandusky Ottawa County Skywarn Net Control.

The net is in condition GREEN, low priority.

The National Weather Service has issued a:

q Severe Thunderstorm WATCH for ____ until ____.

q Tornado WATCH for ____ until ____.

q High Wind WARNING for ____ until ____.

q Special Marine WARNING for Lake Erie until ____.

If you are a mobile station, please contact net control and advise the area or location you will be spotting at. There will be check-ups with you during the net.

Report tornados, funnel clouds, wall clouds, flash flooding, hail, wind speed greater than 40 mph, rainfall 1 inch or more per hour, gust front arrivals, power outages, and any weather related damage to property.

Reports must include your call sign, event time, location, wind and rain measured or estimated, hail size and duration, size of live or dead downed tree branches, if flood water is common in flooded area and if water is over curbs.

The net is in condition GREEN, low priority, normal radio use may continue. Leave longer pauses between transmissions for break-ins. Please check in now, (Your Call).

Þ (Repeat every 10 minutes)

Always ask:

· Call sign Limb diameter, live or dead

· Time of event Hail size and duration

· Location Common flooding area

· Estimated or measured wind and rain Water over curbs

YELLOW:

Severe Thunderstorm WARNING

Special Marine WARNING

Net Condition YELLOW

*DISABLE ECHOLINK DTMF Command on 145.250*

This is (Your Call) Sandusky Ottawa County Skywarn Net Control.

The net is in condition YELLOW, high priority.

The National Weather Service has issued a

o Severe Thunderstorm WARNING for ____ until ____.

o Special Marine WARNING for Lake Erie until ____.

If you are a mobile station, please contact net control and advise the area or location you will be spotting at. There will be check-ups with you during the net.

No check-ins, only report tornados, funnel clouds, wall clouds, flash flooding, hail, wind speed greater than 40 mph, rainfall 1 inch or more per hour, gust front arrivals, power outages, and any weather related damage to property.

The net is in condition YELLOW, high priority, please limit your radio traffic to severe weather only. No check-ins. (Your Call).

Þ (Repeat every 10 minutes)

Always ask:

o Call sign Limb diameter, live or dead

o Time of event Hail size and duration

o Location Common flooding area

0 Estimated or measured wind and rain Water over curbs

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RED:

Tornado WARNING