THE EOC / AMATEUR RADIO INTERFACE
The Sussex County AUXCOMM ACL, by the direction of the Sussex County EOD, and the SCEOP, is the official Point of Contact for Sussex County Emergency Management utilization of the amateur radio resources in Sussex County. This includes affiliated, as registered with the Sussex County Department of Emergency Operations, .and non-affiliated amateur radio operators
To augment and support communication needs during unusual situations, the Sussex County AUXCOMM Group will be activated by responsible authority (EOD / AUXCOMM ACL). The operational period and response will be determined on a case by case basis for each event or incident. As appropriate for the situation, AUXCOMM personnel will be operational on predetermined frequencies, from directed locations, to interact with, and receive reports from other communication sources. AUXCOMM personnel and the amateur community at large, given their distribution across the county, state, and peninsula, are a valuable resource in the ability to provide “ground truth” reports on conditions in their immediate area.
Assignment and utilization of resources, as provided in the National Support Framework (NSF), is to be managed by the delegation of the Incident Commander (IC/EOD) through the established ICS structure. The utilization of the amateur radio resource is provided under Emergency Support Function 2 (ESF 2) of the NIMS, the state of Delaware Emergency Operations Plan (DEOP), and the SCEOP.
For this relationship to work effectively, it requires group interaction, joint exercises, and mutual support of public service events, in order to effect a smooth and efficient interoperation. Through the practice and application of communication skills during scheduled, managed events, those skills, applicable in an emergency situation, are developed and strengthened. Relationships developed in exercises and public service events are critical to smooth functioning under the pace and stress of disasters.
The joint service Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) interoperability guidelines may be utilized, as applicable, by any MARS Service member, from any Sussex County AUXCOMM station, using the individual member’s MARS call sign. The individual member is responsible for assuring operational compliance with the guidelines of their respective branch of service. The initiative to effect MARS interoperation with AUXCOMM is to be supported, particularly in the generation of County Status Reports, utilizing the “ground truth” reports compiled through AUXCOMM.