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5. </.50
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The City of Port Angeles
with the
Clallam County Amateur Radio Emergency Service
The City of Port Angeles Emergency Management Organization, in the County of
Clallam, in the State of Washington, and the Clallam County Amateur Radio
Emergency Service, ARESIRACES, representing public service oriented amateur radio
operators, have agreed to enter mto these agreements which fonn the basis of this
memorandum.
L PURPOSE
This agreement between the Clallam County Amateur Radio Emergency
Service{CC-ARES) and the City of Port Angeles, herein also referred to as the
Port Angeles Emergency Management Organization (port Angeles EMO),
establishes a framework of cooperation and a close working relationship with
volunteer radio amateurs and officials of the Port Angeles EMO. It is intended,
through joint cooperation of the local resources available to both signees, the
public will best be served under disaster, emergency, or public service related
situations. This document is not meant to be legally binding: it is a statement of
cooperation between these two parties.
D. ORGANIZATION
The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) consists of Federally
licensed radio amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and
equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes
pursuant to Federal CommunIcations Commission (FCC) Rule 97.1 [a], which
states that a "fundamental purpose" of Amateur Radio is "recognition and
enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary non-
commercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing
emergency communicatIons". The position of Radio Officer, appointed by local
Emergency Management officials, coordinates Amateur Radio in support of
government emergency operations.
The American Radio Relay League, Inc.(ARRL), comprising more than 134,000
radio amateurs in the United States, sponsors the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES) and is one segment of the ARRL's commitment to serving the
public in time of need. Local ARES groups are established components within the
ARRL/ARES structure. The ARRL appointed Emergency Coordinator (BC) is
the key person within the ARRLt ARES to provide an ARES response in a given
locale.
The ClalIam County Amateur Radio Emergency Service(CC-ARES) is organized
to recruit, organize and train registered amateur radio operators to provide
supplementary communications in the event of an emergency. Amateur radio
operators are registered with the ARRLt ARES Emergency Coordinator.
Qualified CC-ARES operators will register with ClaIIam County Department of
Emergency Management to meet the requirements of the Federal Emergency
Management Administration under the RACES program.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
W. RECOGNITION
The Port Angeles EMO recognizes that Clallam County ARES is the ARRL
sponsored emergency, public service oriented communications organization which
can be of valuable assistance in providing critical communications during
emergencies and disasters, when normal lines of communications are disrupted.
The Port Angeles EMO further recognizes CC-ARES as the organization through
which interested amateur radio volunteers will obtain training and registration as
"RACES - Emergency Workers" under WAC 118.04, with Clallam County OEM.
The Clallam County ARES recognizes the Port Angeles EMO as the primary local
authority in it's responsibility to preserve lives, protect property and ensure public
health in times of natural or man-made disaster, and to take the action necessary to
mitigate the effects of such disasters to the extent possible in the City of Port
Angeles.
IV. APPO~NT
In recognition of the need to coordinate RACES and ARES Amateur Radio
volunteers, the City of Port Angeles appoints the ARRL/ ARES Emergency
Coordinator to serve in the position of Radio Officer.
V. ROLE OF CLALLAM COUNTY ARES
Clallam County Amateur Radio Emergency Service's primary role will be to
recruit, organize and train licensed amateur radio operators as highly skilled
communicators; and to establish and maintain a volunteer group available to
provide supplementary communications for the Emergency Management
authorities of Port Angeles. After achieVIng a certifiable level of proficiency, CC-
ARES operators may register as RACES Emergency Workers, under WAC
118.04, with the Clallam County OEM.
VI. ROLE OF THE EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
The ARRL Appointed Emergency Coordinator will mobilize and coordinate the
emergency and training drill response of CC-ARES to provide efficient, high
quality supplementary communications to the authorities of the Port Angeles
EMO. During extensive communication failures the BC will recruit qualified
amateur radio volunteers to supplement the communication requirement, either
from within the County or through the ARRL/ ARES organization.
VB. PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION
So that communication resources of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service may
be coordinated and utilized to the fullest advantage during disasters, emergencies
and public service related situations, and to the extent permitted or required by law
and regulation, Clallam County ARES and the Port Angeles EMO have agreed
that each organization will:
1. Encourage on-going liaison with the other, urging botli organizations to
develop increasingly effective communications and cooperation.
2. Work with each other to develop emergency plans, training exercises, and
a heightened state of preparedness.
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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
3. Work with each other in times of disaster or emergency to meet the needs
of the public.
4. Each party will, at the same time, work within its own lines of authority
and respect the lines of authority of the other.
5. Distribute copies of and publicize this agreement through channels to its
own organization, and to other organi~tions, both pubhc and private, which may
have an active interest m disaster relief.
6. Establish a mutually acceptable means of identification for volunteers
under this agreement, such as the Washington State Emergency Worker 10 Card,
which is honored by local public safety agencies during disasters and emergencies.
7. Understand that eIther signee to this document may have similar local
agreements with other disaster assistance related agencies/organizations.
VIII. AMATEUR RADIO EqUIPMENT
The Port Angeles EMO recognizes that the much of the amateur radio equipment
used in support of the CC-ARES mission is personally owned by the individual
ClaUam County ARES responders or the CC-ARES Group. Port Angeles EMO
agrees that equipment, acquired by CC-ARES and donated to the Port Angeles
EMO, will remain under the operational control of Clallam County ARES for
maintenance, training, drills and other uses as deemed appropriate by CC-ARES.
IX. IMPLEMENTA nON
This memorandum shall take effect upon signing by authonties of the City of Port
Angeles and the Emergency Coordinator of Clallam County Amateur Radio
Emergency Service.
This memorandum may be amended by mutual agreement of both parties and will
remain in effect until termmated. The Clallam County ARES EC and
representatives of Port Angeles EMO will periodically review this agreement and
coordinate such revisions as may be necessary. Upon ninety(90) days written
notice, thiS memorandum may be terminated by either party.
Date 3 /r! 71 0 -'1t'- . a. f ~ <"'''.2----..
Jeff Pomeranz, City ofPo'~~geles ~ctor of Emergency Management
Date,{hjf'? E~>! ~
Robert G. Steams, Emergency Coordinator - ClalIam County ARES