Multichannel Organization Use

[trailjunkee]

Hello all. Looking for some advice or documentation for best practices to help improve our radio usage for our volunteer organization.

Right now our organization has licenses for 16 business pool frequencies. The group uses Baofeng UV-5R type radios and I have my own AT-D878UVII. At each event we typically use 4 of our 16 frequencies, plus I will typically get a radio from our EMS team that is on site, to act as Incident Commander for our league within the Unified Command for the event. Our 4 channels within the organization are typically designated Ops, Marshal, Programs and Parking. On a typical weekend there could be 15+ radios issued for ops, 10 for marshals, 5 programs and 5 parking. I have to communicate within our marshal team, the ops team and with EMS.

Last year the setup was for me to carry an individual radio for Ops, Marshal and EMS for the weekend. So I carried 3 radios for much of the weekend. That worked OK with the exception of having to carry 3 radios. I could Rx all radio traffic and TX on each channel and I could just turn the volume down on radios when there was excessive traffic so I could focus where I was needed. Just seems a little excessive to carry 3 radios.

So this year I bought the 878 to so I could setup a Channel(Ops)/Subchannel(Mar) on the radio. Also learned enough to be able to setup the 5Rs for dual watch with the same functional channels for a handful of other users. Hardware wise this past weekend carrying my radio and an EMS radio was a little easier. However functionally it was too much. During an incident there was so much talk on our 2 channels that I couldn't keep things separate. And often times the Ops traffic would block out the Marshal traffic(which was priority) because the Ops radios were closer to me and they couldn't hear each other.

I did try turning off subchannel just so I could focus on our incidents but then I was unaware when Ops was trying to pass or receive updates to me on their end. Wasn't to big of a problem to just switch to the Ops channel when I needed to update them, but again, I was missing out when they tried to update me when I was on the Mar channel. Then when I was on the Ops channel I was missing out on traffic on the Mar channel. When things were slow having the subchannel on wasn't an issue but during high consequence times it just didn't work. The 2 helpers I had using the 5Rs had the same issues while on dual watch. We eventually just turned that off and just set one of them on Ops and 1 on Marshal.

I feel like there must be strategies to use 1 radio on multiple channels. That's what I'm looking for or just the advice that what I want to do won't work and I just need to carry a radio for each group. I hope that's not my only option because even then I'm having to keep up with which radio has traffic and which one I need to transmit on.

Does any of that make sense? Any advice or documentation on setting up this system? What else do you need to know?

Thank you!

 

[KevinC]

My opinion. One channel per radio, no scanning or dual-watch.

 

[speedway_navigator]

Sounds like you need an assistant who always selects the channel you are not on so he/she can acknowledge traffic and advise those users you are busy on the other channel.
Another option would be a command channel users would go to in case of an urgent situation. That would require each group to maintain discipline and not have half the group switch over to see what's going on while missing their own radio calls.

 

[TampaTyron]

Pros don't use scanning/dual watch in critical workflows. Ever notice how experienced radio users will call out the person they want to speak with and the channel they are calling on? Imagine listening to tens or dozens of channels on a console or pile of radios. All that traffic and you do not know where it came from. As speedway noted above, time to delegate. TT

 

[AK_SAR]

Among other things, our team provides safety, first aid, and (if needed) rescue coverage for some trail races and other large outdoor public events. My comments below are based on that experience.

I obviously don't know the details of your IMT structure, or the reasons you are set up the way you are. However, my general impression is that it might be overly complicated? For example, I would expect Parking and Marshals (and perhaps Programs?) would all report to the OPSC? Before trying to build a comm plan to fit an overly complex IMT structure, I might first look at simplifying that structure. In my experience trying to monitor two channels is a hassle, but doable. And as Tampa notes, good radio practice is essential. But no one should ever be responsible for trying to monitor 3 channels! It might work OK when things are going smoothly, but it's a recipe for chaos if a real deal emergency develops.

One of the most experienced SAR Incident Commanders I know once commented that "If OPS and the rest of the IMT are on the ball, the IC should have the easiest job of all!" In general, the IC would monitor the Command channel, but shouldn't need to monitor the OPS channel, as that's the job of the OPSC. Depending on the amount of traffic, you might be able to get by on one or maybe two tactical channels. Ground pounders would only monitor their appropriate tactical channel. Team leads monitor their tactical channel and the OPS channel. OPSC needs to communicate with team leads on the OPS channel, but also needs to monitor the Command channel. Also consider integrating cell phones into your comm plan. Using cell phones for the EMS link provides a much better level of privacy, which is important when dealing with EMS. In your pre-plan, make sure you have clear, well understood procedures for communicating with EMS.

In general, keep your command structure and comms plan as simple as possible.

 

[chief21]

One person can only do so much! It appears that you need some assistants or perhaps fewer channels.

 

[trailjunkee]

Among other things, our team provides safety, first aid, and (if needed) rescue coverage for some trail races and other large outdoor public events. My comments below are based on that experience.

I obviously don't know the details of your IMT structure, or the reasons you are set up the way you are. However, my general impression is that it might be overly complicated? For example, I would expect Parking and Marshals (and perhaps Programs?) would all report to the OPSC? Before trying to build a comm plan to fit an overly complex IMT structure, I might first look at simplifying that structure. In my experience trying to monitor two channels is a hassle, but doable. And as Tampa notes, good radio practice is essential. But no one should ever be responsible for trying to monitor 3 channels! It might work OK when things are going smoothly, but it's a recipe for chaos if a real deal emergency develops.

One of the most experienced SAR Incident Commanders I know once commented that "If OPS and the rest of the IMT are on the ball, the IC should have the easiest job of all!" In general, the IC would monitor the Command channel, but shouldn't need to monitor the OPS channel, as that's the job of the OPSC. Depending on the amount of traffic, you might be able to get by on one or maybe two tactical channels. Ground pounders would only monitor their appropriate tactical channel. Team leads monitor their tactical channel and the OPS channel. OPSC needs to communicate with team leads on the OPS channel, but also needs to monitor the Command channel. Also consider integrating cell phones into your comm plan. Using cell phones for the EMS link provides a much better level of privacy, which is important when dealing with EMS. In your pre-plan, make sure you have clear, well understood procedures for communicating with EMS.

In general, keep your command structure and comms plan as simple as possible.

Thanks for all the feedback. I truly appreciate it. Some clarifying points. Ak_SAR your example is spot on. We are operating a youth development cross country mountain bike race series. Our org chart is similar but not like ICS titles. Our Ops channel is basically our race operations crew which I am a part of, then our marshal are our eyes/response in the field and we have our own channel. They are on course throughout the day and report accidents to me and are our first responders which then request EMS response (who are on site) if needed. I live on the Ops channel and Marshal Channel and don't monitor the other two league channels. EMS typically provides me a radio on their TAC frequency when they're in site. But typically I just walk over to the EMS IC if we need to send a response and let then handle their coms. My typical call to them is, hey we've got a call out at Marshal Point 5. I'm headed your way. Get staged. But this weekend I tried to engage to much if they called me directly. Need to let their IC handle it. The issue there is we get varying quality ICs at each race.

We don't really have a communication plan. I inherited what we have about a month ago that's a big missing link. That's what I'm looking for rather than building something from scratch and all your comments help.

I'm thinking the 1st part of that plan will be to say if we have an extraction that I will only be monitoring our marshal channel and I'll need our league director and race director to switch to that channel during the incident. But right now the guy handling their radios has them locked so that's another challenge I'll have to navigate. And the reason i have my 878, so I can set it up the way I want. They can pass info over to the staff on the Ops channel if needed.

 

[buddrousa]

First you should not be Command you should report to command. If Command needs you they can Radio you on the Channel they assign to you.

Second you should be following NIMS Guidelines
At a incident you should only be asigned to 1 task EMS LAW FIRE or other task at the scene.

 

[AK_SAR]

Thanks for all the feedback. I truly appreciate it. Some clarifying points. Ak_SAR your example is spot on. We are operating a youth development cross country mountain bike race series. Our org chart is similar but not like ICS titles.

I wondered if it was something like that. We are fortunate in that over many years we have achieved a high level of trust with most of the agencies and organizations we support. For the planned events we cover, our volunteer group provides the safety team and the IMT to run it. For example every year we support a major cross country ski race, including 50K, 40K, and 25K events. Typically there are over 1000 participants, plus large numbers of spectators, particularly at the finish area. The race officials handle timing, feed stations, shuttle buses, etc. Our Safety Team operates using ICS. Our Incident Commander works closely with the race officials, so it becomes in effect a Unified Command. Over the years we have developed a written Safety Plan, which currently runs about 30 pages, and gets updated every year. We handle first aid on the trail, and coordinate with EMS to evacuate serious injuries. Parts of the course are on trails well away from roads, in those areas we would handle evacuation of injured people to the nearest trail access point where they would be handed off to EMS. Other parts of the course are close to roads and more easily accessible for EMS, in those areas we would provide immediate first aid until EMS arrives.

We don't really have a communication plan. I inherited what we have about a month ago that's a big missing link. That's what I'm looking for rather than building something from scratch and all your comments help.

My advice is to keep it as simple as possible. That way there are fewer things that can go wrong. For the event mentioned above we have our own radio net for the Safety Team. The race officials operate on their own channel. Our IC is usually close by the head official, but also carries has a radio operating on their channel. Likewise, a select few race staff (snow machine drivers for example) are given Safety Team radios so they can communicate directly with our Strike Teams.

 

[AK_SAR]

First you should not be Command you should report to command. If Command needs you they can Radio you on the Channel they assign to you.

That depends entirely on the nature of the event, how it's organized, and who is doing what. For example, here in Southcentral Alaska, it is quite common for a member of a volunteer SAR team to be appointed Incident Commander of a ground search or rescue mission. In Alaska the statutory responsibility for ground search and rescue is with the Department of Public Safety, through the Alaska State Troopers (AST). (This is unlike the lower 48 where that legal responsibility is usually with the County Sheriff.) But AST has only about 300 troopers to cover a state more than twice the size of Texas, and troopers generally only get a small amount of training in how to run a SAR mission. Over the years our volunteer SAR groups have demonstrated a high level of expertise and professionalism, such that AST is frequently willing to delegate running SAR missions, including the position of IC, to those teams.

For larger and more complex missions we have formed the Alaska Incident Management Team for SAR (AIMT-SAR). This is team of volunteers with long experience in land based SAR who have also taken advanced training in ICS and search management.

Alaska Search and Rescue Association - Alaska Incident Management Team SAR

Alaska Incident Management Team - SAR

www.alaskasar.org

Second you should be following NIMS Guidelines

We do.

 

[buddrousa]

Nice Site.
To the OP
If you were following IC and NIMS then the tree is IC under IC would be a Law Security Sector Officer with his Radio Next would be a Search Sector Officer next would be a EMS Sector Officer a Longistics Officer a Rehab Officer and each would be located in the IC Location each with their own Radio not the IC trying to do everything by theirself.
I have only been doing this in a paid position for 40 years and Have all the NIMS Classes required.

 

[hill]

Sounds like you just need to monitor the command channel.

Maybe the command center could have a liaison from each of the other groups in the center.

 

[AK_SAR]

If you were following IC and NIMS then the tree is IC under IC would be a Law Security Sector Officer with his Radio Next would be a Search Sector Officer next would be a EMS Sector Officer a Longistics Officer a Rehab Officer and each would be located in the IC Location each with their own Radio not the IC trying to do everything by theirself.
I have only been doing this in a paid position for 40 years and Have all the NIMS Classes required.

I have to confess, I don't think I have ever been on a SAR mission where we had a "Law Security Sector Officer", or a "Rehab Officer"? Though there have certainly been some times when after a mission I felt like I might need some Rehab!

The largest missions our volunteer AIMT has handled would be a FEMA Type 3 Incident, involving perhaps a hundred or so people, from a half dozen or so teams/agencies, which continues on for several Operational Periods. These have typically been wilderness lost person search incidents. Our IMT is generally a plain vanilla ICS operation. We will have an IC, a Safety Officer, Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, and a Logistics Section Chief. I don't think we've ever had a Finance Section Chief, since us volunteers work for free, and any incidental expenses are handled through the Troopers. Depending on how many Strike Teams are in the field the OPSC may either run them directly, or else have a couple of Division Supervisors. On at least a couple of occasions we've stood up a AOBD when we've had multiple helos involved. Planning is a big deal in a multi day lost person search, so the Planning Section Chief might also have a Situation Unit Leader, a Resources Unit Leader, and a Technical Specialist doing GIS. But those big missions are relatively uncommon. Most of the time our missions are much smaller, and we would have a much smaller IMT.

 

[kayn1n32008]

You are being overloaded by information, and pulled in too many directions to be able to effectively lead. You need to designate leaders for the various functions.

From what I can glean, it appears you are the the guy everyone looks too.

As near as I can tell, you would be the 'Incident Leader' or the guy in charge.

You need to have:
-An Ops Leader
-A Marshal Leader
-A Programs Leader
-A Parking Leader

Each team under those leaders answer to that leader, who has the authority to make decisions, and if needed, defer to you when it is beyond their capabilities. I also would recommend having a deputy or co-leader you can load share with. Each leader below you should have no more than 4 people under their direction.

ONLY the leaders interact with you, and you ONLY interact with the leaders. there needs to be a defined chain of command, and EVERYONE needs to respect it, and follow it.

You should not need to be monitoring any of those comms, but be available, either by being with the leaders, or by radio('Command' channel)

EMS should be have one of the following:
-Be given a radio
-Give the Marshal Leader an EMS radio
-Embed a dedicated radio operator with EMS(preferred) Someone capable and mature, to interact with the EMS IC. Their only task is to be at relay between the Marshal Leader and EMS