WA EMD WQFY938 License Updated

[BlueDevil]

It looks like the Washington State Military Department - Emergency Management Division has added some frequencies to it's WQFY938 License. This is the license that included the Washington State SAR 2 and SAR 3 frequencies. Now they have added SAR 4 and SAR 5 to the list.

On top of that there are 4 additional frequencies that are licensed Statewide that I cannot find in any interoperability guide or communications plan. It would be interesting to know what the intended use of these frequencies are. It would be nice to have a small cache of Statewide frequencies that could be use on Large Scale Incidents.

It would also be nice if the 4 Washington State specific SAR frequencies could be shared or use for other incidents.

Anyone have any knowledge about the updates to this license and the new frequencies?


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[im800mhz]

Maybe call EMD?

 

[mikepdx]

SAR Frequency Authorization Letter (pdf)
with the new freqs and identifiers:

http://mil.wa.gov/uploads/pdf/emergency-management/sar-statewide-frequency-authorization-letter.pdf

 

[BlueDevil]

I tried getting in touch with the individual I normally correspond with at the WA EMD. He didn't respond to my first email however he was able to respond to my second. Here is what he advised.

"All the frequencies listed on the license are designated as Search and Rescue (SAR) frequencies by Washington State Emergency Management Division (WAEMD). WAEMD has specifically authorized some counties that are near the Oregon border to use these frequencies for SAR as the same frequencies were granted to a bus and taxi company just across the border in the Portland metro area and just south of Klickitat County. WAEMD has also granted authority to Coast Guard and Navy Aviation units the use all the frequencies listed on the license in any support function that directly impacts the SAR community.

During catastrophic events WAEMD anticipates that SAR assets will need these frequencies to coordinate lifesaving efforts, and the use of these frequencies by Incident Management Teams is not consistent with the needs of the SAR community. If the Incident Management Teams were granted permission to use these frequencies, it would take a much-needed SAR communication asset away from the SAR community."

I really like the planning and the foresight to have designated frequencies and a pre-established communications plan. I realize that there are scenarios in which multiple Search & Rescue frequencies are going to be needed and used. There are also many scenarios that occur regularly where multiple Statewide frequencies or channels are needed to properly support the incident.