Block Captains

If you have been ask to be a Block Captain by your Emergency Preparation Leader/Precinct Leader, you have joined a great team.  You will learn skills that will prepare you to be a great asset in the event of an emergency.

Block Captain Duties

1.  Prepare your own household.

2.  CERT Training is valuable to guide you through that process. Look for CERT Training in your area. Invest your time in your own education of CERT Training, First Aid, CPR.  You may even be interested in becoming a HAM Radio Operator. Great skills that will benefit you for your entire life.

3.  Invest your own set of walkie talkies. You will then be vested and will want your neighborhood to succeed.

4.  Attend Block Captain Training Meetings.  You will learn how to prepare your own home and also your Neighborhood/Precinct Emergency Plan.

5.  Get to know your block of neighbors.  Give them your contact info and receive theirs.

6.   Share with your neighbors (your block) what you have learned on family preparation. Encourage your neighbors to prepare their own homes with food, water and emergency supplies.  Also how to Shelter-in Place, Alternative Heating, Lighting and Cooking, Grab 'n Go Kits, Laundry Kits, Sanitation Kits and Procedures, Car Kits, Pet Responsibility, Cold Weather Clothing, etc.

7. As you meet with your block team, get familiar with tools and equipment each other owns that would be available in the event of any type of emergency, and that you can access quickly. Become friends, look out for one another.

8.   Join in your Precinct's scheduled call-in drills to learn and sharpen your communication skills.

9.   Deliver the Emergency Ribbons to your neighbors.  Teach them how to use them and when.

10.  Report the status of your block's Emergency Ribbons for practice drills or real life event.

11.  Practice Emergency Drills with your Precinct Team and eventually with your entire District and then your City.

Your knowledge, confidence and value will increase as you gain skills, prepare your own home, and work together as a block team, and precinct team.   "You are stronger than you think"

Can YOU Sleep when the wind blows? Are you prepared?

If everyone prepares to take care of themselves and family's needs, helping others will come automatically, and that feels AWESOME!
Just like the airlines teach, put your oxygen mask on first.......Be part of the solution 
copyright CHGetReady

What is a Precinct?

A Precinct is your neighborhood, or for some,  your ward area.   It is a geographical area that is connected by roads in close proximity so in the event of an emergency, you can help each other.
Getting to know neighbors, becoming friends and serving one another is the name of the game.

What is a Precinct Team? 
A Precinct Team includes a Precinct Leader, Precinct Comms (communications), Block Captains (1 per 6-10 homes in your neighborhood/Precinct) and CERTS (trained CERT Team Members) also, Team Leaders included in your Neighborhood Emergency Plan.

What does a Precinct Leader do? 
Organizes the neighborhood into blocks.  Invites Block Captains, Comms and Team Leaders to join the neighborhood team.  Plans and practices regular communication drills with their Comms, Block Captains and CERTS.  Also, plans and practices the neighborhood emergency plan.

Encourages family preparation and neighborhood gatherings to get to know one another.

A Precinct Leader would benefit greatly by CERT Training,  First Aid Training, and CPR.

Precinct Leaders are supported  by and become part of their District and City Team.  Our is the Cottonwood Heights City Precinct Leader Team.
We attend Quarterly Precinct Team Training at the Cottonwood Heights City offices where training is provided that will support  Precinct Leaders on  how to use and report the Emergency Ribbon status of their neighbors, setting up a neighborhood cache (emergency supplies), assistance on creating the Precinct Emergency Plan, steps on how to begin emergency training drills and how to layer each area of their plan for yearly drills, updates on city news,  CH Neighborhood Watch Training,  How to deal with the animals in your neighborhood in the event of an emergency by CH Animal Control, Unified Fire training and instruction on keeping your home and neighborhood safe from area fire potential, District news and to become familiar with emergency plan of the city.

2013 www.chgetready

What does a Block Captain do?
A Block Captain is responsible to their block of neighbors.  Getting to know them by sharing tips on preparation and being friends,  shares contact information, plan as a block group what supplies and equipment they all have that would aid them in search and rescue, Emergency Ribbons know how for practice drills and in the event of a large scale emergency, participates in regular walkie talkie check ins and Precinct Team Training Drills
They may also become CERT, First Aid, and CPR Trained.

What is a Precinct Comms? 
A Precinct Comms is your neighborhood communication specialist.  Can be HAM Radio licensed, runs your weekly radio drills and is a team with their Precinct, District and City Comms Network. They are the other half of the Neighborhood/Precinct Leadership Team.   Send and receive communication concerning their neighborhood status.
Training is two times a year at Cottonwood Heights City Precinct Team Training, held in January and July.
Copyright   ChGetReady

What is a District?

A District is a group of several Precincts, sometimes known as Stakes and Wards.

We used the area mapping system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for Wards and Stakes in our city since it already existed.  (why invent a new one when a successful one already works?)

Emergency Response is a Civil responsibility, therefore using the names, Precinct and District is appropriate.

We have six entire Districts in our City and five partial Districts/Precincts from surrounding cities that are in  Cottonwood Heights City Boundaries.

Amateur Radio Operators

  
 

Calling all Amateur Radio Operators Amateur radio is the communications tool of last resort. Throughout its history amateur radio has always been the most robust communications method. If you are already an amateur radio operator your community needs your services. You need to be practicing on a regular basis to make sure your equipment is reliable and that you know the protocols for communicating in the most efficient way. Here are the steps you should take: Check to see if there is a local club or group and join up. Call your City Hall and ask them if they have an amateur radio emergency communications group. Join the Amateur Radio Relay League, the parent organization for all amateur radio operators at http://www.arrl.org/ Become a member of your local ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) group. Go to http://www.ares.org/ Become a member of your State RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) by signing up at http://www.qsl.net/races/ Remember, if you do not have a RACES number and a national disaster is declared you will NOT be able to operate your radio(s). If you wish to become an amateur radio operator it is easy! Here is a website for you to find out more information - http://www.wikihow.com/ Related Links Information on HAM RADIO TRAINING http://www.qrz.com/testing.html http://www.xmission.com/~uarc/testinfo.html

What does the Precinct Comms do?

Walkie Talkie          chgetready

The Precinct Comms is the communication specialist, who is in charge of learning how to use walkie talkies or HAM Radio, and conducts the regular communication drills with your Precinct Block Captains and CERTS. (weekly works best)

Determine what time and day of the week will work best for your weekly check- in.
The FRS walkie talkie, use the channels 8-14.  Resist using the sub channels as they only block the sender from hearing other users.

The GMRS channels require a FCC License that is around $60.00, however, the channels are very clear. Channels 1-7 and 15 and up are GMRS Channels.  There are rules that govern the airwaves, so be clear as to their usage since fines may be issued where respect of usage is compromised.


Precinct Comms Duties will include training the Precinct Block Captains and CERTS how to use the walkie talkies and also how to use and report the Emergency Ribbon System with their neighbors.

It is of utmost importance that proper radio usage is learned and taught.  If the radio is held at the wrong angle, the signal will be compromised.  Hold it upright, not tipped, as the signal is like a plate connected on top of the antenna and if it is tipped the signal will shoot into the air and down into the ground.

Practicing correct handling and usage will determine whether the message is successfully transmitted and received.  This is critical, since in an emergency, time is matters.

A Precinct Block Captain/CERT Team check in roster that includes the Block Captain #, names, phone #'s and e-mail addresses is very helpful for contact and also to keep track of your regular drills.  Encourage your BC to report to another BC or the Precinct Leader if they will not be available during the drill that week.

Personal accountability to the Precinct Team effort also strengthens unity.

It is really fun to report in every week, same time, same channel.  It creates the synergy of unity in your neighborhood.

Take a look at a simple script that is available for you to begin practicing with so that your BC and CERTS get familiar with their radios and the reporting process.

Consider taking a HAM Radio course.  Transmission is much clearer getting and receiving  information to and from your Precinct to the District or the City Comms. 

HAM Radio Training
  http://www.wikihow.com/

Walkie Talkie Communication Education

Walkie Talkie Communication Education
 

Block Captain Reporting 2013 chgetready

The call: “Block Captain 10, This is Precinct 3, Over”

The answer: “ This is Block Captain 10, Go Ahead”

The response: “ Contact Medical on channel one four, Over”

The acknowledgement: “Block Captain 10 changing to one four for Medical contact, Roger, Out”

Let's re-cap what happened

** The Precinct Communications Specialist used “THIS IS” to identify himself and “OVER”,  he expects a reply.

**The answering Block Captain 10 said “THIS IS” followed by his call sign “BLOCK CAPTAIN TEN”, then acknowledged he was listening and ready to receive by using the pro-words “GO AHEAD”.

**The Precinct Communications Specialist instructed Block Captain Ten to contact the medical team on another channel – channel number 14. (Spoken as “ONE FOUR” not “FOURTEEN” – this is clearer) The pro-word “OVER” was used to indicate that the transmission ended and he expected a reply.

**Block Captain 10 acknowledges by repeating the command he is following, “BLOCK CAPTAIN TEN CHANGING TO ONE FOUR FOR MEDICAL CONTACT”.  He uses the pro-word “ROGER” to communicate that he received and understood the message.  “OUT” meaning he’s done and does not expect a reply.

Copyright CHGetReady

Rules for Walkie Talkie/Radio Usage

Block Captain Reporting        CHGetReady

   

•  Listen Closely
•  Wait till channel is clear
•  Speak only if necessary
•  Think what you are going to say...be precise
•  Keep it brief
•  Use plain language
•  Use echo method-repeat back what you heard to verify
•  Use This is....to identify yourself
•  Speak slowly and clearly to transmit your information
• Consider the scribe on the other end
•  No slang or jargon, use pro-words instead
  Use Pro-Words

      This is ……identifies who is about to talk

Over……message is complete from the other end and it is your turn to speak

Go Ahead…..you are ready for the other person to speak

Roger……you received the last message

Out…..you are done and expect no relay

FRS Channels 8-14

GMRS Channels 1-7, 15 and up –Requires FCC License

Consider Geography when you are considering your radio choice

Stay on main channel – DO NOT USE PRIVACY CODES – separates user from network

Push to talk / PTT button on side of radio

Communication PTT button pause, talk, pause, let go of PTT to listen (pause accounts for delay of radio)

Hold radio with antenna up (signal is plate like, side to side not up and down) and 4-5 inches away from the side of the face

Copyright CHGetReady