Page 1 of 14 LAW OFFICE OF A. NATHAN ZELIFF P.O. Box 729 Shingletown, CA 96088 ────────────── TEL: (530) 474-3267 / FAX: [please call first] Toll Free 1-866-4-TaxSOS / 1-866-482-9707 September 23, 2019 Via E-Mail Total number of pages = 14 ( including this 1 st page and exhibits) URGENT AND IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUESTED Cal Fire Attention: Lorina Pisi, T&V Manager – Technical Se rvices - Lands E-Mail: Telephone: 916-327-8492 Fax: 916-324-3400 CC: Governor Gavin Newsom via FAX: 916-558-3160 Senator Brian Dahle via FAX : (916) 651-4901 Sheriff Tom Bosenko E-Mail: tbosenko@co.sh asta.ca.us Shasta County Sheriff's Office of Emer gency Services Shingletown Volunteer Fire Department Attention : Chief Dodson E-Mail: svfdchief20@gmail.com Shingletown Amateur Radio Club (STARC) Attention: Dar Walker, President E-Mail: W6iodar@gmail.com Shasta Tehama Amateur Radio Emergency Services Atte ntion: Tom Henthorn, President E-Mail: tomhenthorn@att.net Shasta Forest Village Fire Wise Community Attention: Doug Young E-Mail: nl5@frontiernet.net Shingletown Fire Safe Council – Attention: Tom Twis t E-Mail: FireSafe@ShingletownCouncil.org Re: Emergency Communications, Community Safety, and Wil d Fire Threat. Cal Fire Removal of Critical Ham Radio Emergency Communications Infrastructure. Imminent Threat to Life and Property. / / / /
Page 2 of 14 Dear Ms. Pisi: I am writing you concerning your e-mail to Ham Radi o Repeater owners advising them that they must remove all repeater equipment from various mou ntain locations unless they pay huge fees. (See Exhibit A – which is a copy of your e-m ail). I am advised that this action is being done for the entire State of California. Many of th ese repeaters have been in public safety use for decades. They have saved lives. They have in fa ct been used for public safety and to protect life and property when the public communication sys tems have completely collapsed and failed during disasters. The cost to the State of California is nothing for these repeaters. Rather, Ham Radio Operators pay for the equipment and maintain the equipment at their own cost. The Ham Radio Operators do not make any money off of these repeat ers. Your actions will destroy the existing Ham Radio Re peater System Infrastructure and Network that is a critical and vital asset for Disaster Eme rgency Communications. This Ham Radio Emergency Communications Infrastructure has existed for decades. Additionally, once removed, these Ham Radio assets will be cost prohib itive to rebuild. Moreover, your actions will serve to eviscerate the SHINGLETOWN EMERGENCY RADIO PLAN (SER PLAN), and directly expose residents of Shingl etown (and other areas) to increased risk of being trapped by raging wildfires as well as subjec ting residents to increased risk of loss of life from disasters. The result will be the same for all areas throughout the Entire State of California if this Cal Fire “DISASTER IN THE MAKING” is not IM MEDIATELY TERMINATED AND RENDERED PERMANENTLY - DEAD ON ARRIVAL! One of the foundational elements of the SER PLAN is : Early observation and reporting. This facilitates rapid response by Cal Fire and other em ergency resources. In Shingletown, we have been warned that we could b e the “next Paradise”. In order to try and avoid that prediction, Shingletown has continued im plementing the SER PLAN. This PLAN has taken over 4 years to design, build, and refine. It is an operating emergency communications plan (combining HAM and NON Ham Neighborhood alloca ted frequencies). There are no fees, no dues and no one has to join any group. Hams and Neighborhoods just get on board, plug in and follow the plan. The SER PLAN has been describe d by a Shasta County Sheriff Lieutenant (Office of Emergency Services) as “robust”. The Lie utenant told me that he had reviewed the SER Plan and he was very impressed. Briefly, the SER PLAN involves coordination and com munications within and between neighborhoods. We conduct weekly drills involving e xactly the type of items recommended by the Sheriff and Cal Fire. It is a pure volunteer Em ergency Radio Communications System for any
Page 3 of 14 neighborhood desiring to participate, and it is coo rdinated and integrated into the SER Ham Radio Net. There are several mobile “smoke / fire lookout loca tions” which the SER Plan has mapped. They cover over 500 square miles (each). This is at a ti me when Cal Fire has cut back on using lookout locations. These locations are used by Ham operator s while traveling (and which are also used for Active Fire incidents). Your actions in causing the removal of Critical Communication Ham Repeater Equipment will result in loss of this Aler t and Warning System. Reports have been made to Cal Fire from these locations, including tr iangulation and mapping arrive at the estimated Township, Range and Section of the source of a smoke column. Our practice drills / exercises include such matter s as: Earthquake reporting drills (recording damage assessment and reporting); utility and hazar ds reporting; communications status reporting and ability / inability of neighborhoods to call 911; Rapid Brevity Fire Watch Reporting; Procedures for locating unknown sources of smoke or fire with mapping and triangulation; Smoke column triangulation and repor ting; Fire and Ember watch procedures; welfare checks; disabled persons checks; and emerge ncy / priority traffic relay to 911 via Radio when there is no other ability to reach 911, and mo re. With the SER PLAN exercises and reporting (includin g reports from mobile designated smoke look out locations) a substantial geographic area i s covered. Our emergency procedures involve Various Alert Tone Levels, neighborhoods conducting separate and simultaneous neighborhood emergency nets on designated frequencies, relaying of neighborhood reports into the Ham Radio Net, mapping and summary by geographic area o f the reports provided by neighborhoods; recommendations for action; and pass ing emergency traffic. And all of this is done within 15 to 30 minutes! The plan also provid es for the relay of damage assessment information reports from neighborhoods (e.g., earth quake damage assessment) to County emergency agencies. This can be done in very short time frames. On the other hand it would take the county DAYS to otherwise accumulate such d ata. It is of concern that while community and emergency preparedness focus should be on continuing to build this Community Emergency Commun ications Plan with the present wild fire dangers (today is a “RED FLAG DAY”), energy and tim e is now being diverted to seeking to educate those purportedly in emergency communicatio ns (and who should know better) who are in the process of destroying vital emergency co mmunication infrastructure and placing California communities at risk (on a State Wide Bas is). / / / /
Page 4 of 14 Cal Fire Color brochures and pamphlets and destruct ion of HAM RADIO Emergency Communications infrastructure. The removal of the Critical Ham Radio Emergency Com munications Infrastructure is especially hypocritical in light of Cal Fire going door to doo r and distributing expensive Color brochures and pamphlets to residents advising them to have a “Wildfire Action Plan” – for the purpose of Saving Lives and Property through Advance Planning” . In these impressive color packed Cal Fire brochures and pamphlets, residents are advised that: “You can dramatically increase your safety … by pre paring well in advance of a wildfire”. Cal Fire advises of the risk of wind driven flying embers, a nd other advice includes: - install smoke alarms (to warn). - “prepare your family”, and to practice your pl an “regularly”. - have a “ communication plans and practice it regularly ” (emphasis added). - plan different evacuation routes. - have out of area contacts to you can communicate with family members who have relocated . (emphasis added) - have a portable radio or scanner so you can st ay updated on the fire. - alert family and neighbors ” (emphasis added). - Leave early enough to avoid being caught in fire, s moke or road congestion. Don’t wait to be told by authorities to leave. In an int ense wildfire, they may not have time to knock on every door. (emphasis added). - Have several travel routes in case one route i s blocked by the fire, or by emergency vehicles and equipment. - if you become trapped call 911 and inform authorities of your location . (emphasis added0 - patrol your property and monitor the fire situa tion. Don’t wait for an evacuation order if you feel threatened. The Sheriff Department also advises residents to - Learn about your community's warning signals: what they sound like and what you should d o when you hear them.” We are told to find out how to help the elderly or disabled person s and to conduct fire and emergency
Page 5 of 14 evacuation drills. (emphasis added). While the above written advice is great, Cal Fire i s taking action THAT WILL DESTROY THE critical and vital Ham Radio Repeater System Infras tructure and network which is necessary for the “communications plan” and safety measures which Cal Fire and the Sheriff advises should be set up by communities and families! The FACT IS - when there is a complete communicatio n failure (no phones, no cell phones, no internet, no reverse 911, no code red, no ability t o dial 911, and no ability to warn people who are asleep at 2:00 AM in the morning of a raging wi ldfire, etc...,) ALL of the Cal Fire and Sheriff recommendations go up in smoke. WHY? Because there is no WAY to send or receive any in formation OR even issue warnings! Communities will have no communications. They will not be able to advise neighbors that the exit to a subdivision is blocked by a fallen tree. They will not be able to ask others to bring chain saws and trucks to open up the exit. There will be no actual ability to coordinate or communicate. You can’t effectively warn your neighb ors about a fire at 2:00 A.M., without communications! In the real world scenario of a communications blac kout and raging fire, all of those “ technological advances ” you advised of in your e-mail will HAVE ALL FAILED AND DO NOT WORK! Your claim that Ham Radio is no longer a “benefit” to the State, is delusional. If one needs proof of this, merely review the recen t FEBRARY, 2019 Shasta County Declared State of Emergency (below). EXAMPLES OF RECENT USE OF THE HAM RADIO REPEATER SY STEM YOU ARE SEEKING TO HAVE REMOVED. FEBRARY, 2019 Shasta County Declared State of Emerg ency. In Shingletown, all electrical power was OUT. There was no land line service, no cell phones, no internet, no reverse 911, no code red, no ability t o dial 911. As one Shingletown Resident put it – If I had a heart attack I had no ability to get h elp! That resident is now part of his neighborhood emergency SER PLAN radio team. Residen ts were snow bound. Snow depths ranged from several feet to 4 feet. THE ONLY COMMUN ICATIONS WE HAD WAS THE SER HAM PLAN WHICH UTILIZED ONE OF THE REPEATERS YOU ARE SE EKING TO HAVE REMOVED. Some areas were without power for 5 days or more, others less. Many were snow bound. Some
Page 6 of 14 residents (including elderly and those with medical conditions) were without any source of heat as temperatures plunged into the mid and upper 20’s . Neighbors helped neighbors and the only means of communication was Ham Radio and the repeat er system you are seeking to have removed. August 14, 2019. Active Fire near a neighborhood in Shingletown. Th is was a SER PLAN Full alert Activation. Thus, the Emergency Toning Alert was done for all 5 DIVISIONS of Shingletown on the 760 repeater (one of the Repeaters your are seeking to remove from the Emergency Communication Infrastructure). The activation resul ted in HAM radio operators participating in the SER Active Fire Net from multiple Shingletown l ocations covering in excess of 70 square miles of rough mountain terrain. People were awaken ed (as it was late at night). Additionally, Non Hams also monitored using their Radios programm ed using the SER Frequency Plan. People were aware and had warning of the situation. There was no news source for people to view. There was No TV to watch. There was No intern et source because this event was real time and none of those “sources” were on scene (likely h ome in bed). The only source for the active fire was HAM RADIO. The Report is attached as Exhib it B. August 30, 2019. Smoke check Activation in a neighborhood in Shingle town. This was a LIMITED activation involving one neighborhood (on its assigned MURS Al ert Frequency). However, the neighborhood HAM operator utilized the HAM portion of the SER Plan to reach out over 14 miles and obtain a report from a mobile station (wh ich had a critical view from a designated lookout location) of that neighborhood. That mobile HAM station confirmed there was no suspect smoke or file visible from the lookout. I u nderstand this information was relayed to Cal Fire who had arrived in the neighborhood. Again, du ring this activation, the repeater system you are seeking to have removed was used. The Repor t is attached as Exhibit C. OTHER EMERGENCY USES: The SER PLAN has additionally responded to emergenc ies when there was no cell phone or ability to call 911, including the following: auto accidents (e.g. truck on icy road and crashing into a tree; vehicle rollover and person ejected 30 feet from vehicle); lost person search / Sheriff resources limited and request for search he lp/ lost person description relay); elderly lady followed home into remote area – relay to sheriff r esulted in arrest on outstanding warrants before the suspect even got out of Shingletown); Im paired driver with multiple near head on collisions on Highway 44 / relay to 911; keys retai ned / arrested by CHP; and more. All of these events utilized the repeater system that you are se eking to have removed.
Page 7 of 14 Local Cal Fire personnel (boots on the ground) appr eciate the SER Plan, and have advised that they view this Ham Radio service as beneficial and helpful to the community You actions are the equivalent to you mandating tha t all Cal Fire radio repeater system components and infrastructure be removed from the C al Fire emergency radio communications system. Question: what person of right mind would do that? DISREGARD OF EXECUTIVE ORDER OF GOVERNOR OF CALIFOR NIA: The Governor of California issued Executive Order N -05-19, dated January 8, 2019, recognizing California as having experienced the most destructi ve wildfire season in State history during 2018, enduring over 7,600 wildfires that burned 1, 846,445 acres in total. The Executive Order referenced the Camp Fire as being the deadliest fir e in State history claiming the lives of 86 people. The Executive Order recognized that Communi ties with high preponderance of physical fire danger deserve the State’s highest attention a nd recognized that the people of California expect that their government will take all possible actions to protect life, property, and forests from deadly megafires, and will do so with an urgen cy that matches the scope of the threat. Under this Executive Order, Cal Fire was charged wi th providing a written report to the Governor with recommendations… “necessary to preven t and mitigate wildfires to the greatest extent possible”…and to consult with local fire chi efs, local elected officials, Fire Safe Councils, and other impacted stakeholders, as necessary. Shin gletown is at the top of the fire risk list in California. Cal Fire responds by instituting a destructive proj ect to remove Critical Emergency Ham Radio Communications Infrastructure. Such is in flagrant disregard of the Executive Order and devoid of any notion of common sense. Moreover, making an emergency resource cost prohibitive is in fact destruction of that resource! Additionally, on ce removed, these Ham Radio assets will be cost prohibitive to rebuild. Cal Fire’s actions will jeopardize Ham Radio Commun ity Emergency Communications during complete and/or partial communication failures, inc luding, but not limited to hampering and/or destroying Ham Radio Emergency Communications relat ing to: - reporting / relay of forest fires at the early s tages to minimize risk to life; - evacuation coordination by neighborhoods; - alerting neighborhoods of disasters (e.g., forest fires) when all other communications methods have failed (includin g but not limited to reverse 911, code red, etc…);
Page 8 of 14 - neighborhood welfare checks and neighborhoo d coordination for assisting evacuation of disabled persons during disasters; and - rapid area damage assessment and reporting so that public officials can be alerted to areas requiring immediate assistance. Moreover, the rugged geography and difficult access to various areas in Shingletown serve only to compound the situation. So the only unresolved question, if this Cal Fire disaster in the making comes to fruition, is: “ Will Shingletown’s death toll exceed Paradise? “ Compounding the situation is that PG & E may shut o ff communities electricity during Red Flag and other events. This poses additional risks. Comm unication Blackouts may result. DISREGARD OF SHASTA COUNTY SHERIFF AND OFFICE OF EM ERGECY SERVICES PROCEDURES. Additionally, Cal Fire’s actions disregard Existing Shasta County Emergency Communication Plans. Specifically, the Shasta County Sheriff’s website h as information for disaster preparedness and advises residents to develop home evacuations plans and to practice with our family and neighbors. We are told to find out about community emergency plans and to join or start a neighborhood group. [See: https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/index/sheriff_index/div isions/oes/oes_safety_tips.aspx ] In this regard, the Sheriff recognizes the clear an d present danger about collapse of emergency services during the initial stages of disaster. Spe cifically the public is advised: “In light of the reality of Hurricane Katrina and t he literal collapse of emergency management services during the initial stages, it i s certainly understandable for our communities to be concerned about their own welfare .” We are advised that “Disaster can strike quickly and without warning” and to prep are in advance. We are told to “Learn about your community's warning signals: what they sound like and what you should do when your hear them.” We are told to find out how to help the elderly or disabled persons and to conduct fire and emergency evacuation drills. Residents are further told that if disaster occurs near your home while you are there, check for damage using a flashlight. … Check for fires, fire hazards … and to Check on your neighbors, especially those living alone, elderly or disabled. Residents are advised to f ind out about community emergency plans and to join or start a ne ighborhood group.
Page 9 of 14 We are advised to evacuate if authorities ask us to leave our home. [See https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/index/sheriff_index/emergency_prep.aspx ]. But, with Cal Fire’s destruction of the Ham Radio E mergency Communications Infrastructure, residents will not be able to effectively undertake many of the critical Cal Fire and Sheriff recommendations. Again, in a complete communication s Blackout - residents won’t be receiving that reverse 911, code Red or Internet e- mail! The Shasta County Emergency Operations Plan The Shasta County Emergency Operations Plan include s the following statements and provisions: EF 2: Communications (Per Shasta County Web site). “3.1 … A disaster condition may result from a sign ificant natural or human-caused incident that generates extensive damage and/or res ults in a high volume of Shasta County EOP Emergency Functions EF 2. … At a time wh en the need to convey information quickly is greatest, the infrastructure needed to facilitate efficient communication may be damaged or overloaded. In such situations, all functioning telecommunications assets of the various levels of government, augmented by extra-regional assets, will be needed immediately to ensure a prop er response to aid those in need.” [emphasis added]. The Shasta County Emergency Operations Plan further provides that: “Normal forms of communication may be severely int errupted during the early phases of an emergency or disaster. The loss of some or al l telephone service will reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of the Emergency Operat ions Center (EOC) public information lines, as well as the majority of Count y departments. Significant incidents may require evacuation of sig nificant numbers of affected populations. Such evacuations may require extensive coordination of inter- and intra-County communications and may exceed normal r adio communication capabilities . (emphasis added). “ Local amateur radio operators have the ability to s et up field communications to support or augment public safety operations, as appropriate .” (emphasis added). The Emergency Operations Plan further mandates the development and maintenance of “a communications resource inventory”. This clearly in cludes Ham Radio Operators, their equipment, and Repeaters). [See The Shasta County Emergency Operations Plan is at this link
Page 10 of 14 https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/docs/libraries/cao-docs /emergencies/shasta-eop_ef-2_communications_sep-201 4.p df?sfvrsn=fc29e389_2 ] Due to the Clear and Present Danger to the public s afety which this Cal Fire action presents, it is imperative that it be immediately and forever termi nated. We need to build emergency communications capability, not destroy it. I look forward to hearing from you. Time is of the essence. Thank you. Very truly yours, COMPUTER COPY A. Nathan Zeliff Attorney at Law ANZ:eaa 20190923 jitiu
Page 11 of 14 Exhibit A: communication from Cal Fire. Communications Received by Repeater Owner from “Hello [name deleted]: I do understand and appreciate all of the service y ou have provided in the past. However, with constantly changing technological advances, there i s no longer the same benefit to State as previously provided. Therefore, the Department no l onger financially supports HAM operators radios or tenancy. If you desire to enter into a fo rmal agreement to operate and maintain said equipment, you must complete and submit attached co llocation application along with fee as outlined on page one of application. There is cost associated with getting an agreement in place. In addition to the technical analysis fee ($2500/application), there is DGS Leas e admin cost associated (typically between $3000-$5000) with preparation of lease. Also, there will be an annual rent charge based upon equipment type/space. Please let me know how you wish to proceed. If you determine the cost is too great to proceed, please make arrangements with me to remove equipmen t. If you still have questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I am much more readily availab le via email. Lorina Pisi T&V Manager CAL FIRE Technical Services - Lands P.O. Box 944246 Sacramento, CA 94244-2460 or PLEASE NOTE NEW PHYSICAL ADDRESS EFFECTIVE 8/5/19 1131 S Street Sacramento, CA 95811-6524 916-327-8492 916-324-3400 (fax) Exhibit A
Page 12 of 14 August 14, 2019: SHINGLETOWN EMERGENCY RADIO PLAN – FIRE NET ACTIVATED Late August 14, 2019, there was a tone out from Cal Fire – Shingletown. SER Net station K6PDS, tuned one radio to dedicated monitoring of C al Fire Dispatch to determine situation while continuing to monitor the SCAN PLAN on another radi o. Fire reported in area of Mobile Park Dr. The situation met the criteria for an Emergenc y SER Net Plan Activation and Long Tone T Alert. The SER Net was activated on all SER NET SCAN PLAN FREQUENCIES. 5 LONG TONE T ALERTS ARE THE SIGNAL FOR AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. T he Fire Net was Activated. An Active Fire Net was conducted, which included: 1. The Active Fire Net was conducted on 760 (CH 10 – monitoring / CH 55 - transmit). 2. W6iO, KE6PCR, AND KB6BZL monitored Cal Fire D ispatch and reported relevant information into the Fire Net. Great job W6iO, KE6P CR, AND KB6BZL. 3. Cal Fire reporting included: fully engulfed structure fire with spread to the vegetation and reports of explosions in area … spot fire near Lisa Glenn Court / locked gate; Dozers, water tenders, engines, in route … some crowning … live wire down north side of highway (44) … PG&E contacted as to downed line… . 4. KE6PCR monitored Cal Fire Tac 11, and Reported relevant information into the Fire Net. Great job KE6PCR. 5. Net Control requested all stations to perform a QWA PROCEDURE (Brevity Fire Watch) and report back. Of those Neighborhood Areas repor ting back, results were QWA (No Suspect Fire / Smoke / or Embers observed (other th an the existing fire - QWK). 6. Request was made for any station to report on conditions in the South East Section of Shasta Forest Village (in the Bambi Area – close to the fi re area). Request was made for any station in that area to report (Ham or NON HAM). There was no response from the Bambi Area. Accordingly, KB6BZL volunteered to go mobile and drove into the area. He did a visual mobile search and found heavy smoke on Bambi (near the Water Company) and the air was “still”. Net Control was in radio contact with KB6BZL. A ra dio relay call was made to 911 to advise of this situation. Great job KB6BZL. 7. KB6BZL also drove up to Shingletown and provide d reports as to the situation in Shingletown and at the Fire Scene (equipment on both sides of h ighway 44, etc…). A suspicious vehicle was observed in the Village Area and radio relay was ma de to 911 (Vehicle Description and partial plate). Request was made that all station operator s be on the look out for any suspicious vehicles and to report, but do not engage. EXHIBIT B PAGE 1OF 2
Page 13 of 14 8. Smoke Check reports were requested by Net Contr ol and stations conducted such at various times to obtain wind directions, smoke smell levels and whether any fire / smoke / or embers were visible . We can use such information to determine if there are any new spot fires and potential areas where the existing fire may spread. 9. The Active Fire Net provided a Hub for informat ion collection and dissemination from multiple sources, in real time, including: Cal Fir e Dispatch reports; Cal Fir Tac 11 reports; Mobile Ham radio Unit ground / field observations; radio operators periodic reports for Smoke / Fire / Ember Checks; observations from home locati ons; and the ability for adjoining Neighborhoods to provide real time Smoke / Fire / E mber Checks as to any new fire threats. Reporting was brief, accurate and concise. 10. Neighborhood Areas responding on Frequency inc luded: Viola; Village; Wilson Hill; Rest Area; Inwood, and Starlite. Other neighborhood ar eas monitored the reporting (e.g., Hay Flat, Immigrant, etc…). 11. We have learned that multiple Hams and non ham s were monitoring and were awakened by the Alerting process and listened to the Active Fir e Net, although they may not have transmitted into the Fire Net. Immigrant Area activated its ne ighborhood net (great job Steve). Inwood activated its neighborhood net and reported into th e Fire Net (great job KK6DOO). Starlite was on frequency and reported into the Fire Net (great job AJ6KJ). The Rest Area activated and reported into the Fire Net (great job KN6CYK). The Wilson Hill Area was on frequency and reported into the Fire Net (great job KK6SWE and Be verly). Viola was on frequency and Reported into the Fire Net (great job K6YM). Hay Flat was monitoring and I understand conducted local communications. Great job K6SCR. The Village neig hborhood was activated and conducted active mobile ground operations, Net Control functi on, and communications activity. 12. Hams and Non Hams with whom I have since discu ssed the Fire Net with had the following to say: the process was very helpful, “it was impr essive”, “made me aware”, “felt very informed”, “felt very connected”, “went great”, th e alert tone “woke me up”, “heard the alert and was awakened by it”, and the Net “let me know w hat was going on as it was happening”. 13. For the Village, this was a high alert. The fi re was extremely close, and since the Village only has one point of escape from a fire, timely in formation is critical. Please join in and help out. 14. The Active Fire Net was deactivated once Cal F ire advised that the fire was in mop up stage. Stations were requested to QSY Scan Plan and their Neighborhood Frequencies. Thank you to everyone who helped in this vital emer gency communication tool. Nathan K6PDS 73 NOTE: on 8/15/2019 there was another Fire near Dersch Rd & Hyrax Rd (Cottage fire). Stations also conducted operations concerning that fire. EXHIBIT B PAGE 2 O F 2
Page 14 of 14 August 30, 2019: SER Nets Status Report VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATED SMOKE CHECK On the afternoon of August 30, 2019, a Station in t he Village (Village Tango 2) called out on the VILLAGE alert Frequency asking if any other station s in the Village smelled smoke (wind out of the North). Village Foxtrot 7 responded and requested other sta tions to report. Those responding included: Village Tango 3; Village India 1; Village Bravo 3; and Village Tango 1 (who is also a Licensed Ham - W6iO) . Additionally, Village Tango 1 went mobile to survey the area and reported via radio while mobile. Village Tango 1 al so had heard K6PDS give a recent mobile radio report from the Millville Plains and 44 looko ut (while heading East Bound on Highway 44). W6iO requested (using the Ham frequency 760) t hat K6PDS confirm that there was no visible smoke from the Village Area. K6PDS confirmed, whil e mobile, that no smoke or fire was visible. The Millville Plains / 44 lookout location has a gr eat view of the Shingletown Ridge. During this process, Village Foxtrot 7 relayed the situation to 911 and Cal Fire responded. The origin of the smoke odor was not able to be loc ated. It may have been caused by someone starting a barbeque using cedar and other wood mate rials. Unknown source / Unable to Locate. To recap, the Village Neighborhood pro-actively res ponded to Suspect Smoke by: 1. securing reports from Neighborhood Stations thr oughout different locations in the Village; 2. relayed the situation to 911; 3. used Mobile Radio communications for gathering information, reporting and making Neighbors aware of the situation (who had their rad ios on); 4. combined use of the SER Neighborhood frequency plan with the SER Ham frequency plan to obtain a report from another station which was mobi le, and over 14 miles away, to confirm that there was no smoke or fire visible in the Village N eighborhood Area from the lookout location; and 5. additionally, provided the benefit to multiple other stations in the Village Neighborhood who were listening as to a potential fire situation. Th ey found the reporting informational, timely, and beneficial. This is an illustration of neighbors working togeth er and being proactive. That is what this is about. GREAT JOB TO THE VILLAGE TEAM! EXHIBIT C PAGE 1 OF 1