A Guide to Radio Communications Standards for Emergency Responders

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A Guide to Radio Communications Standards for Emergency Responders A GUIDE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS Prepared Under United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) Through the Disaster Preparedness Programme (DIPECHO) Regional Initiative in Disaster Risk Reduction March, 2010 Maputo - Mozambique GUIDE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS GUIDE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS Table of Contents Introductory Remarks and Acknowledgments 5 Communication Operations and Procedures 6 1. Communications in Emergencies ...................................6 The Role of the Radio Telephone Operator (RTO)...........................7 Description of Duties ..............................................................................7 Radio Operator Logs................................................................................9 Radio Logs..................................................................................................9 Programming Radios............................................................................10 Care of Equipment and Operator Maintenance...........................10 Solar Panels..............................................................................................10 Types of Radios.......................................................................................11 The HF Digital E-mail.............................................................................12 Improved Communication Technologies......................................12 Satellite Communications...................................................................12 Benefits of Using Satellite....................................................................13 Satellite Phones......................................................................................14 Satellite VSAT Networks.......................................................................15 2. Radio Procedures...........................................................16 Guiding Principle of Good Communications ..............................16 Sensitive Message Traffic.....................................................................17 Radio Checks and Signal Reports......................................................17 Components of All Radio Transmissions........................................18 Call Signs...................................................................................................18 Receiving a Message.............................................................................18 Transmitting a Message.......................................................................19 Relay...........................................................................................................20 i GUIDE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS Relay To......................................................................................................20 Repetitions...............................................................................................21 Corrections...............................................................................................22 Canceling Messages..............................................................................22 Read Back.................................................................................................22 Acknowledgment of Messages.........................................................23 Break-In Procedure................................................................................23 Long Message Procedure....................................................................24 Phonetic Alphabet.................................................................................25 Pronunciation of Figures.....................................................................26 Mixe Groups.............................................................................................26 Standard Procedure Words-(Prowords)..........................................27 Prowords Listed Alphabetically.........................................................27 Alert Reports............................................................................................31 Flash Report.............................................................................................33 Reports from the field to higher .......................................................33 Field Flash Report...................................................................................33 Initial Report ...........................................................................................33 Interim Report ........................................................................................34 Specialist or Technical Report ...........................................................34 Message Format.....................................................................................35 Note for Assessors..................................................................................35 Examples of Transmission Reports...................................................37 Initial Assessment..................................................................................40 General Characteristics of Disaster Events 43 Landslides, Mud, and Debris Flows....................................43 General Characteristics........................................................................43 Typical Effects........................................................................................43 Assistance Needs...................................................................................43 Volcanic Eruptions..............................................................44 General characteristics........................................................................44 ii GUIDE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS Typical Effects.........................................................................................44 Assistance Needs...................................................................................45 Tsunamis.............................................................................45 General Characteristics........................................................................45 Typical Effects..........................................................................................46 Assistance Needs...................................................................................46 Earthquake.........................................................................47 General Characteristics........................................................................47 Typical Effects.........................................................................................47 Assistance Needs...................................................................................47 Droughts.............................................................................48 General Characteristics........................................................................48 Typical Effects..........................................................................................49 Assistance Needs...................................................................................49 Floods..................................................................................50 General Characteristics........................................................................50 Typical Effects..........................................................................................50 Assistance Needs...................................................................................51 Chemical and Industrial Accidents....................................51 General Characteristics........................................................................51 Typical Effects..........................................................................................51 Assistance Needs...................................................................................52 Tropical Cyclones................................................................53 General Characteristics........................................................................53 Typical Adverse Effects.........................................................................53 Wind Reference Tables..........................................................................54 iii GUIDE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS Displaced Populations.......................................................56 General Characteristics........................................................................56 Typical Effects..........................................................................................56 Emergency Needs..................................................................................56 iv GUIDE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS Introductory Remarks and Acknowledgments This manual is written to provide a standard of operation and a guide for training and message handling techniques and net procedures for Radio Emergency Service operators at the national and as well as with local radio networks. Instructions and general operating procedures presented in this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) are applicable to all message traffic handling. All radio operators are encouraged to use this document in training and/or activated net operations. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and DIPECHO
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