Eastern Massachusetts ARES Stand-by Status Update 3/18/2010 820 AM

Hello to all..

***EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES CONTINUES STAND-BY FOR ALL AREAS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF MOBILIZATION STARTING THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON MARCH 20TH 12 PM ET DUE TO MAJOR STORM THAT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SECTION AS WELL AS BROUGHT POCKETS OF WIND DAMAGE TO THE EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SECTION***
***MEMA/FEMA/RED CROSS COMMENCED DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OPERATIONS WEDNESDAY MARCH 17TH AND ARES STAFF CHECKING WITH AGENCIES ON ANY NEEDS FOR THIS ASSESSMENT***

A significant coastal storm affected the region with significant river, stream and urban flooding. Secondarily, the storm has brought down pockets of trees and power lines across portions of the Eastern Massachusetts section.  Due to the significant flooding and pockets of wind damage that has been reported, Eastern Massachusetts ARES continues in stand-by mode from through 12 PM ET Saturday Afternoon in the event that support is requested by our served agencies.  There have been numerous reports of significant flooding which has included evacuation of apartment complexes. Winds to near hurricane force on Cape Cod and the Islands Sunday Morning and wind gusts to 50 MPH or more occurred in the Eastern Massachusetts section Sunday and Monday.  A complete listing of storm damage reports and current NWS-Taunton statements can be found at: 

Local Storm Report:  http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.nwus51.KBOX.html

Public Information Statement:  http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KBOX/1003162127.nous41.html

Flood Warning:  http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wgus41.KBOX.html

Flood Statement: http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wgus81.KBOX.html

As of Thursday morning, a press release was sent by MEMA concerning damage assessment in the wake of this major storm. It is here where Amateur Radio resources ‘may’ be requested similar to what occcurred in the May Floods of 2006. Frank O’Laughlin-WQ1O, Cape Cod ARES DEC and Red Cross Communications Officer is checking in with Red Cross officials to determine if our help maybe needed to assess damage areas. It is noted that all reports from the National Weather Service on flooding and damage and pictures provided by various Amateur Radio Operators with appropriate credit to those folks has been forward to state and federal emergency management, the National Weather Service and media outlets. A link to the MEMA Press Release on damage assessment appears below:

http://www.wx1box.org/local/News_Release_Flood_PDA_Mar2010.doc

We’d like to have ARES personnel continue to assist with SKYWARN reporting of any river, stream, urban flooding by providing pictures where possible.   Keep your situational awareness level high for any updates from ARES leadership by checking your email for updates and our ARES web site at http://ares.ema.arrl.org, monitoring local SKYWARN/ARES/RACES frequencies and reporting into the nets and monitor local media on this potentially significant storm.

Please advise your local EC/DEC/ADEC of your availability to support a potential deployment anytime over the next week through Sunday March 22nd. Please copy your ASEC and SEC when you send a note to your EC/ADEC. This is being done to cover a situation where the EC/ADEC or DEC is unavailable because they were adversely affected by the storm, out of area or some other exigency has occurred.

What is ARES Stand-By mode?

ARES stand-by mode is to alert Amateurs within ARES that a mobilization is possible on a wide-scale and that some localized mobilizations are or could be taking place in isolated areas. It means to take a look at your Go-Kit and have batteries and equipment ready to go and charged up and take care of any requirements at home in case a mobilization is required and you can participate. Do NOT self-deploy. Wait for guidance from leadership for any deployment. It is an honor to be ready even if you don’t deploy for the event. Hopefully, this is just another exercise of our preparedness and capabilities. If not, the ARES leadership looks forward to working with you if any wide scale mobilization is required after the impact of this major storm to the region.

Thanks for your continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator   
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org

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