Hello to all..
***EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES TO GO ON STAND-BY FOR ALL AREAS EFFECTIVE 6:00 PM SATURDAY OCTOBER 29TH 2011, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM AN EARLY SEASON NOR’EASTER CAPABLE OF CAUSING SIGNIFICANT TREE AND WIRE DAMAGE FROM HEAVY WET SNOW ACCUMULATION COUPLED WITH FOILIAGE LEFT ON TREES OVER INTERIOR MASSACHUSETTS***
An anomalous early season nor’easter is expected to impact much of Southern New England including Massachusetts Saturday Night into Sunday. The main concern prompting the ARES Stand-by activation is the threat for heavy wet snow in interior Massachusetts especially along and west of I-495 coupled with foiliage left on trees causing widespread tree and power line damage and power outages. Other impacts will include strong to damaging winds, heavy rainfall along and southeast of the Boston to Providence RI corridor and minor to moderate coastal flooding in East Coastal Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands though this should be typical nor’easter impacts versus the heavy wet snow threat which looks much more serious. For further meteorological updates, please see the NWS Taunton SKYWARN home page at http://www.wx1box.org
In advance of the storm, please advise your local EC/DEC/ADEC of your availability to support a potential deployment anytime from Saturday evening, 10/27 through early next week. We are creating a list of availability for ARESMAT deployment if needed for various local EOC’s, Red Cross, Salvation Army, NWS Storm Survey Teams, and hospitals as required. 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 and monitoring local SKYWARN/ARES/RACES frequencies for any updates on this developing situation.
When sending your availability, please send the following: Name, Call-sign, License Class, Capability (HF / VHF / UHF), Availability, and any other special notes we should be aware of. We ask that as you contact your DEC, please send a copy of the message to aresmat@nsradio.org where multiple members of the EMA ARES Leadership will be able to access your availability.
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 is fully understood.
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