Assisting Healthcare Institutions with Emergency Communications
Amateur Radio has a proven track record in serving communities in disasters that partially or completely destroy normal means of communication. In the aftermath of Hurricane Iniki that struck Kauai in 1992, amateur Radio operators played a major role in the communications effort between Kauai and Oahu. Hospitals across the state, especially on Oahu, looked for ways to continue communications after a disaster. These institutions turned to Amateur Radio for assistance.Some of the hospitals found amateur radio operators within their employee ranks while others had to turn to amateur radio volunteers from the community at large. In late 1993 to early 1994, several healthcare institutions purchased equipment for packet radio and were learning how to use it. Promoting the effort were Judi Young of the Blood Bank of Hawaii and Bill Hanohano (WH6SN) of St. Francis Medical Center (Liliha). In 1994 (?), it was suggested that they participate in the statewide hurricane exercise trying both voice and packet. With the assistance of several Amateur Radio operators from the community, offering time and equipment, five healthcare institutions participated in that first exercise. They were: Kaiser Medical Center, Blood Bank of Hawaii, St. Francis Medical Center (Liliha), Pali Momi Hospital and The Queens Medical Center.
At the post-exercise meeting at the Blood Bank, 13 June 1994, one of the top areas identified for improvement was more exercise to increase proficiency. By consensus, it was decided to specifically conduct an amateur radio communications exercise for the healthcare institutions. Ron Hashiro, AH6RH (ex KH6JCA) and Bev Yuen, AH6NF, offered to coordinate the effort.
Originally conceived as a small Oahu-only exercise, it eventually expanded to a statewide exercise-despite many Amateur Radio operators' doubts whether the exercise should be expanded with only 5 weeks preparation. Bev and Ron contacted Hams on all the Islands using every means at their disposal-nets, packet, phone, mail, word of mouth, various club meetings, etc. A net was conducted every Tuesday evening on the statewide RACES [VHF] repeater system with Ron as Net Control. The net updated everyone statewide on plans and participation. At times, over 35 stations checked into the net. Updates were also regularly posted on packet bulletin boards. On Oahu, classes were conducted in message handling along with practice sessions. The scenario revolved around Hurricane Zelda and included canned messages for each participating institution. Twelve healthcare institutions participated [seven on Oahu, three on Kauai and two on Maui]; as well as the American Red Cross on all Islands; Oahu Civil Defense; and State Civil Defense on Oahu, Kauai, and the Island of Hawaii. Communications were conducted via VHF voice and packet, and HF. (As an interesting aside, a high school student who had received his license only four months previously organized Kauais participation.).
The July 1994 statewide exercise was the one single event, after Iniki that served most to advance Amateur Radio with the healthcare institutions on Oahu. The exercise expanded the reach to the entire state, removing doubt in peoples minds that HF/VHF could work around the state and demonstrating that it was possible to organize 88 people from scratch within 30 days of the exercise. Since 1994, every annual statewide hurricane exercise, called Makani Pahili; and every Healthcare Association of Hawaii Mass Casualty exercise (which coincides with Simulated Emergency Test (SET) in October of each year) have included a healthcare component with at least some coverage of Oahu.
The "healthcare hams" began recruiting other hams to commit to assisting with their chosen institutions during emergencies. They identified and trained others, often employees, who expressed an interest. Coordination and leadership were initially assumed by the Oahu Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (Oahu RACES).
In 1996, the Healthcare Association of Hawaiis Emergency Preparedness Committee invited this growing group of healthcare hams to appoint a representative to their committee. As the healthcare group of hams has continued its teambuilding, they have become more independent, conducting their own program, not directly a part of RACES.
Earlier exercises found the number of repeaters in short supply. Vince Lee, KH6ICX, dedicated his two repeaters-one located on the St. Francis Hospital's Liliha facility [147.22+] and the other on the Leahi Hospital facility [444.00+]-to use by the healthcare institutions. These two repeaters are linked and donated to primary use by the healthcare institutions for exercises and in an emergency.
Even with the blessing of dedicated repeaters, a disaster such as a hurricane could easily disable one or the other repeater. On 21 April 1995, a test was conducted to determine whether all the healthcare institutions in the metropolitan Honolulu area could maintain good contact using simplex VHF and UHF frequencies. The tests were successful and, in a 31 July 1995 meeting, a block of simplex frequencies [147.420 - 147.580 and 446.000 - 446.200] was identified for use. Within this block, one VHF frequency [146.500] and one UHF frequency [446.100] were identified as NCS frequencies.
At the same meeting, a list of minimum equipment was proposed. Judi Young also proposed that a monthly net be conducted to make sure radios of the various institutions are operative. The net began the first week of December 1996. The Health Comm net, as it is called is conducted on the first Thursday of each month at 1:00 p.m. local time. The KH6ICX repeaters (147.22+ / 444.000+) are used and all hams are invited to participate. Health Comm holds its meetings every other month at a different healthcare institution, as well as at the Oahu Civil Defense Agency.
In the 1997 Makani Pahili, the NCS station was set up on the 28th floor of the First Hawaiian Bank's building in downtown Honolulu. Since many messages flow to the Oahu Civil Defense Agency [OCDA], RACES designated a radio to participate in the hospital net. By pre-arrangement-and unknown to all participants including the NCS, Vince Lees repeaters were shut down to test the switchover to the simplex NCS frequency [147.500]. The switchover to simplex went extremely well and message passing was accomplished using assigned simplex frequencies. Keeping tactical and operational frequencies separate allowed the net to function very efficiently. Afterwards, members participating in the Hospital Net, as it was then known, met to evaluate the exercise. In that meeting, the group decided to set down a Mission Statement and pick a name for it. Clem Chang, WH6SM, drafted a Mission Statement and proposed several names. At a follow up meeting, the group finalized its Mission Statement and chose for itself the name Health Comm.
In the May 1998 Makani Pahili exercise, the same procedure was followed shutting down the repeater -again without warning--just as the net was starting. NCS went to the repeater's output frequency and advised all participants to switch to the simplex NCS frequency of 147.500. The remainder of the exercise was completed successfully using only simplex frequencies.
The membership of Health Comm continues to grow and extend its services to more remote hospitals. As its mission statement states: "Health Comm is dedicated to enhancing the emergency communications of participating institutions in times of emergency when normal means of communication are overwhelmed, failing or non-existent ." Health Comm will be there.
20 November, 1998
* With the assistance of Bev Yuen, AH6NF, Ron Hashiro, AH6RH and Don Young, WH6RR