SC4ARES, which is sponsored by SC4ARC, was activated by our served agency – the La Honda Fire Brigade 4 times since the end of December, 2022. All activations were due to severe winter storms which resulted in widespread power and communication outages, downed trees, flooding and mudslides in the south coast of San Mateo County. A DOC was established at the La Honda Fire Brigade. ARES operators and CERT staffed the DOC 24 x 7 until the end of the activation. ARES operators transmitted emergency traffic and authenticated road closures to the EOC in Half Moon Bay. In addition, they provided essential information to the local community, who in turn transmitted the information to their respective GMRS radio networks in their neighborhoods.
Dec. 31, 2022 through Jan. 1, 2023. Five operators for a total of 17 hours. (54 person hours)
Jan. 4 – 5, 2023: Six operators for a total of 30 hours. (47.4 person hours)
Jan. 8 – 10, 2023: Ten operators for a total of 48 hours. (70 person hours)
Jan. 15, 2023: One operator for a short time – believe it was 4 hours due to power and communication outages.
During the Jan. 4 and Jan 8 activation, in addition to establishing the DOC at the Fire Brigade, ARES operators staffed the TEP (Temporary Evacuation Point) at the Pescadero High School. Here, they provided important information about road closures, floods and mudslides in the Pescadero area to the DOC and relayed information between the Red Cross and San Mateo County DEM to the DOC and vice-versa.
HMB ARES was also activated during the Jan 4-5 and Jan 8-10 incidents. Per our EC for HMB ARES:
“HMBARES was called to the Coastside EOC on 2023-01-04 to provide communications support for areas that had lost power and communications from 1200 until conditions stabilized at around 1800. On 2023-01-08 we were asked to maintain communications with the Pescadero TEP from home stations starting at 1600 and continuing through 0700 2023-01-09 when operations moved back to the Coastside EOC until conditions had improved and operations were suspended at 1700.”
Pat O’Coffey, KJ6GMG
President SC4ARC; EC South Skyline ARES
