News>March participates in multi-agency emergency communications test
Story at a Glance
• "Radio Rodeo" helps Southern California city, county, state and federal first responders to exchange best practices ideas • "The biggest benefit of conducting the test is knowing that our communication plan will work when we need it. Being together in one location allows us to make adjustments on the spot." --Barry Cannon
Photos
Nancy Driscoll, chief of bioenvironmental engineering and public health at March Air Reserve Base, examines a component of an INMARSAT radio while Capt. Rich Atwood, Los Angeles County Fire Department, explains its functionality, May 19, 2011 at the 3rd Annual Riverside County Multi-Agency Communication Interoperability Test at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Just)
Barry Cannon, 452nd Communications Squadron, conducts a radio check inside March Air Reserve Base's mobile communications vehicle during the 3rd Annual Riverside County Multi-Agency Communication Interoperability Test at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, Calif., May 19, 2011. The test, nicknamed "Radio Rodeo," ensures city, county, state and federal first responder agencies will be able to work together during a major disaster. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Megan Just)
Deputy Sherriff Jay Edge (left), County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, talks with Capt. Scott Carpenter, March Air Reserve Base Fire Department, at the 3rd Annual Riverside County Multi-Agency Communication Interoperability Test at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, Calif., May 19, 2011. The test, nicknamed "Radio Rodeo," ensures city, county, state and federal first responder agencies will be able to work together during a major disaster. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Megan Just)
Senior Airman Joel Aspeytia, 452nd Emergency Management Flight, adjusts a radio during the 3rd Annual Riverside County Multi-Agency Communication Interoperability Test at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, Calif., May 19, 2011. The test, nicknamed "Radio Rodeo," ensures city, county, state and federal first responder agencies will be able to work together during a major disaster. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Megan Just)
(from right) Barry Cannon, 452nd Communications Squadron, discusses communication equipment on display at the 3rd Annual Riverside County Multi-Agency Communication Interoperability Test with Airman 1st Class David Adolfo, 452nd Emergency Management Flight, and Nancy Driscoll, chief of bioenvironmental engineering and public health at March Air Reserve Base. The interoperability test was held at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, Calif., May 19, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Megan Just)
Barry Cannon (left), 452nd Communications Squadron, and Airman 1st Class David Adolfo, discuss notes at the3rd Annual Riverside County Multi-Agency Communication Interoperability Test at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, Calif., May 19, 2011. The test, nicknamed "Radio Rodeo," ensures city, county, state and federal first responder agencies will be able to work together during a major disaster. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Megan Just)
(from left) Barry Cannon, 452nd Communications Squadron; Airman 1st Class David Adolfo, 452nd Emergency Management Flight; and Nancy Driscoll, chief of bioenvironmental engineering and public health at March Air Reserve Base, exchange communication equipment ideas with Capt. Rich Atwood and fire dispatcher Barbara Selayndia of the Los Angeles County Fire Department . The 3rd Annual Riverside County Multi-Agency Communication Interoperability Test was held at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, Calif., May 19, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Megan Just)
by Megan Just
452nd Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
6/1/2011 - RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A major disaster is not the time for first responders to learn they cannot communicate with each other by radio.
To ensure they are connected, more than 20 Southern California agencies gathered at the Ben Clark Training Center May 19 for the Third Annual Multi-Agency Communications Interoperability Test.
March Air Reserve Base sent several first responders. They included representatives from the 452nd Bioenvironmental Engineering and Public Health, 452nd Emergency Management Flight, 452nd Communications Squadron and the March Field Fire Department. The 452nd Security Forces Squadron participated from another location.
"In the case of a major disaster, we have a national communication plan in place that enables brother and sister first-responder agencies to talk with each other on predetermined channels," said Barry Cannon, 452nd Communications Squadron personal wireless communication systems and land mobile radio manager. "But just because there is a plan doesn't mean it's going to work when it's needed."
At the test on May 20, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department tested the communication plan by leading a radio roll call with the participating agencies on each of 30 designated radio frequencies.
"The biggest benefit of conducting the test is knowing that our communication plan will work when we need it. Being together in one location allows us to make adjustments on the spot," said MR. Cannon, who represents March at monthly Riverside County Communications Interoperability Committee meetings.
Airmen from the emergency management flight towed their emergency communications trailer to the training center for the test and parked it alongside approximately two dozen other mobile command stations.
Airman 1st Class David Adolfo, a first-time participant in the interoperability test, compared the site to a "mobile communications car show."
Some of the mobile command stations at the site were slick, custom-made control centers that extended from the backs of pickup trucks. Other stations were behemoth recreati9onal vehicles with expandable side panels. Like a car show, the members of the various agencies toured one another's vehicles and compared notes.
"Some of the equipment we've seen out here today might be optimal for the fire department, law enforcement and medical," Mr. Cannon said. "We're going to look at making recommendations up the chain of command to acquire some of this for our first responders."
Equipment suggestions were not the only exchanges at the test, which is nicknamed "Radio Rodeo." Networking is a secondary purpose of the rodeo, and a pizza lunch following the morning's checks encouraged socializing.
"Having the ability to meet our counterparts is a big benefit because you're able to swap ideas about how we do things in the military and see how they do things on the civilian side," Mr. Cannon said. "Exchanging ideas helps enhance everyone's ability to do their jobs."
Airman Adolfo, who is an emergency management specialist, described the rodeo as "informative."
"It shows me what capabilities are out there and what capabilities are required to make a mission successful," he said. "Here, we can see what others bring to the table and how we can partner to get a mission accomplished."
Participants in the 2011 rodeo included California Highway Patrol, California Emergency Management Agency, San Marcos Fire Department, Riverside County Fire Department and several Southern California police departments.
