Toronto Joint-Operations Field Day 2008
Event
HMCS York June 28-29
In the summer of 2007, the Toronto
EmComm Group established an Amateur Radio training program to recruit radio
operators for the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre and the City of
Toronto Emergency Operations Centre. In the fall of 2007, the Toronto EmComm
Group certified 26 soldiers and officers from the 709 (Toronto) Communication
Regiment as Amateur Radio operators that can provide domestic support operations
to the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto during times of disaster.
An EmComm training program to train
radio operators in emergency operations procedures and message handling
followed the amateur radio certification course. Field Day 2008 was the
next step in training the newly licensed radio operators with some hands
on practical radio operating experience.
SITUATION
Field Day is an annual amateur radio
exercise run by the National Association for Amateur Radio encouraging
emergency communications preparedness among operators in Canada and the
United States. The intent is to practice the rapid deployment of
radio communications equipment in environments ranging from operations
under tents in remote areas to inside Emergency Operations Centres.
MISSION
709 (Toronto) Communication Regiment
will conduct a domestic response readiness verification exercise by deploying
a field command post to HMCS York (659 Lakeshore Blvd, Toronto) as participation
in Exercise Field Day 2008.
EXECUTION
Concept of Operations 709 will
provide operators and a Domestic Operations Headquarters facility for provincial
and municipal emergency management organizations utilizing amateur radio
assets. HF amateur radio assets from the Toronto EmComm Group will
be operationally controlled by the units amateur call sign VA3TSR. This
event will also be an opportunity to connect with the community extending
CF outreach to civilians in the surrounding area.
COMMAND AND SIGNAL
A) COMMANDING OFFICER FIELD
DAY SIGNALS TROOP Maj Stasyna, Commanding Officer, 709 Communication
Regiment.
B) EMOARES COORDINATOR
Mr. Jim Taylor VA3KU, Toronto EmComm
C) EXERCISE DIRECTOR Lt
Michael Tu, A/Adjutant 709 Comm Regt.
D) EXERCISE OPI MCpl David
Spessot, 709 Comm Regt.
FIELD DAY DEPLOYMENT
Amateur Radio operators from the
709 Communication Regiment, Emergency Management Ontario ARES, Toronto
Office of Emergency
Management EmComm Group, Toronto
ARES and York Region ARES conducted a Joint-Field Day Exercise at HMCS
York Toronto.
The 709 Communication Regiment set
up a military style field operation supplying the Field Day location, Command
Post/Operations Area, 10 Kilowatt Generator, Field Tents, antenna masts,
and Public Information booth and logistic support at the HMCS York Armoury.
Emergency Management Ontario ARES
supplied one complete HF station and Public Information Static Display,
Toronto Office of Emergency Management EmComm Group supplied one complete
HF station, Toronto ARES supplied one complete HF station and York Region
ARES supplied one complete Digital station operating.
Four dipole antennae were installed
on masting supplying coverage for 80, 40 and 20-meter bands. Band conditions
were fair to poor during the exercise, 163 contacts were made during the
24-hour period.
Radio Operators
VA3HFB Hal, VA3HKR Alfred, VA3JCE
Joseph, VA3KU Jim, VA3MTU Michael, VA3PRW Peter, VA3RXX Robert, VA3SUG
Dean, VA3VAB Greg, VE3AAP Ted, VE3EVU Steven, VE3GIH Gord, VE3SPE David,
VE3OV Joe
Locations Contacted
ALABAMA, ALASKA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS,
CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS,
INDIANA,, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS,
MICHIGAN, MISSISSIPPI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY,
NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, OHIO, ONTARIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH
CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, VIRGIN ISLANDS, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA
