April 16/2011 - Fully Deployed ARES DMAP Exercise & Mutual Aid Conference

On April 16/2011 I participated in a mutual aid deployment exercise held in Ottawa by the Seaway-Capital District ARES Group.  The exercise was well organized. As early as April 10, those of us who would be involved in the exercise began to receive emails followed by phone calls to review the details of the up-coming event.  On the morning of the exercise, net control was on the air before the actual starting time, to guide those of us "from away" to a recreation centre in east Ottawa, where we were registered and given our assignments. Our vehicles were left at the recreation centre and we were transported to our assigned locations. This was very helpful to those of us "from away", who were not as familiar with the city as the local participants.

The focus of the exercise was to get participants who were called into the area from outside to their posts as efficiently as possible. In that respect, the exercise was very well planned and carried out.  I imagine future exercises will build from that point to actually involve one set of radio operators taking over from another shift.  I was pleased to be invited to participate in the exercise and I was able to make contact with some of the participants, as well as renewing contact with some whom I had met at the Canadian Emergency Management College during a previous visit to Ottawa.

The deployment exercise was followed by the Annual Seaway-Capital District ARES Mutual Aid Conference for all members of the ARES group leadership team.  I found great value in listening to the reports from representatives of each ARES group in the district.  Most of the reports were concise and well-prepared.  I especially enjoyed a well-prepared and well-presented report by Peter Gamble called "Using IMS for Amateur Radio - Introduction". Peter explained how to apply IMS to amateur radio activities.

In summary, the program was well-prepared and well-presented. Much valuable information was shares among the participants.

Bill Milligan
VA3WOW
D.E.C. for the Loyalist District of A.R.E.S.