Queen Creek Emergency Communications Group

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

QCECG Will Be Supporting These Next Events:

QC Public Safety Day — February 4, 2023—Completed

Founder’s Day—September 16, 2023 —Completed

QC Trunk or Treat 2023—October 21, 2023 — Completed

QC Town Council Pancake Breakfast—November 4 — Completed

QC Holiday Festival & Parade 2023—December 2, 2023 — Completed

Spring into Queen Creek — March 23rd, 2024

If you are a licensed ham radio operator and would like to volunteer as a communicator for one or more of our upcoming events, send an email noting your interest to qcecgaz@gmail.com.

 

Background - Queen Creek Disaster Management and Response Plan

In 2009, the Town of Queen Creek sought to create a Disaster Response Plan.  A Disaster Management Committee was formed and appointed by the Town Council.

This Committee formulated a plan that included the use of citizen communicators to provide communications support to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), regional and district command centers, shelters, and field response teams. 

Those communicators would be recruited citizens that were subsequently trained and licensed as ham radio operators.  Additional training, provided by experienced ham radio operators, resulted in proficiency with emergency communications, known as EmComm.

The resulting collection of trained and licensed volunteers, along with the experienced ham radio operators, was organized in 2011 as the Queen Creek Emergency Communications Group or QCECG.

QCECG provides EmComm communicators for the Town’s EOC, district command/shelters, and the field response teams that provide medical, recon, and shelter services.  QCECG falls under the QC Fire and Medical Department and is directly managed by the QC Emergency Management Coordinator, Joe LaFortune.

QCECG leverages its communications assets for non-emergency events as well such as emergency preparedness fairs, Spring Into Queen Creek, Trunk or Treat, Holiday Festival & Parade, etc..

Today - The QCECG has achieved the following:

Trained and licensed approximately 180 volunteer communicators

Installed two radio repeater systems for Town use

Acquired radios, antennas, and gear to equip “go-bags” for each district command and shelter building

Conducts weekly training “net” over the air

Holds monthly meetings for the Group to provide on-going training and skill development

Provides communications support for Town events such as Spring Into Queen Creek and Trunk or Treat

Drills regularly to simulate execution of Town’s Disaster Management and Response Plan.

Regularly participates in national and worldwide amateur radio field exercises

Developed its own FCC ham license training and testing corps

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We thank Bruce Barnes, KF6EZT, for his many contributions to the Disaster Management Committee in defining, creating, and launching the Queen Creek Emergency Communications Group.

We also thank Dennis Lawrence, KF7RYX, for his many years of leadership, service, and expertise that helped QCECG gain its reputation as a benchmark in community emergency communications.

For more information regarding the Town’s emergency management program, contact Joe LaFortune, Town of Queen Creek, Emergency Manager at 480-358-3502.

For more information regarding the Queen Creek Emergency Communications Group and membership, please call 480-788-9035 or contact any of the folks listed below. WWW.QCECG.ORG

Joe Sammartino, N2QOJ, Co-Leader

Ron Earl, K7RWE, Co-Leader

Court Hilton, KG7VF, Co-Leader

QCECG meetings are on the second Thursday of every month at 7 PM.

There are four possible locations we will be using for our meetings over the next year or two:  Currently, they are:

(1) Queen Creek Library Annex, Zane Grey Community Room, 21802 South Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek, AZ 85142— https://tinyurl.com/ZaneGreyMTG

(2) Community Chambers at the new Queen Creek Police Building located at 20727 Civic Parkway, Queen Creek, AZ 85142 —  https://tinyurl.com/QCPDChambers

(3) Historic Town Hall (Our Original Meeting Location) at 22350 S Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek, AZ 85142 http://tinyurl.com/QCChambers

(4) Municipal Services Building at 22358 S. Ellsworth Road
Queen Creek, AZ 85142—
http://tinyurl.com/QCMunicipalServices

(5) Queen Creek Library Recreation Annex, 21802 South Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek, AZ 85142— Southeast Entrance

2024 Meeting Schedule:

January 11, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

February 8, 2024 - Municipal Services Building, Cholla Room

March 14, 2024 - Queen Creek Library Recreation Annex

April 11, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

May 9, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

June 13, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

July 11, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

August 18, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

September 12, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

October 10, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

November 14, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

December 12, 2024 - Historic Town Hall

 Weekly On-Air Training Net—Ocotillo Repeater—Every Sunday at 8 PM, 449.325 MHz, Negative Shift of 5 MHz, CTCSS (TX) Encode 100 Hz . All licensed amateur radio operators are welcome.

Queen Creek Repeater—449.475 MHz Encode CTCSS 136.5 Hz (Analog/Digital—C4FM System Fusion—NOT Wires-X)

Navigate this link to learn how to obtain your FCC Amateur Radio Technician Class license.

© 2018 - 2024 QCECG

Regarding emergency communications during a community or family crisis…..“If you have not chosen Ham Radio first, in the end, it will make not no difference what you have chosen instead.”  Joseph A. Sammartino, N2QOJ 2023

QCECG Net Recordings

Thanks to Thomas, K7THJ, for capturing this audio and edited by Joe, N2QOJ.

(1) “When the Lights Go Out”, Part 1, 3-3-2024

(2) “When the Lights Go Out”, Part 2, 3-10-2024

(3) “When the Lights Go Out”, Part 3, 3-17-2024

(4) “When the Lights Go Out”, Part 4, 3-24-2024

** Bonus **  Dennis KF7RYX Family Communications Plan Template (Coming soon)