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Queen Creek Emergency Communications Group |
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QCECG Will Be Supporting These Next Events: QC Public Safety Day — February 4, 2023—Completed Founders’ 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 — Completed Frontier Family Park Grand Opening — June 8th, 2024 — Completed Founders’ Day—September 21, 2024 — Planning
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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 (Ron is now a Silent Key) 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 (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 - Municipal Services Building, Cholla Room 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 |
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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 |
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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: “When the Lights Go Out”, Complete Series in one file. |