To      : All Emergency Management Agencies
      From    : Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network
                Australia
      Information for inclusion in this fortnightly Bulletin
      should be sent by one of the following methods :-

      Postal  : WICEN, P.O. Box 106, Mitcham, Victoria, 3132
      InterNet: vk3tp@csource.oz.au
      FidoNet : Paul Walton @ 3:632/404
      Packet  : vk3ur@vk3bbs.vic.aus.oc
      Voice   : Paul Walton (03) 754-8646 (A.H)


WICEN.049         MEMBERSHIP ATTITUDE                       22/5/94        

This  article follows on from the last  Bulletin  provided by Peter Corkeron.

       WICEN is an  accredited Emergency Support group  within  the VRA.
       The role of WICEN is that of support with Communications for the 
Emergency  Services. This includes  the VRA rescue groups, the SES, Police,
Bushfire brigades etc.

       During normal times, the communications within each of these services 
has been  well planned and serve  the respective services well. In times of
emergencies, the workload of these communications as well as other areas, such
as welfare, are more than stretched to the limit.

       In the  case of  the  Newcastle Earthquake, the Sydney North storms and
the recent bushfires, the normal level of communications and the manpower in 
use was far greater than the normal resources. This was shown by the  number of
Interstate fire fighters that were flown in to replace weary firefighters, the
Salvation Army, Service clubs  and  other organisations  which  came to  assist
the primary combat agencies whose normal resources were stretched.

       WICEN, as a support group, has the capability to assist with manpower
and equipment during such times and looks forward to being of assistance. This 
is  what WICEN  is  about. As  the  motto says "Serving the Community in time
of need through Amateur Radio".

       Many hours of  planning have gone into organising  sites for repeaters,
Headquarters etc for their best use. For 364 days of the year, the  system 
will  work  well  and  the  one or  two channels available to the combat agency
is  more than adequate for the task. The personnel available will be more than
adequate. (Quite a number of their members will be standing around waiting for
tasks).

       When " all hell breaks loose ", the  combat agencies will be looking for
more people on whom THEY know they can rely.  If we are not called upon it may
be  because that agency may  not REALLY know what we can do for them.

       When we are  called upon, it is not because their system has failed or
that their operators cannot handle the problem. IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT.

       Some  comments  heard  around  indicate  that WICEN may have saved  the 
day.  That  the  other's  equipment  failed,  that  the communications wasn't
good enough to service area of the fire. "But we moved in and got the
communications going."

       There is a  limit to the  manpower  and the finance even for the major
combat agencies. The  equipment installed would be placed to  service  the 
widest area  possible. There  will  still be some valleys etc  which  would 
not be covered. These people are working towards portable equipment to cover
these possibilities.

       There  were  Amateur  repeaters  which  could not  cover the affected
areas. ie the Hornsby repeater would not effectively cover the area to the
north.

       This is the reason that the Dural repeater was requested.

       It  is  human  nature for  one  individual to  point out the failings of
another.

       When  dealing  with  people  it  is important NOT to improve one's image
by  putting others down. We should not suggest that the major agencies were not
 handling the task. It  is important not to suffer from a " loose tongue
syndrome ". Be  careful what you think and, in particular, what you say. Leave
the talking to the SCO, RCO or  an  appointed  spokesperson. If  a word gets to
a reporter, the article may finish with a  little more  emphasis on  some word
more than  another. He/she may  have  reported  what you said but it may look
different when it is in print and the tone of the  article may not be what was
intended. If  such an  article was read by a member of the  other  agency he
may  think twice before  inviting WICEN to assist in case something negative is
said.

We are there to ASSIST.

*     We are there to do our allotted task. If we do  that well, we
      will be asked again.

*     When our task is  finished, pack up, say  goodbye and go home
      quietly.

*     Having done this, we may be asked to assist at other times.

*     The RCO , at a  later time  should  approach  the  people who
      called us out  and inquire as to the value of our assistance.
      He/she could also  suggest how  we could be used in a similar
      situation.


Peter Corkeron (VK2AGB)
Administration Officer
SYDSTH WICEN