On Saturday October 4, 2025 members of the Saginaw County ARES group participated in a local and State of Michigan simulated emergency exercise.  The purpose of this exercise was to test alternative ways of communications between different county locations to county Winlink stations and pass the information via Winlink to the EOC.

Scenario:

A train derailment has occurred in front of the My Michigan Medical Center on Washington St resulting in a chemical spill. The hospital is put into lockdown and a shelter in place notification has gone out to the surrounding neighborhood.  Some out buildings closer to the derailment and businesses including MMR have been evacuated and a shelter has been set up at a local church. ARES has been asked to provide communications support for 911, Covenant ER and the shelter.

Access to the hospital is restricted and incoming Flight Care and ambulance patients are being re-routed to Covenant and other hospitals in the area.
2. Local EOC may request AUXCOMM personnel for several uses:
a. Providing communications to surrounding counties and/or hospitals
b. Assisting in EOC operations and communications.

The Saginaw County 911 radio room was activated along with the station at Covenant ER and a remote shelter located at a local church. Communication was established on both 2-meter voice and Winlink between 911 and the hospital and shelter. Winlink messages and resource requests were passed to 911 where a response was obtained and a reply was sent. We also made contact with several other counties and local hams that checked into the net

We had a great response from our Emergency Management office, 911 and Covenant. Thanks for all your input to the exercise.

Congratulations to all that participated

Participants:

In Person

Ron Huss, KC8YVF
Mike Dougherty, KD8MMH
Tom Schmidt, N8EUI
Gordy Schram, KC8YVD
Rick Schattilly, KC8VOA
Fred Bolger, KE8QCO

Metrics

• To follow

SCORING

• To follow
  

Photos from the exercise