BEARS

BORDERLAND  EMERGENCY  AUXILIARY  RADIO  SERVICE

BEARS is a new organization. The idea came up over coffee with some fellow Hams and public service people. We could see the need for a mobile emergency communications and command center in Northern Minnesota, North Dakota and the border areas of Canada. After doing some research on the idea we found that individual governments don't need a mobile EOC very often and the cost would be prohibited to most. What we needed was a EOC that could be put into service anywhere shortly after being requested. Having such a unit available would provide easier and more efficient incident command and control.

We decided to start an organization to provide a mobile EOC to any public or private agency that may have need for it. We can bring the EOC to them and it can be manned by theirs and or ours personal. We found that we would have to pay from $100,000 to $ 250,000 to buy one. Being small town & farm boys we decided that we could build a better one for a lot less money. We have purchased 40-foot Greyhound bus to convert into a mobile EOC and have started the conversion.

REASON

The question is not if we are going to have an disaster in our area but when we are going to have one.  This is why we should be prepared for any thing. There are two things that can make any disaster worst is the lack of management and the lack of communications. Nether Management or Communications work very well with out the other. In today's world we can't seem to do anything without our cell phones, the Internet, telephones, etc. In the case of a disaster your cell phone the Internet the phone system and even your own (911) dispatch center may be useless because of overload and the possibly that they may have been put out of service by the disaster. With a mobile operations center we can set up a command center anywhere. We can provide the served agency with all their radio frequency's, their own telephone system and many other modes of communications such as Ham radio, marine band, air band, CB, FRS, satellite communications and even its own TV & Radio broadcast station and many others. The mobile EOC can also be used as a command center for other things such as public events, races, fishing derby's, school events, search & rescue, fires, communication outages etc.

PURPOSE

BEARS purpose is to provide a self contained mobile command and communication center that can put into service as soon as it arrives on the scene. Also to provide trained personal and equipment to supplement the served agency's communications needs. It is to be used in but not limited to the Border area of Minnesota, North Dakota and Canada.

COMMAND & CONTROL OF EOC

The BEARS will turn over control of the EOC to the served agency as soon as they set it up. Two BEARS responders will stay with the unit to maintain it until the operation is over. The served agency will provide personal to operate the radios on there frequencies. If ham radio operators are needed we will recruit them from our ranks and-or the local ham radio clubs.

COST TO SERVED AGENCY

BEARS will provide their service at no charge to anyone that needs it for non-profit use. The only thing we ask for is the cost of the fuel. We will have our tanks top off when we leave Greenbush and will top them again when we return to Greenbush. We will then bill the served agency for the fuel. We will not bill for our services. It will be up to the served agency if they want to give a donation to the BEARS.

MEMBERSHIP

BEARS is a not for profit agency it consist of five permanent non-paid board members and others interested in volunteer emergency public service. Members will consist of amateur radio operators and anyone interested in

working with emergency communications. The board will screen all members. Members will be required to attend training classes and to be on a call out list, which will be flexible. Members should to be able to be called out at any time day or night. The BEARS is not a club, it is a volunteer organization that is run like a military unit. There will be a chain of command and rank will appointed by the board. As a member of BEARS you will not have to pay dues, you will work as a volunteer with no pay. The only cost to members will be there personal equipment, which will include a vest, hard hat, a soft hat and duty belt. Non hams will need a FRS HT and-or a pager. Hams a dual band HT and-or a pager. Uniforms are optional. 

PROGRESS

We already have purchase a 40 foot MCI greyhound type bus. We are in the progress of converting it into an EOC.  We have acquired some radios and other equipment. We are trying to find some corporate sponsors and other sources for donations.

NEXT PROJECTS

After we get the Bus operational and paid for our plans are to add another Bus or a forty-eight foot simi-trailer to support the EOC also a cube van to be used as a support unit. The van will be equipped to operate as a information unit for the EOC. It will be put into service anywhere there is a need to relay information between it and the EOC. Some of the modes of passing information will be. Voice radio, Packet radio, Television, Microwave, and others. Any one of the three units will be capable of operating independently as an EOC.

We also need a place to house our equipment. Getting a building will also be

one of our projects. In the meantime we hope to find temporary storage.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FROM YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION

We are seeking financial help.

Because this service is free to the user the only way we can make it work is with help from the community. To get the EOC operational we will need about $10,000 which is a fraction of what it would cost to buy one. We will also need at least $ 1500 a year for fix operating expenses. For the operating expense we are seeking sponsors that would be willing to donate a set amount of money each year. We hope to raise the money with help from local service clubs, business , private donations and government grants, which are in short supply these days. We think this is a worthwhile project and hope we can depend on your help.

If you are interested in helping and or becoming a member contact.

Bill Maat       218-425-7888 

Mike Siems   218-782-2585

Arnie Clark   218-782-2936

Pat Collins     218-436-2520

Art Johnson   218-463-2131

Or email - bears@wiktel.com

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