SEMA and Southwick Auxiliary Police provide crowd and traffic control at the Fourth Annual Penguin Plunge

On Saturday, January 26, 2008 the Amelia Park Children's Museum hosted its 4th annual Penguin Plunge and Winter Carnival fundraiser at The Cove Pavilion on North Pond of the Congamond Lakes.  Southwick Emergency Management Agency members provided crowd and traffic control.  Southwick’s  Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members also assisted Public Safety during the event.   The Penguin Plunge is an annual fundraiser that benefits the Amelia Park Children's Museum and gives fundraisers a chance to take a cold swim in Lake Congamond.  92 thrill seekers went for an icy dip in the lake to raise money for the museum. The air temperature was a brisk 34 degrees and the water was a invigorating 33 degrees.  The event was held on the grounds of The Cove restaurant in Southwick and raised more than $15,000 for the Amelia Park Children's Museum.  The event was extremely well attended with over 1000 spectators. SEMA members who worked the Penguin Plunge included Director Charles Dunlap, Assistant Directors Chuck Housner and Keith Stromgren, Radio Officer Eric Carroll, and members Bob Miller and Dave Houle.

Southwick Emergency Management Director Charles Dunlap along with other SEMA members provided crowd control for the crowd of 1000 people for the 4th annual Penguin Plunge and Winter Carnival.	Here you can see some of the participants taking a plunge in Lake Congamond where the Southwick Fire Department Dive Team opened a hole in the ice for the Penguin Plunge.
Wilderness Experiences Unlimited put on a Kayaking demonstration.	Southwick Fire and Emergency Management vehicles staged at the event.

SEMA members attend Southern New England Weather Conference.

On Saturday, October 27, 2007 SEMA Director Charles Dunlap and Assistant Director Keith Stromgren attended the Southern New England Weather Conference in Brookline, MA.  The conference was held on the grounds of the Dexter and Southfield Schools, at the Clay Center Observatory.  Topics included winter weather forecasting, severe weather, hurricanes, advances in the science of meteorology, and emergency preparedness.  

SEMA Director Charles Dunlap, Glenn Field, Warning Coordination Meteorologist of the National Weather Service and Assistant Director Keith Stromgren take a break from the Southern New England Weather Conference.	SEMA Director Charles Dunlap and Robert Thompson, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service forecast office in Taunton, Massachusetts.

SEMA Members Participate in Simulated Radiological Emergency at Greenfield Community College

SEMA Director Charles Dunlap, Radio Officer Eric Carroll, members Howard Pohlman, Bob Miller and Assistant Director Chuck Housner prepare to distribute dosimeters to participants.	SEMA Members explain the correct use of the Direct Read Dosimeters to emergency workers during the simulated exercise at the Greenfield Community Reception Center.

On Saturday morning, July 14, 2007 members of the Southwick Emergency Management Agency participated in a radiological exercise that was sponsored by the Enterty Corporation, owner of the Vermont Yankee power plant and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.  SEMA Director Charles H. Dunlap, Assistant Director Chuck Housner, Radio Officer Eric Carroll and members Howard Polhman and Bob Miller were active participants in the exercise.  During the exercise, SEMA members calibrated dosimeters and distributed them to rescue personal who were participating in the exercise.  The exercise scenario was based on a radiological release and the subsequent evacuation of local residents.  The exercise was held at the Greenfield Community College which serves as the reception center for evacuees because it is located outside the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone.

SEMA featured in the Springfield Republican: Hams tune up emergency radio skills

Sunday, June 24, 2007
By ALEX PESHKOV
apeshkov@repub.com 

SOUTHWICK - William R. Ferry has a hobby enjoyed by 6 million people across the world: The Southwick resident has been a ham radio operator for about 50 years. 

"I was visiting a fellow who was a ham already. I was a paper boy, and he was one of my customers. 

"I started talking to him, got interested, got a license and have been keeping up the hobby for 50 years," said Ferry, one of the radio amateurs who use various types of equipment to communicate with each other for public service, recreation and self-training 

Today, thousands of ham operators across the nation were participating in Field Day, an annual 24-hour exercise, that began yesterday at 2 p.m. 

Each year, countless radio enthusiasts into unusual locations to test - making certain that ham radio always will be there to get the message through in an emergency. 

Dozens of operators from Western Massachusetts gathered yesterday in Dufresne Recreational Park in Granby and at other sites across the region to take to the air at the same time and stay on the air for 24 hours. 

The 75th Field Day "is a national exercise run by the American Radio Relay League to promote emergency communications preparedness," said Chuck Housner, assistant director of the Southwick Emergency Management Agency. 

He was speaking in a parking lot behind the Southwick Town Hall where the agency's staff was setting up a temporary communication center. 

"Basically, we test our equipment and try to make contact with other emergency management agencies and amateur radio operators throughout the country," said Housner, a ham radio operator himself, whose interest in that "goes back, probably, 10 or 15 years." 

"It's a great way to meet other people, to help your community and be involved in your community, especially in times of trouble. We did use amateur radio back during the nor'easter we just had, so it's very helpful," he said. 

Housner and his colleagues will be at the site until 2 p.m. today, so everyone will have a chance to meet and talk with them and "see what the Amateur Radio Service is about." 

"The main purpose of this is to test our skills and equipment, running today on solar power," said Al Albert Grimaldi, radio emergency communication officer from East Longmeadow, whose call sign is KB1XG. 

Grimaldi's first contact yesterday was W1AW, which is both the amateur radio call sign and the primary operating station of the American Radio Relay League. Also known as the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW is located on the grounds of ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Conn. 

"It's the ham radio headquarters in America, and it's just happened. It's like one chance in a million," Grimaldi said. 
Source

WAMC interviews SEMA Director Charles H. Dunlap about the NWS StormReady Program

SOUTHWICK, MA (2007-04-24) The National Weather Service is hoping to encourage more communities to develop comprehensive plans to handle local severe weather. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.  

Listen to the report in MP3 format by clicking here.  

SEMA and Southwick Auxiliary Police provide crowd and traffic control at the Third Annual Penguin Plunge

On Saturday, January 27, 2007 the Amelia Park Children's Museum hosted its 3rd annual Penguin Plunge and Winter Carnival fundraiser at The Brass Rail Pavillion on North Pond of the Congamond Lakes.  Southwick Emergency Management Agency members along with the Southwick Auxiliary Police provided crowd and traffic control.  Four of Southwick’s  Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members also assisted Public Safety during the event.   The Penguin Plunge is an annual fundraiser that benefits the Amelia Park Children's Museum and gives fundraisers a chance to take a cold swim in Lake Congamond.  Over 170 thrill seekers went for an icy dip in the lake to raise money for the museum. The air temperature was a brisk 16 degrees and the water was a invigorating 34 degrees.  The event was held on the grounds of The Brass Rail restaurant in Southwick and raised more than $40,000 for the Amelia Park Children's Museum.  The event was extremely well attended with over 1000 spectators. SEMA members who worked the Penguin Plunge included Director Charles Dunlap, Assistant Directors Chuck Housner and Keith Stromgren, Radio Officer Eric Carroll, and members Bob Miller and Howard Pohlman. Southwick Auxiliary Police Officer Peter Jakobowski, Jr. assisted with traffic control.

Here you can see some of the participants taking a plunge in Lake Congamond where the Southwick Fire Department Dive Team opened a hole in the ice for the Penguin Plunge.
Southwick Auxiliary Police Officer Pete Jakobowski provides traffic control for the crowd of 1000 people for the Penguin Plunge and Winter Carnival.	Left to Right: SEMA member Howard Pohlman, SEMA Radio Officer Eric Carroll, Assistant Director Chuck Housner and SEMA Director Charles Dunlap.

Southwick Girl Scouts Receive Orientation on Emergency Management

SEMA Director Charles Dunlap talks about the importance of emergency management to the scouts.	SEMA Director Charles Dunlap along with Scout Leaders Patty Reardon and Kate Donnelly and members of troop 403.

On Monday morning, January 15, 2007 the Southwick Emergency Management Agency hosted members of Girl Scout Troop 403 of Southwick, MA.  The scouts received an orientation of the Emergency Operations Center provided by SEMA Director Charles H. Dunlap, Assistant Director Chuck Housner, and SEMA member Robert Miller.  The scouts are working toward their Emergency Preparedness Interest Projects.  The Emergency Preparedness Interest Project requires the scouts to visit a local command center to learn about different technologies used for communication and handling emergencies in their community. The purpose of this visit is to teach the scouts what back-up technologies are available for use in case of a disaster.

SEMA Members Participate in Simulated Radiological Emergency at Greenfield Community College

SEMA Member Bob Miller, Assistant Director Chuck Housner and Director Charles Dunlap distribute dosimeters to participants.

On Saturday morning, October 28, 2006 members of the Southwick Emergency Management Agency participated in a radiological exercise that was sponsored by the Enterty Corporation, owner of the Vermont Yankee power plant and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.  SEMA Director Charles H. Dunlap, Assistant Director Chuck Housner and members Bob Miller and Pete Jakobowski were active participants in the exercise.  During the exercise, SEMA members calibrated dosimeters and distributed them to rescue personal who were participating in the exercise.  The exercise scenario was based on a radiological release and the subsequent evacuation of local residents.  The exercise was held at the Greenfield Community College which serves as the reception center for evacuees because it is located outside the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone.

Southwick Auxiliary Police provide crowd control at the Holyoke Road Race and St. Patrick's Parade

On Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19, 2006 - Southwick Auxiliary Police Director Charles H. Dunlap and Officer Pete Jakobowski, Jr. provided crowd control at the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade and Road Race.  With a crowd of 250,000 people for the parade, neighboring towns and cities have traditionally volunteered their Auxiliary Police to assist in providing security for this event.  Holyoke Police Captain Alan G. Fletcher said, "I have over 300 police officers assigned to the parade; we have auxiliary police and neighboring city departments, and state police."

Southwick Auxiliary Police Officer Pete Jakobowski, Jr.  and Director Charles H. Dunlap

SEMA and Southwick Auxiliary Police provide crowd and traffic control at the Penguin Plunge

On Saturday, January 28, 2006 Southwick Emergency Management Agency members along with Southwick Auxiliary Police Officers provided crowd and traffic control at the Penguin Plunge and Winter Carnival. The Penguin Plunge is an annual fundraiser that benefits the Amelia Park Children's Museum and gives fundraisers a chance to take a cold swim in Lake Congamond. The lake temperature was a chilly 44 degrees.  Approximately 70 thrill seekers took the plunge and were applauded by 750 spectators. The event was held on the grounds of The Brass Rail restaurant in Southwick and raised more than $26,000 for the Amelia Park Children's Museum.  Southwick EMA Director Charles Dunlap, Assistant Director Chuck Housner, Radio Officer Eric Carol and members Dave Houle and Bob Miller provided traffic and crowd control as well as communications support. Auxiliary Police Officers Pete Jakobowski, Jr. and Steve Royer provided traffic and crowd control during the event. 

Left to Right: SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner, Southwick Auxiliary Police Officers Steve Royer and Pete Jakobobski, SEMA members Dave Houle, Bob Miller, and SEMA Director Charles Dunlap.	Southwick Auxiliary Police Officers and SEMA members provide traffic control for the crowd of 800 people for the Penguin Plunge and Winter Carnival.
Here you can see some of the thrill seekers taking a plunge in Lake Congamond where the Southwick Fire Department Dive Team opened a hole in the 10" thick ice for the Penguin Plunge.

SEMA members attend Southern New England Weather Conference.

On Saturday, November 5, 2005 SEMA Director Charles Dunlap, Assistant Director Chuck Housner and member Pauline Dunlap attended the Southern New England Weather Conference in Brookline, MA.  The conference was held on the grounds of the Dexter and Southfield Schools, at the Clay Center Observatory.  Topics included winter weather forecasting, severe weather, hurricanes, advances in the science of meteorology, and emergency preparedness.  Among the speakers who presented at the conference were John E. Jones, the Deputy Director of NOAA's National Weather Service and Rick McCoy, the Director, of the Van Wert County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, in Ohio.

Presenters in the Clay Center Observatory auditorium.	SEMA Director Charles Dunlap and Pauline Dunlap.

SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner heads to Mississippi to Assist Hurricane Victims

On Monday, September 26, 2005 SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner left for Atlanta, Georgia to be staged for deployment into the Gulf coast region on the heels of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  In Atlanta, Chuck was selected to lead a task force of Community Relations Field Officers and deploy them to Biloxi, Mississippi and on September 30, 2005 Task Force 139 was deployed. 

Once in Mississippi, Chuck worked in the field for a month as a Community Relations Field Officer, identifying Special Needs clients and helping to get them into temporary housing.  Currently, Chuck has several responsibilities working in the Biloxi Area Field Office (AFO).  

• Coordinating the Speakers Bureau, which provides FEMA representatives from different program areas to Town Hall meetings to help answer peoples questions about receiving assistance from the federal government.  
• Managing Special Needs Intake 
• FEMA Community Relations representative to the Inter-Agency Health and Safety Committee.        

SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner (second from right) with his task force of Community Relations Field Officers in Atlanta, GA.	SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner at his desk In Biloxi, Mississippi.

SEMA acquires AM General M35A2 6x6 2 1/2 ton Cargo Truck

The Southwick Emergency Management Agency is proud to announce that it has acquired an AM General M35A2 6x6, 2 1/2 ton Cargo Truck that it will use to support Emergency Management activities.   

SEMA Members Participate in Simulated Radiological Emergency at Greenfield Community College

SEMA Director Charles H. Dunlap cleans up a simulated contaminated area.	Peter Jakobowski, Jr. and Eric Carroll discuss the radiological exercise	SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner and Eric Carroll stand in front of one of the radiological detection portals.

On Saturday morning, May 14, 2005 members of the Southwick Emergency Management Agency participated in a radiological exercise that was sponsored by the Enterty Corporation, owner of the Vermont Yankee power plant and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.  SEMA Director Charles H. Dunlap, Assistant Director Chuck Housner and members Eric Carroll and Pete Jakobowski were active participants in the exercise.  During the exercise, participants were required to setup radiological portals to screen evacuated residents for exposure to radiation.  The exercise scenario was based on a radiological release and the subsequent evacuation of local residents.  During the exercise, all participants were required to wear protective equipment including disposable nitrile gloves and rubber booties.  Participants also were equipped with radiation dosimeters to measure their expose levels.  The exercise was held at the Greenfield Community College which serves as the reception center for evacuees because it is located outside the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone.

SEMA Members attend National Weather Service SKYWARN Training in Chicopee, Massachusetts

National Weather Service Meteorologist Glen Fields leads the SKYWARN training session held in Chicopee, MAssachusetts	SEMA Director Charles H. Dunlap is interviewed by News 22 about the importance of the SKYWARN weather spotter training.

On Monday evening, April 25, 2005 members of the Southwick Emergency Management Agency attended National Weather Service SKYWARN training in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  SEMA members who completed the weather spotter course included Director Charles H. Dunlap, Assistant Direct Chuck Housner, and members Pauline Dunlap, Robert Miller and Eric Carroll.  WWLP News 22 was there and hosted a segment on the training during their regular broadcast.  During that segment, SEMA Director Charles Dunlap was interviewed and spoke about the importance of the training.  Thanks to WWLP News 22 for providing us with these images. 

Southwick Auxiliary Police Officer Peter Jakobowski, Jr. Graduates from Reserve / Intermittent Basic Training

Peter Jakobowski, Jr. Receives his diploma from Mark Smith of the Western Massachusetts Regional Police Academy in Feeding Hills Massachusetts.	(Left to right) Southwick Fire Chief Don Morris, Southwick Auxiliary Police Office Peter Jakobowski, Jr; Southwick Police Chief Mark Kynicki and Southwick Emergency Management Director Charles H. Dunlap.

On Thursday evening, April 7, 2005 Peter Jakobowski, Jr. graduated from the Reserve / Intermittent Officer Basic Training at the Western Massachusetts Regional Police Academy in Feeding Hills Massachusetts.  In attendance for the event were Southwick's new Chief of Police Mark Krynicki, Southwick Fire Chief Don Morris and Southwick EMA Director Charles Dunlap.  Officer Jakobowski, Jr. was one of 34 graduates from this session of the academy receiving 148 hours of training.     

SEMA conducts R.A.C.E.S. Radio Propagation Drill on April 2, 2005

Members of Southwick Emergency Management Agency (Left to right) Keith Stromgren, Radio Officer; Charles H. Dunlap, EMA Director; Robert Miller; and Eric Carrol.	(Left to right) Chuck Housner, EMA Assistant Director; Eric Carrol; Pauline Dunlap; Keith Streomgrem, Radio Officer; and Robert Miller.

On Saturday morning, April 2, 2005 the Southwick Emergency Management Agency conducted a R.A.C.E.S. (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services) Radio Propagation Drill within the town of Southwick to test 146.000 MHz radios and their capabilities communicating from different sites around town to each other and to the Emergency Operations Center.  The weather made this exercise even more challenging and realistic to the members who participated.  During the exercise, the E.O.C. was activated as we were under a flood warning from the National Weather Service.  Over two inches of rain fell while the exercise was being conducted and a portion of College Highway was closed due to flooding.      

SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner heads to Florida to Assist Hurricane Victims.

On Monday, September 14, 2004 SEMA Assistant Director Chuck Housner (far right) was chosen at the FEMA Disaster Field Office in Atlanta, GA to lead a team of Community Relations Officers.