SCHEART RRT Registration

What is the South Carolina Healthcare Emergency Amateur Radio Team (SCHEART)?

SCHEART is a state-wide initiative to provide backup communication support for the South Carolina Palmetto 800 MHz communication system, using a series of repeaters strategically located to support eight public health regions covering all 46 counties. Using voice-over-internet protocol, SCHEART repeaters can be linked together to form a statewide emergency communications network, or used as stand alone repeaters for wide area communications. The SCHEART network is available to any licensed ham operator for routine operations.

What are SCHEART Radio Response Teams (RRTs)?

• Radio Response Teams are formed by hospital employees who are amateur (Ham) radio operators working in partnership with the local Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) organization.

• Radio Response Teams are activated during drills, exercises and real-life events to provide backup communications when primary systems may be lost or severely crippled.

• Radio Response Teams volunteer to support hospitals, shelters, healthcare facilities, and other ESF-8 responders during major disasters or public health emergencies.

How do I become a Radio Response Team (RRT) member?

To become a part of an SCHEART Radio Response Team, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be 18 years of age and in the process of becoming a licensed ham radio operator.

• Register today or e-mail dease@sc.edu  for persons to contact at a facility near you.

What do Radio Response Team (RRT) members do?

• Attend meetings and participate in tabletops drills and full-scale exercises.

• Participate in appropriate educational trainings conducted by the healthcare facility or SCHEART.

• Participate in training exercises and assist hospital personnel with radio checks.

• BE FLEXIBLE – be ready to respond to distress calls day and night (weekdays & weekends).

What is SC-SERV?

SC-SERV stands for Statewide Emergency Registry of Volunteers, a secure registration system and database for volunteers willing to respond to public health emergencies in South Carolina or other areas across the country.

The SC-SERV database has been specially modified to accommodate SCHEART RRT members. When ham radio operators register, their credentials and certification are verified in advance, allowing for efficient deployment and utilization of volunteer operators.

Do Radio Response Team (RRT) members need to register with SC-SERV?

• Registration with SC-SERV is optional but highly encouraged.

• Registration with SC-SERV does not obligate volunteers to serve during an emergency or disaster.

• If an event requiring volunteer assistance occurs, appropriate public health officials will use SC-SERV to generate a list of potential volunteers. Those listed will be contacted and given information regarding the event, and be given the opportunity to accept or decline service as a volunteer.

• Volunteers are expected to maintain current contact information on SC-SERV.

For additional information concerning SC-SERV go to: www.scserv.gov.