What is a SAG?
by Jeff Walter, KE5FGA
1) What is a SAG?
A SAG is a vehicle used in bike and running races to transport the participants who, for whatever reason cannot continue down the course under their own power.
2) What does SAG stand for and who are the people that will be manning that type of vehicle.
SAG is an acronym that stands for (a) Support And Gear or (b) Special Assistance Group depending on the event.
I was schooled with Special Assistance Group. All SAG drivers must meet van rental agreement requirements. I.E,
minimum age (25) proof of insurance, Drivers license. Their insurance is not used. It is proof that they are
insurable to the MS office.
There is a 10-15% turnover ratio in new drivers from year to year.
Around 10% of them are HAM operators.
Age range from 25 to around 65
Their training is very similar to what you will be experiencing.
3) What kind of vehicle is a SAG unit?
All vehicles are 15 passenger vans that are rented by the MS office. Only the front 2 seats and the 1st bench seat remain in the vehicle. All others are removed for bike and rider transport. Fully loaded with average size people and bikes, 7 riders can be accommodated. Your vehicle will be styled in the same fashion.
4) Will we be manning a rest stop and an area down course and up course from that central location?
Yes. However every break point is different and has unique requirements. How each stop is managed will depend largely on the communicators themselves. We can only suggest what has worked in the past. After that, your experiences as an adult and skill as a communicator must take over for completion of the assignment.
5) Will there be an amateur radio operator who is not a part of our group that is in comms with the NCS for the MS150 at that location?
Yes. They are responsible to be the link between the break point and net control for all supplies, medical and higher level management needs. There was a suggestion at the meeting to make this operator a fifth part of the group. "Marrying" this person with your group would take a lot of planning and approval on Mike N5VCX's part. It can be done but requires more interlacing with others.
6) If the answer to number 4 above is YES, what is the approximate distance up course and down course from the central point?
The smallest break point is #3 on Saturday. Big Bertha's Food Stop on FM 529. Richard has the pleasure of commanding this stop. I would estimate that 3,000 riders will be in that area at the height of the action. That is more riders than the total of most any other ride you can think of. It may be 1/2 of an acre in size. However, the turn around points that I would like to see staffed are .64 miles (Kerr Rd.) and .36 miles (Buller Rd.) from Bertha's. The largest break point in area is #4 Nelsonville on Saturday. Measures about 1/3 of a mile front to back. Rated a par 6 on the golfer scale. All up hill too.
7) Times and dates from the time we meet until we secure, and I realize that the secure time can move.
We will meet at the Addicks Park-N-Ride, I-10 at Hwy 6. 4:30 AM. We will need to rig all of the vans with their mobile MURS radios, give them a quick radio use 101 lesson and have them "Radio check" in and out with a van that will be parked at the exit. After a break point is closed, the team is dismissed for the day.
8) What kind of training will there be?
VPSI video (14:12 Long)
Will need to make sure that all of the MURS radios are on the same frequency with no tone.
Our training day is March 25 at the ophthalmology clinic at U of H. All committees have a time slot.
CPR training is optional and free of charge at the school.
9) Is there the chance to do a dry run with some of the team to get a feel for what we will encounter before we encounter same?
Everyone is invited to "Drive the Route" during February. More on that later.
10) My understanding is that the SAG people will be operating with Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) radios operating on one of the five channels between 151.820 MHz and 154.600 MHz with a maximum of 2 watts output and that we ARES volunteers will be equipped with the same equipment. Is this correct?
Yes.
11) How long is the work day?
Obviously each break point closes at a progressively later time than the one before it. Break point 1 and 1A should be done by 10 am or so. Break point 7 will close at around 6 PM.
12) I need to understand more specifically what is expected and required of the ARES volunteers for this job. I am not comfortable with attempting a description of the actual work we will be involved in. (I guess that is because I have only a vague understanding of what SAG vehicles do.)
We expect the SAG Stop Communicators to:
Set up the SAG Stop Communicator tent(s) in the pre appointed spot. All of the associated banners, signs and no parking tape.
Control your area! Control access to the break point area by SAG vans in times of high bicycle traffic.
Direct in an orderly fashion the vans in and around the break point for safe and proper loading and unloading of the vehicles.
Control the riders waiting for the next van in an orderly fashion. First come first serve basis.
Conduct themselves in a professional manner. The riders are the customer, we are the service.
Monitor, but do not interrupt the main or medical nets. That is the break point HAMs job. Make no mistakes in this area.
Secure area, in conjunction with the break point captain's approval.
Check out of service with Net Control via the break point HAM.
Prepare for the next day deployment.
Enjoy the rest of the day/evening at your own leisure.
We do not expect the SAG Stop Communicators to:
Load the bikes in the van. They can be a friendly worker and assist if they like but it is not required.
Direct regular road traffic. PERIOD. We have highly paid police for that duty.
Repair bikes. We have bike shops charging fees for that service.
Haul trash.
Give medical treatment. We have medical teams everywhere for that.
Of course, all of this is with moderate weather and no ERP involved. The MS emergency response plan will be part of the training. Rest assured that you have never seen a peacetime event like this. It seems that the trail of riders will never end. But it does.
The sign of a true professional? We critique ourselves all the way back home. What could we have done better? It will happen.
As you can tell, this is one of my passions,
Again, my highest regards to you for serving our community.
Jeff KE5FGA