There is an exercise between MARS and Amateur Radio Stations that is being held this Sunday, November 8th.  Beginning about 8 AM local time and continuing through about 11 AM on the KA1RCI network, MARS stations that are also hams will ask for county status reports from hams.  Please note these are ACTUAL conditions, not simulated:

“The requests from MARS amateur radio operators will be for the status of power, water, sanitation, medical facilities, communications and transportation.  Amateur operators are to respond to the best of their knowledge, and it is perfectly acceptable to say “I don’t know”.  MARS amateur operators may thus talk with several amateur radio operators to try to develop a fuller picture of that county’s status.  Again, amateur stations should report only actual conditions.”

The purpose of the exercise is demonstrate the MARS operator’s capability to develop a situation picture for their area of responsibility.