ARRL Class: Intro to EmComm I

[N9ZE]

Howdy to all:

I just signed up online to participate in the ARRL sponsored class "Introduction to Amatuer Radio Emergency Communications Level I (EC-001). (Looks like certain folks living in Connecticut can enroll under a subsidized program and effectively get this training for free.  Sounds like a good deal if you live there!)

I have never taken one of these online classes and I was wondereing if anyone here has any inside knowledge about this particular session.

I recently toured our local firestation, which our local radio club is actively involved.  We run 2m simplex net each Monday evening from the firehouse for practice purposes, but it wasn't until this tour that I gained a real appreciation what we do.  

During times of emergency, including severe weather, city officials along with the fire personel setup a command center in the basemaent of the facilty to assess situations as they arise.  It was very informative to witness firsthand the process in which hams can assist the information gathering efforts for around the city.

This little field trip has re-kindled that intial interst that got me involved in this hobby in the first place.  

So far this is a rambling statement without a question..so I'll pose my question now.  Who has opinions on the content of these ARRL sessions and do they seem to be well structured given these times of heightened national security.  

Steve

[KC2GFS]

Good course. I have taken levels I, II, III. You can see the course topic outline on the CCE page from www.arrl.org. The course was prepared by a panel of experienced em comm folks from around the country. It has been tested and revised several times.

Level I is a good basic introduction. As with all courses the juice is in the activities/assignments. Devote adaquate time to complete them. You will be exposed to many very useful links and it is in my humble opinion worth the tuition.

73 de KC2GFS

[K1RDD]

I took level I last winter after passing my Tech and General. I learned a great deal from it, not only about EComm, but about HAM in general, such as traffic nets, navigating the ARRL web site, etc.. I had an excellent mentor who gave me good quick feedback. I would recommend it, especially for new HAMs.

[K2GW]

Thanks for your interest in Public Safety and your dedication to get trained to do it right.  I've completed the Level III course and you'll find them very useful and informative.  After 25 years in Public Service operations I still found some new things to learn.

One of the key learnings of the courses is how we as hams fit into the bigger picture of emergency services.  That is vitally important and something the course does well.

You mentioned Homeland Security.  One of the things the recent federal grant to the ARRL will do will be to tweak the courses somewhat to include more on homeland security, terrorist incidents and mass casualty incidents.  But we're not alone in that; virtually every other emergency service (Red Cross; FEMA) is doing that to their own training.

Once again thanks for your dedication to public service.  Make sure you also register yourself with your local ARES/RACES group.

73

Gary Wilson, K2GW
Southern New Jersey Section Emergency Coordinator

[KE4SKY]

Virginia RACES had its Terrorism Awareness module available well prior to September 11.  Since then it has been reviewed and revised by professional emergency managers and it is further improved.  This module is available now and it is free.  

You may download the .pdf version from the Virginia RACES web page at http://www.varaces.org

A PowerPoint version may be downloaded free at
http://www.ilpi.com/terrorism/training.html

The next Virginia RACES live training session will be held Saturday October 26 at the Offices of the State Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia.  Registration information and the course program listing is posted   on the Virginia RACES web page listed above.  The session is free, but seating is limited and pre-registration is required.  

73 de KE4SKY
Virginia RACES State Training Officer

[K5MAR]

Frankly, I thought the level 1 course, as far as I went, SUCKED!  It was more of a course in Internet cut and paste.  Questions like What is the URL for the MOU between the ARRL and .... or go to the xyx.neet website, look the material over and tell what you learned (the website in question covered weather on the East Coast, I live in Oklahoma, and already use better professional sites than this amateur [no pun intended] site).  While I concede that somewhere along the way the course might have actually gotten into communications, there was no way to skip the introductory crap.  Additionally, I expect to be able to go online, get the lesson, and logoff, then log on later and take the test for the lesson.  This was not the case, you have to stay online and chase all the links, then test.  Frankly, I don't have time to do that.  In short, I don't recommend the course to anybody, unless they have time and money to burn.  I've been a police/911 dispatcher, and was really looking forward to learning amateur radio COMMUNICATIONS procedure, not Internet browser lessons.

Mark Schneider
K5MAR
AEC, Payne Cty, Okla. ARES

[KE4SKY]

The Virginia RACES policy on training is that it will be provided free.  The intent is that course material be structured such that the Basic Operator's Course can be delivered in a one-day live workshop.  This enables it to be conducted for convergent volunteers at a disaster site.  Our training provides operational specifics on operating procedures, methods and equipment.

I invite anyone to download our free .pdf files, review the materials and compare them to the materials offered by the ARRL.  The approach is quite different and may not appeal to everyone, but if it works for you, you are welcome to use them.

The URL is http://www.varaces.org  From the home page click on "Free EmComm Training Materials"

73 de KE4SKY
Virginia RACES State Training Officer

[KC5FM]

While I agree that this is good training,
one can obtain training from the FEMA website at
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/dhtml/fire-service/nfa-off3ss2.cfm
and obtain college credit for it as well.

The training is free.  The credit, if converted, costs.

Following that, if you desire to complete Department of Justice training in Terrorism (again some of these hours convert to college hours (and some of those are free)), contact your local Emergency Management director for assistance in getting into the advanced courses.

Let me know how more I can help.

Lloyd Colston    Mayes County Emergency Management
Pryor, OK  USA    http://www.geocities.com/mccem
When danger comes, it's too late to plan.

[N9ZE]

Thanks for the response thus far.  Sounds like most people are in favor of the program, and I will certainly take note of the comments by K4MAR.  Since I have yet to upgrade to a decent "non-dialup" internet connection, I may be frustrated by the on-line classrom experience.  I guess time will tell.

And thanks, KE4SKY for the link to the Virginia Races site.  As a matter of fact, I had already downloaded most, if not all, of the PDF files.  Very well done!  These truly are useful files and they many great tips about equipment issues, traffic protocol, and countless other subjects.  I am still working my way thru those files as time allows.  (And I downloaded from the office computer by the way...much quicker on a T1!!)

As for the FEMA site, that one is news to me.  Thanks for that tip and I will make it point to get there as soon as possible.  I also like the phrase in your signature, Lloyd, regarding planning.  That's exactly why I hope to get up to speed in this area.  Lack of preparedness is usually a liability during urgent times.

Thanks again for all the help.

Steve
N9ZE

[KE4SKY]

I agree that the FEMA EMI courses are excellent.

We encourage our RACES members to take the those as well, because they generally go into more depth on the subject than our introductory courses do.  We view  our .pdf's as an attention getter to encourage people to seek additional training, and try to make it convenient, because an introductory, awareness level of training is better than none at all.

As an alternative to signing up for EMI courses on  the FEMA web site, some state Emergency Management offices also offer and coordinate this training.  RACES officials and radio amateurs in Virginia who are affiliated with Red Cross, ground search & rescue teams, MARS, CAP or other disaster service organizations may attend free live emergency management training conducted by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, subject to the space available.  

The full VDEM training calendar and course descriptions may be viewed at http://www.vdem.state.va.us  

73 de KE4SKY
Virginia RACES State Training Officer

[AB8JC]

"I've been a police/911 dispatcher...."

This is a standardized INTRODUCTORY COURSE for the "average" amateur radio operator with little or no experience in emergency communications (and had Mark stuck it out, he would have gotten to the communications part).  It does cover very basic material.  But that was the intent of the course developers.  Surprisingly, they didn't actually write it for former police dispatchers!  Mark, they do offer the certification exams where you study on your own then just go take a test for about $10.  Maybe that would be a better way for you, if you are still interested.

Steve AB8JC
(Levels 1, 2, and 3)

[N9ZE]

I believe there is rarely a course that can appeal to everyone to the same degree, and your emphasis on the "introductory" level is noted.  I personally, have no problem starting with the basics since even a mild refresher course can't do any realy harm to anyone other than use up a little free time.

I was recently speaking with a fellow club member regarding the general protocol for running our weekly directed net, and he pointed out things I failed to notice.  e.g.:  many people when called will check into the net by giving both call signs, a hello to net control and everyone else on the net, and finally finish up with some general commentary about the current weather or their weekend plans....followed at last by "No Traffic"

All that extra stuff packed into the check-in process really constitutes traffic.  Practicing good net operations should stress the need to keep things brief.  Imagine the tie-ups that would take place during emergeny conditions if everyone takes a minute to check-in just to pass "no traffic".

Granted some nets are far less formal than others, and people will generally follow the lead of those in front of them.  So with that in mind, it becomes even more important for the new guys like myself, and even the old-timers that know all this stuff, to know the guidelines.

Other than taking a three short tests, I don't recall getting much training in this area which is why I am looking at these courses to fill in some of the gaps.

Thanks again.

Steve

[K2GW]

Hang in there. The certification course consists of three levels.

Level I is just the basics, mostly explaining where Amateur Radio fits into the Disaster Response sytem.  Level II is concerned with Net Operations and addresses the issues you raised.  Level III is oriented more toward the management of Amateur Emergency communications such as building an organization, developing plans and liaising with agencies.

If you don't wish to take them online, all can be taken by purchasing the text, writing out the exercises and completing the exams locally with a certified examiner

73

Gary, K2GW
SNJ SEC

[K2GW]

To clarify things further, here are the topics covered in the three current ARRL Emergency Communications Certification courses:

Level I
Introduction to Emergency Communications
Prerequisite to Emergency Communications
Communication Organizations
The Primary Served Agency
Communication Guidelines
Safety and Security Considerations
Traffic Nets
CW Nets
Basic Training Checklist
Incident Command System
Emergency Call-Outs

Level II
NCS (net control station) Overview
Learning to be an NCS
NCS Hints and Kinks
Working with Volunteers
Human Resource Aspects for NCS
Liaison with Public Safety Officials
More on Serving "Served" Agencies
Official Emergency Station
Net Manager Duties and Qualifications
Training Others
ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET)
Mutual Assistance and the ARESMAT Concept
ARRL Memoranda of Understanding
The Developing Needs of Served Agencies
FCC Emergency Frequency Declarations
Severe Weather Communications and SKYWARN
Personal Preparedness for Emergency Responders
Handling Hazardous Material Incidents
Hospital Emergency Communications
National Disaster Medical System Emergency Communications

Level III
ARES Management Positions
Districts in the ARES Field Organization
Building a Local ARES Group
RACES: Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
The Changing ARES/RACES Relationship
ARRL Field Organization and HQ Disaster Support Functions
Quick Response Teams (QRTs)
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
Relations with REACT International
Designing The Local Emergency Response Plan
Network Theory and the Design of Emergency Communication Systems
The Federal Response Plan
Key FRP Emergency Support Functions
What to Expect in Large-Scale Disasters
Hurricane Disasters
The Hurricane Watch Net
Disaster and Health/Welfare Traffic Handling
Marine Communication
Receiving and Processing “Walk-Ins”
Designing Successful Exercises
FCC Rules on Emergency Communications
Alternative Radio Systems
Mobile Communication Vehicles

They are designed to be taken in sequence, either on line, in a classroom or by self study and testing.  Obviously, they also need to be balanced with on the air experience in drills or actual emergencies and most importantly, common sense and good people skills.

73

Gary Wilson, K2GW
SNJ SEC

[KG4IUA]

I am currently enrolled in the Level I class under the Homeland Defense grant.  Being somewhat on the busy side of things, I also purchase the Level I course book.  This allows me to read the lesson when I can, then log on for the test and activities.  Level I is a nice basic intro.  My purposes are to complete all the levels, then be able to hold classroom sessions in this area.  This would be beneficial for those who prefer not to take the online course.  Performing things I already know is no biggie.  My goal is to be available to provide a servcie to others and this is just a stepping stone.  As stated by others, the Level I course is an introduction.  Enjoy the course and get the book, it's a nice back up to the web based course.

73,

Bill
Eastern North Carolina Skywarn EC
Carteret County ARES AEC