Our local ARES-RACES group is looking at where we are at and what we can offer our area. #What we are looking for from you and your groups is what training do you do and what special functions your group serves above and beyond the obvious message handling. #Obviously message handling is extremely important but what has your group done or doing to set your group apart. #What training excercizes and/or classes does your group do above basic message handling? #ATV?? #Digital Modes? #Work with law enforcement etc. groups for training? CPR-First Aid?
Upon receipt of whatever responses I get here, I will post a summary of what I learn from all of you. #Please submit your responses to kc8pmx@diamondcs.net . #Thanks for your support!
I hope this info will help. While my local area does not have an amateur radio club or a repeater much less a ARES/RACES group (not enough hams) , most areas surrounding do, and I was able to attend a course back in the spring that might serve your purpose. Usually taught in conjunction with local emergency management and local fire departments, it serves as training to formalize some of the services we are able to provide.
# The course is known as CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) #and the purpose of the course is that, during a mass casualty incident affecting a large area, local emergency response (police, fire, EMS) will be stretched beyond capacity. Those affected may be on their own for a time. CERT provides a standardized structure (in accordance with ICS) for citizens, communities, schools, and industry, to provide basic triage and initial emergency care, to conduct light search and rescue, and to conduct suppression of minor fires. Once emergency response personnel arrive, the scene has already been secured (to a manageable point), information is passed along to the emergency personnel, and official operations can move along with greater speed and efficiency. # #
If you know someone in the fire service or emergency management, they should have more info.
Why don't we just all stay out of the Fascist "Homeland Security" BS?
The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.
– George Orwell --
Here in NYC we have developed a cumulative program in regards to training for ARES and RACES. #Since they are two separate programs, with two totally diverse clients, we start people in ARES and then after at least one full year of activity they may be invited to join RACES.
See our websites for detailed info of training, public service events and relationships with served agencies (Red Cross for ARES and NYC Office of Emergency Management for RACES).
Fortunately, our ARES people have a good relationship with local government, and are able to plan our participation.
First, our EC has worked hard to ensure that we have specific assignments that will make the most of our available manpower. We have hams involved in CERT and Red Cross, but those people are usually not being counted on for ARES support. We want to be certain that we can actually provide the services we agree to provide.
We have just accepted responsibilty for staging of emergency teams during a disaster, and continue to provide emergency communication between and inside area hospitals, including a huge medical facility here.
Our ARES group is also essentially the same group as Skywarn in this area, so we get lots of on-the-air practice during thunderstorm season. Some of the Skywarn spotters have been encouraged to take the Red Cross Damage Assessment classes, so that if they witness storm damage, they can immediately switch over to the damage assessment role after the initial danger is past. Our EC is managing this to prevent conflicts between ARES and Red Cross needs.
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Relationships are important, but the most important thing is to be trained. Contact a local EMA or Fire Dept and get them to set up an intro to Incident Command. This is the framework of structure used in almost all incidents. It would be a good idea to have this course so everyone knows their place and what is expected. During an emergency it isn't the time to show up and say "I want to help." With this class, you'll be in the loop from the beginning.
There is a major IC concept for things like large forest fires, but it is applied on a local level in a more simple form every day. Class could be done during a meeting, and the longer classes are 8 to 12 hours (normally).
I agree wholeheartedly on the need to have a working understanding of the Incident Command System, and/or the National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIMS) if used in your locality.
The FEMA IS-195 independent study course, Basic Incident Command System can be downloaded free on the web. #There are a variety of other EMI courses which are recommended for ARES, RACES and CERT which are described on the www.fema.gov web site.
Our Virginia RACES training page also has a variety of .pdf modules on various EmCom subjects which can be downloaded by anyone for noncommercial, educational and public safety use. 73 de KE4SKY
Attached is an overview of ICS which we use for training purposes. This is a good summary to print out and keep as a field reference and I would encourage groups to use it if deemed helpful. 73
