[MDC-EC] FSD-212 Reports due, and NIMS

[n3sb at qis.net]

Hi Folks;

Your monthly FSD-212 EC Reports are due again. I need to get the Section's
summary into ARRL HQ by the 10th, so please try to get me your latest info
within the next couple days. Many ARES groups are getting more active lately
with Walk-athons and other outdoor activities; don't forget to include
summaries of those as well, along with a list of your team members that
supported the event. 

These events are a great opportunity to gain familiarity with the standard NIMS
forms that we all need to be using. The first is an Incident Radio
Communications Plan  http://www.nimsonline.com/docs/NOAA_ICS-205.pdf that's a
great way to make sure all your team members know what frequencies to use.
Another is a communications log http://www.maineares.org/ics309.pdf which all
your team member should be using to keep written records of important
communications during an event. There's also a NIMS form for reporting unit
activities. The ICS-214 Unit Log form  
http://www.nimsonline.com/docs/NOAA_ICS-214.pdf  is the standard form for doing
just that. 

You and your teams are probably doing these things already. These forms are the
just the nationally recognized way for documenting frequencies, recording
important messages, and recording unit activities. They'll all be critically
important if we ever have a major situation in the MDC Section, and we need to
be able to work smoothly and seamlessly with other ARES volunteers from other
sections. Imagine the chaos that would result if every ARES group used a
different type of format for NTS messages! Adopting and using these NIMS forms
as the standard eliminates that kind of problem.

Finally, if your ARES group would like a demonstration of the neat
communications capabilities that EASYPAL software provides, a demo of the
robustness and simplicity of using MT-63 for digital communications, or if
you're just interested in learning where ARES is going here in MDC Section,
please let me know - I'd be happy to come and visit your group.

73; Steve, N3SB
SEC-MDC