[TNham] EMCOMM requirement

[kc8cpw at oldtimepress.com]

Well since I have a lot of free time on my hands... where do I find the
information to take the free courses offered by FEMA??

Jonathan


> Greetings from the ARRL Tn. SEC 
> 
> There has been much discussion recently concerning the
training 
> requirements 
> and Tn. ARES. 
> 
> I would like to reassure everyone that there are no plans to
exclude 
> anyone 
> from being an active member and vital
part of amateur radio or ARES in the 
> Tn. Section of the ARRL.

> Many sections have already set specific training requirements
in place for 
> there ARES members ---- STX, Ky., SD, NJ and WV to
name a few. The 
> training 
> requirements in those areas
vary some but the basic core is the same as 
> what 
> we
have set in place here in Tn. As you can see from the short list above,

> Tn. is already behind many areas. 
> 
> As
Amateur Radio is being utilized more and more by various agencies, from

> the Federal level on down, it has become necessary for us to
undertake 
> further training so that we can better assist those
agencies. The NIMS 
> courses present a working knowledge or
introduction to the ICS system and 
> the EMCOMM courses present
some material that many of us might have 
> forgotten at one time
or another. 
> The NIMS courses do not cost to take and can be
downloaded from the FEMA 
> website. The ARRL EMCOMM courses do
cost and can either be taken online or 
> in a classroom type
setting. 
> 
> The Federal Government has placed the NIMS
requirements on the States and 
> the States have placed the
requirements on their individual counties and 
> cities ---- hence
the primary reason for us AMATEURS to step up and take 
> some of
the same training as we are considered as FIRST RESPONDERS. 
>
Therefore we will be in a much better position to serve one of our largest

> served agencies--(Tennessee Emergency Management Agency) which
in turn 
> serves your local county or city EMA. Other agencies
serving in Disaster 
> response roles are also undertaking some of
the training as well. Local 
> EMA 
> officials need and
want to be kept informed of the progress that local 
> Amateur
Radio groups are making. 
> 
> All of the counties and
municipalities in Tn. Have FYE (Fiscal Year End) 
> dates and this
is usually what most consider annual training drop dates. 
> In

> other words, training must/should be completed by this date.
Now where 
> does 
> that leave us as ARES? 
> We
set a deadline of Aug. 1, 2006 for ASEC, DEC's and EC's to have their 
> training (IS-100, IS-700, IS-800 and ECOMM 1,2 and 3) 
>

> and a date of DEC. 1, 2006 for ARES members (EMCOMM 1 and
IS-100) 
> 
> Your local EMA may have other dates sooner
in mind ---- this is at their 
> discretion. 
> We need to
understand that at some point a disaster may occur in an area 
>
and 
> the local EMA may have no choice, under the new guidelines
set down from 
> the 
> State, but to use only folks that
have had the NIMS training ( including 
> ARES) 
> Now,
some have asked what do EMA's know about the EMCOMM training and how 
> did they find out about it. Across this great state are many ARES
groups 
> working very closely with their local EMA officials and
building strong 
> relationships for the future ------ they see
the average Amateur radio 
> operator taking additional
training----. Some of these folks may even be 
> HAMS themselves.
Others may have heard from co-workers or have even seen 
> the 
> Amateurs in action passing traffic during severe weather events or
during 
> other disasters. 
> 
> The ARRL DOES NOT
have a stake in this as it is NOT an ARRL requirement. 
> This is
the reason that there has not been a big news story on the ARRL 
>
website. This is the AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS of the Tennessee Section of

> the 
> ARRL moving forward by taking on additional
training so that we can better 
> serve our communities. 
> 
> I understand the cost of the EMCOMM courses can present
a financial 
> setback 
> to many folks that have an
interest in or are a vital part of their local 
> ARES system.
This is where it is going to take ALL of us to pull together 
>
and find a solution to this problem. 
> The wrong answer would be
for us to pull back and not pursue the training 
> as 
>
this would only limit the service that we can provide to our communities.

> There are many hams across the state that have already
completed the NIMS 
> requirements and the EMCOMM as well. Others
are working to complete the 
> courses. 
> 
> I
hope this helps to answer some of the questions and if not please let me

> know. 
> 
> 
> Thank you, 
>

> Jimmy Floyd 
> NQ4U 
> ARRL Tn. SEC 
>
tnsec at myway.com 
> 
> 
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