Subject: [NEXTEL-1] CNCS Emergency Communication Training Grant

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 11:12:59 -0500

CNCS Emergency Communication Training Grant
News:
JANUARY 2004

Ham Radio University Seminar a Success,
More Scheduled

ARRL Emergency Communications Course
Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, is going to be one
hard-traveling individual in February, as he will
present three seminars on three consecutive
weekends. Miller gave the year's first seminar
about ARRL's grant-sponsored Amateur Radio
Emergency Communications Courses January
18 at the Ham Radio University event, held in
Oyster Bay, New York. He said the gathering
went "extremely well."

"People like the interactive discussions and these seminars do exactly that,"
Miller said. "I present the group with emergency communications scenarios
intended to get people to think about how they or their group could or should
respond. That in turn spurs questions and discussion."

In an exit survey, the 18 seminar attendees reported the information was
valuable and well presented. ARRL membership was a common bond for most of the
attendees at 72%, while just 17% said they were regular participants in Citizen
Corps activities.

On February 6, Miller will be in Miami, Florida to present a seminar at
Hamboree. The next weekend will find him up the road in Orlando to give the
presentation at Hamcation. February 20, Miller is off to Oklahoma City for an
ARES/SATERN conference.

"We've had outstanding turnout at the seminars since September 2003," Miller
said. "This has resulted in a continuous flow of students in all three of the
grant-sponsored courses. We still can't provide enough seats to meet the
demand."
* * * * *

ARRL provides grant-funded tuition reimbursement for ARRL-member US Amateur
Radio operators wishing to receive emergency communication training through
ARRL's Certification and Continuing Education program. The second year of
reimbursement can cover the tuition expense of almost 1700 amateurs looking to
take the ARECC courses.
In 2002, ARRL proposed to the Corporation for National and Community Service
that the League could greatly expand its emergency
communications training program with grant funding. The training is currently
supported by the second year of a three-year, $540,000
federal homeland security grant from CNCS. The League was among several dozen
nonprofit organizations designated to receive about
$10.3 million in federal money to boost homeland defense volunteer programs.
During the first year of the grant--September 2002 through August 2003--2225
emergency communication volunteers started the Level I course through the
grant-funded program, and 1676 completed the training, a 75% completion rate.
"A good number of people have told us that without the grant, they would not
have participated in the training," Miller said. "The CNCS grant is doing
exactly what it was intended to do: provide a larger group of trained emergency
communications people able to support a number of official agencies in a time of
need."
The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for
all Americans to serve their communities and country
through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Members and
volunteers serve with national and community nonprofit organizations, and local
agencies to help meet community needs in education, the environment, public
safety, homeland security and other critical areas. Senior citizens are
especially encouraged to get involved.
* * * * *

"Introduction to Amateur Radio Emergency Communication" is a basic Amateur Radio
Emergency Communication course (ARECC) to
raise awareness and provide practical knowledge for amateur emergency
communication volunteers.
The course includes basic message handling, equipment and use, the incident
command structure, and operations and logistics, among
other topics. This course has 20 lesson units and takes about 25 hours to
complete over an 8-week period; there are also intermediate and advanced courses
available for further study and training. Continuing education units are also
available.
Levels II and III continue the student's education in emergency communications,
giving instruction in net control, liaising with public safety officials, severe
weather and hospital communications, large-scale disasters, ARES, federal
planning and much more.
* * * * *

IN THE NEWS:
Amateur Radio Responds to Bus Rollover Accident
Duval County, Florida, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) activated on the
morning of January 18 after a bus rolled over in
Jacksonville near the junction of Interstates 10 and 95. ARRL Crown District
Emergency Coordinator Miller Norton, N4RYX, said the
bus had rolled down an embankment, landing upright. More than 20 injured bus
passengers--both adults and children--were transported to three local area
hospitals, although none of the injuries was considered life-threatening.
ARRL Staffer Guest for On-Line Public Service Discussion
Amateur Radio emergency communications will be the featured topic on the
Emergency Information Infrastructure Project (EIIP) Virtual Forum Wednesday,
January 21, at 12 PM EST. ARRL Field Organization/Public Service Team Supervisor
Steve Ewald, WV1X, was a guest on the on-line, moderated event that saw 90
people interested in emergency communications take part.
ARRL Opens Course Registrations
January saw the opening of one new section each of the three levels of ARRL's
grant-sponsored Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Courses. Registration opened January 19 for the on-line ARRL
Level III course, January 12 for Level II and January
5 for the Level I course. The Level I offering was full within 20 hours of the
beginning of on-line registration, and the others were filled in a matter of
days. So far in the second year of the CNCS grant, 912 students have signed up
for Level I emergency communications training.
* * * * *

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
"With my physical condition preventing me from responding to the fire alarm any
longer, I feel that mentoring is my way of passing
on the techniques that the course covers along with personal experiences that
may be relevant.One of my recent Level III
students...thanked me for bringing reality to the material." -- Howard Coleman,
N6VDV
"We went on to take the level II and III programs and successfully passed both.
We are now active members of the State of California
Governor's Office of Emergency Services after spending two years with the Los
Angeles County Disaster Communications
Service.We are putting the training to use and very much appreciate the
mentoring you provided." -- Joe Maynard, K6JMA
* * * * *

For more information on this exciting opportunity for learning and service,
check out the ARRL Certification and Education Web pages at www.arrl.org/cce/ or
send e-mail to ARRL Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG,
at [email-masked].

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/02/02/1/?nc=1
--
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Send the freshest Valentine's flowers with a FREE vase from only $29.99!
Shipped direct from the grower with a 7 day freshness guarantee and prices so low you save 30-55% off retail!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/_iAw9B/xdlHAA/3jkFAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

-- 
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address 
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEXTEL-1/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     [email-masked]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/