Probably the biggest problem with these bulletins, and one that may never be resolved, is misinterpretation or misunderstanding of the written word. What is intended by the writer and how it is interpreted by the readers may not be the same. When RACES seminars are conducted in person it is much easier to clarify issues that arise over such misinterpretation as well as others.
This is the first in a series in response to letters, messages, and queries at seminars.
Probably the biggest problem with these bulletins, and one that may never be resolved, is misinterpretation or misunderstanding of the written word. What is intended by the writer and how it is interpreted by the readers may not be the same. When RACES seminars are conducted in person it is much easier to clarify issues that arise over such misinterpretation as well as others.
0 Comments
What kind of training could or should be given RACES operators by disaster response (OES, CD, etc.) organizations? The following are some worthwhile meeting and training topics submitted by volunteers and paid staff in California, Nevada, Colorado and Utah. Every effort to provide handouts should be made. A three-ring binder format is successful.
Bulletins 305, 306 and 307 resulted from a five-state RACES tour in September by Stan Harter, State ACS Coordinator:
When I started this tour I had in mind the comment we sometimes hear from out-of-state that "the RACES Bulletins don't apply to us because nothing ever happens around here. Or because everything always happens out there in California". Contributed by: Fire Captain Willis H. Lamm, N6VZT
QUESTION: How do use Amateur Radio operators in your RACES unit? An official asks the questions: How and where do you recruit people? How do you do it for your organization?
First, it was determined what paid staff position is responsible for the program. This is the person to whom the chief volunteer reports. Adapted from an article by Ted Benson, WA6BEJ, Deputy RACES Radio Officer/Mobile Operations, San Diego County RACES as published in TAC ONE, vol. 1, issue 2.
Effective 0600 hours this date, the callsign at State OES Headquarters is W6SIG. W6SIG was the call at the Sacramento Army Depot since 1946. The Federal Communications Commission recognizes the outstanding record of W6SIG in support of public service. With the closing of the Army Depot, the call W6SIG will live on in continued service to the people of California. This was made possible through the efforts, cooperation, and support of the Commission and W6SIG trustee General Jimmie Felts, W6RQO.
Q. I want to be a regular communications volunteer in government service. What kind of vehicle should I have?
A. This has no simple answer. It depends on (1) whether or not you are a responder, (2) what your role is, (3) your local climate and terrain, (4) what local authorities use, and (5) the importance of your completing vehicular access to the incident. Let's take these one at a time: The mission of the RACES is basically to provide needed communications in emergencies for the government that sponsors the RACES unit. Its communications are governmental in nature, that is between government units and not third party health and welfare messages --- although it may be used for liaison from government to non-government disaster relief organizations.
Why does this occur? Why do some agencies say "No" to communications volunteers and refuse to call them out? Why does an auxiliary communications unit by whatever title --- ECS (Emergency Communications Service), DCS (Disaster Communications Service), ARES or RACES --- wither and die for lack of agency support or inclusion in its on-going activities?
One real possibility is that the agency administrator may need help in working with a group of people he/she is not accustomed to having around. Not that he/she isn't a professional in their own field, but that the person has little experience working with unpaid professionals with an abiding interest in emergency communications. Perhaps the key response here is one of inter-personal relationships, chiefly between the agency people and the Radio Officer. With the right personality and skill, the Radio Officer CAN establish the liaison and relationship. |
RACES BulletinsCA State OES began the Bulletins in the early 1950's to assist agencies and radio operators to become more familiar with RACES. They were issued periodically until 1985, at which time they began to be issued weekly over voice and digital radio systems of Amateur Radio and in print. Originally intended for California, increased demand, and a 1988 request by the ARRL for national distribution, led to their eventual worldwide distribution. Archives
December 1994
Categories
All
|