Glossary for Communicators (RB268-269)

In a recent meeting with volunteers it was apparent that we in government take it for granted that new staff, paid or volunteer, will not necessarily know the meaning of frequently used initials and acronyms. This list is not all inclusive and some of these are used only in California:

ARES	Amateur radio Emergency Service
ACS	Auxiliary Communications Service. What some governments call their RACES plus non-ham communications resources.
ARS	Auxiliary Radio Service. Similar to ACS.
BLM	Bureau of Land Management
CALCORD	California On-Scene Emergency Coordination radio plan
Caltrans	California Department of Transportation
CAP	Civil Air Patrol
CCDN	California Civil Defense Net (name of State RACES net 1950-1992)
CDF	California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (Remember that "Forestry" is always State; Forest Service is Federal.)
CESN	California Emergency Services Net (formerly called the CCDN)
CESRS	CA Emergency Services Radio System (formerly known as the "LG system.)
CHP	California Highway Patrol
DAC	Disaster Assistance Center
DCS	Disaster Communications Service. What Los Angeles County calls their RACES
DFO	Disaster Field Office
DOT	Department of Transportation
DWR	Department of Water Resources
EBS	Emergency Broadcast System
EDIS	Electronic Digital Information Service
EMP	Electromagnetic pulse
EMS	Emergency Medical Service(s)
EOC	Emergency Operations Center
EOF	End of File
EOM	End of Message. (Same as EOM)
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FIO	Fire Information Officer
GIS	Geographic Information System
IC	Incident Commander or Incident Command
ICS	Incident Command System
JIC	Joint Information Center
LAN	Local Area Network (a network of computers in a single facility)
NDF	Nevada Department of Forestry
NHP	Nevada Highway Patrol
NPP	Nuclear Power Plant
OASIS	Operational Area Satellite Information System (new CA system 1993)
OAECC	FCC Operational Area Emergency Communications Committee
OES	Office of Emergency Services (be sure to specify whether city, county, or State)
PAO	Public Affairs Office(r)
PC	Personal Computer (generally refers to IBM compatible)
PIO	Public Information Officer
RACES	Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
RO	Radio Officer
SAM	State Administrative Manual (CA)
SCC	State Coordination Center
SCCN	State Coordination Center North (aka SOC)
SCCS	State Coordination Center South
SECC	FCC State Emergency Communications Committee
SECURE	State Emergency Capability Using Radio Effectively. 2-8 MHz HF-SSB radio frequencies allocated only to State CD/ES agencies. Also called the "STACOM" in California to avoid the connotation of secure (encrypted) communications.
SO	Sheriff's Office or Department
SOC	State Operations Center (OES HQ, Sacramento)
STACOM	The 2-8 MHz State OES HF-SSB radio system. (See SECURE).
USFS	U.S. Forest Service (Department of Agriculture)
VIP	Volunteers-in-Prevention. (CDF)
WAN	Wide area network. A computer network outside of a facility. See LAN