The Comm Room
  • Home
    • About Me
    • Personal Website
  • Amateur Radio
    • SkyWarn >
      • What is SkyWarn?
      • Getting Started
      • What Do I Report?
      • Severe WX Reporting
      • Spotter Safety
      • Overpass Safety?
      • SkyWarn in Arizona
    • Public Service & Events >
      • 10 Ways to Optimize Your Effectiveness
      • Are You Making a Difference?
    • ARES Information >
      • ARES Net
      • Prowords
    • Emergency Communications >
      • Emergency & Disaster Radio Operating Procedures
      • ECom Do's & Don'ts
      • Emergency Management Cycle
    • Training
    • EMCOMM Bulletins >
      • RACES >
        • 1995-96
        • 1996
    • Virtual QSL Wall
  • Incident Command
    • DHS Position Paper on NIMS & the ICS
  • Emergency Preparedness
    • Emergency First Aid >
      • First Aid for Pets
    • Planning For Pets
  • Social Media
    • Social Media vs Ham Radio
  • Links & Awards
    • SkyWarn Links
    • Public Service Links
    • ECom Links
    • ICS/NIMS Links
    • Emergency Prep. Links
    • Training Links
  • Radio Logs
    • Contest Log
  • Photos

1995-1996 RACES Bulletins

  • Starting in 1992, all of the RACES bulletins were classified into 1 of 6 separate topic categories: Management, Operations, Miscellaneous, Training, Technical, and Time-Sensitive (later deleted because their content is dated in nature).

Back

Travel: How Far is Too Far? (RB366)

2/20/1995

0 Comments

 
Unconcern about travel distances goes hand in hand with the bulletin on commitment. The overwhelming majority of experienced and committed  volunteers give little thought to driving distances. This is because we gain satisfaction out of what we are traveling to and from. Too often, I'm afraid, managers measure distances by their own standards. Try a new practice -- don't!
 
How far is relative. Distance is measured by one's personal life style, experience and pocketbook. Driving five miles can be far for one person while a hundred miles is not really far for another. For these reasons I urge managers to never, ever assume that any distance is too far for a volunteer. Let the  volunteer be the judge of how far is "far."
 
We have one volunteer who comes in two times a week and sometimes more often. He drives 90 miles one way.

I can say from long experience that there are many volunteers willing to travel 50 miles  routinely while others may consider 10 miles an imposition. You run the risk, in fact, of turning off a good volunteer when you say, "I didn't call you out because I thought you were too far away." I know of many good volunteers who have been turned off and quit because of management's mind blockage about distance.

Be up front about it. This bears repeating: ask each volunteer if they mind driving more than a few miles to respond to an incident? If he or she says "no," then you'd better use 'em -- or lose 'em.

Signed Stan Harter, Auxiliary Communications Service program coordinator, State of California.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    RACES Bulletins

    CA 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

    April 1996
    March 1996
    January 1996
    December 1995
    November 1995
    March 1995
    February 1995
    January 1995

    Categories

    All
    1 Management Bulletins
    2 Operations Bulletins
    3 Technical Bulletins
    4 Training Bulletins
    An Overview - A Look At The Year 2000!
    Commitment Frame Of Mind
    Double Teaming
    Emergency Management
    End Of Series Information
    Incidental Races Benefits
    Multiple Commitments
    NVIS Refresher
    Proper Net Id
    Questions
    Relay Stations
    The First Few Seconds!
    Travel - How Far Is Too Far
    Understanding Volunteers
    Why Amateurs?
    Why We Do What We Do!

Search This Site:



© Copyright 2009-2022, David M. French.

All original content by David M French is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Other names, titles, and images are registered trademarks of their respective companies or organizations. All rights reserved.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.