"In organizations that have their heads buried in the past it can take extraordinary persons to provide the kind of leadership that provides the impetus for change. What can hold that process back is an agency that buys into the old scenario and figures
that having 'amateurs' on some terms is better than not having any at all. In that case, that agency likely does not recognize what it can require of its participants and in doing so, obtain a truly professional unit. The agency needs to discover, and make it very clear, that IT makes the decisions, not the club.
"Leadership changes and with it the virus can be contained and eradicated. Today's public service or public safety-oriented emergency communications organization, especially those made up of Amateur Radio licensees, obtains legitimacy by working for an official agency. This is now recognized and recommended by most organizations. Under that setup organization participants become volunteer unpaid employees of that agency. Those agencies are the only source of official identification and insurance coverage.
"Therefore, when mobilized, the unit personnel would work for the agency. Basically such personnel will then have to respond to and provide communications and other services, such as using agency radios and communications procedures, administrative duties, etc., for the agency in the way the agency wishes. This means using agency message formats, not ARES or NTS (National Traffic System) formats unless approved by the agency.
"It also means no self dispatch or mobilization (rather, only by agency approved personnel.) In the past entire organizations, as well as one or more persons, have shown up on their own and been nothing but in the way. In the professional ACS/RACES, callup or mobilization is by written (and sometimes verbal) orders.
"Demobilization occurs only when the agency releases its ACS or RACES unit. (Yes, there are cases a non-ACS/RACES unit has quit on its own. But only once!)
Continues next week.
"Leadership changes and with it the virus can be contained and eradicated. Today's public service or public safety-oriented emergency communications organization, especially those made up of Amateur Radio licensees, obtains legitimacy by working for an official agency. This is now recognized and recommended by most organizations. Under that setup organization participants become volunteer unpaid employees of that agency. Those agencies are the only source of official identification and insurance coverage.
"Therefore, when mobilized, the unit personnel would work for the agency. Basically such personnel will then have to respond to and provide communications and other services, such as using agency radios and communications procedures, administrative duties, etc., for the agency in the way the agency wishes. This means using agency message formats, not ARES or NTS (National Traffic System) formats unless approved by the agency.
"It also means no self dispatch or mobilization (rather, only by agency approved personnel.) In the past entire organizations, as well as one or more persons, have shown up on their own and been nothing but in the way. In the professional ACS/RACES, callup or mobilization is by written (and sometimes verbal) orders.
"Demobilization occurs only when the agency releases its ACS or RACES unit. (Yes, there are cases a non-ACS/RACES unit has quit on its own. But only once!)
Continues next week.
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