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While this article is primarily directed towards non-ARES Hams, it may be helpful to all in understanding what the ham radio operator's roll will be in any future emergency.

First, it is important to realize that both the World Trade Center event and the Katrina Hurricane event demonstrated some inter-services weaknesses in communications as well as jurisdictional questions.

After a review of the operations in these events, the ARRL designed and administers a three level set of emergency communication courses. Each level costs the student $49.00 (if you're an ARRL member). I have taken all three, and they are well worth it. The Federal Government has developed federal emergency training and made completing particular training a requirement of certain Grants allotted an agency---including state and local government . Most agencies you may be called to help provide communications for MUST make sure you have this training. At this time, YOU, as a volunteer, will have to have completed training known as IS 700 before you will be allowed to be an operator in any of their facilities.

This requirement is listed in the NIMS integration center (FEMA), FY2006 report on training requirements:

"National Incident Management System-related training is one of the important requirements that state, territorial, tribal and local entities must accomplish during FY 2006 (Oct. 1, 2005 - Sept. 30, 2006) to become fully compliant with NIMS. Jurisdictions will be required to meet the FY06 NIMS implementation requirements as a condition of receiving federal preparedness grants in FY 2007." It says the same thing for the 2007 version of the same document.

Currently the Red Cross requires its volunteers to have one specific Red Cross course as well as having passed the Federal Course. If your local town government accepted Federal or State homeland Security money for equipment or Training, they will need you to take IS 700. Much of this training deals with something called NIMS (National Incident Management System). This current system was adopted from a system developed several years ago by the Fire Service, where it providing for orderly transition between fire crews fighting forest fires. The system provides for orderly change of command between shifts, as well as defining who's in charge as an emergency situation goes from initial response, to search and rescue, to search and recover, and everything between.

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