CNCS Emergency Communication Training Grant News

June 20, 2005 -- Covering May 2005

UPDATE: The federal grant is ending! Students in June classes MUST complete all the course requirements and be "Passed" by their mentor/instructor on or before August 31 to be eligible for reimbursement!

ARRL Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, staffed ARRL exhibit booths at two separate events in Orlando, FL between May 1 and May 11. The first was at the National Disaster Medical System Conference, attended by hundreds of Disaster Management Assistance Team (DMAT) members and representatives of medical agencies from states around the country. The second booth was located at the Salvation Army North American Disaster Training Conference, adjacent to the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network. There, he and several local ARES leaders answered questions and interfaced with some key served agency personnel that we otherwise would not have gotten to meet.

Traveling next to Reno, Nevada, Dan gave a two-hour presentation on Amateur Radio emergency communications from a national perspective on May 14 at EMCOMM WEST 2005.

At the Dayton Hamvention/ARRL National Convention the following weekend, Dan took 58 EmComm course registrations, served as emcee of the EmComm banquet and spoke at the ARES forum.

Upcoming travel plans under the third and final year of the ARRL's grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service include a presentation at Ham-Com in Arlington, Texas; an American Red Cross Training Conference in Dallas, SeaPac in Seaside, Oregon, and NVOAD in Denver.

Dan asks that hams encourage everyone--especially radio amateurs 55 and over--to take the Level I Amateur Radio Emergency Communications course. "While full reimbursement of the registration fee for ARRL members is still available, the training is virtually free -- but only for a limited time." He encourages those who have already completed Level I to further their knowledge by completing Levels II and Level III. Tuition is reimbursable for all three course levels. "The demand for trained Amateur Radio operators continues to grow at a phenomenal rate," he emphasizes. "By completing the emergency communications training -- and getting active in your community -- you are reinforcing the lifeblood of Amateur Radio -- emergency communications."

A grant from ARRL's corporate partner, United Technologies Corporation, will continue to subsidize Amateur Radio Emergency Communications course training through October 2005 for a much smaller number of students each month than previously. With Year 3 comes the final opportunity for interested ARRL members to take this training and receive full reimbursement of registration fees.

Graduate totals for CNCS Year 3 are Level I = 575, Level II = 419, Level III = 283. Graduate totals for the UTC grant are Level I = 336, Level II = 97, Level III = 71.

ARRL provides grant-funded tuition reimbursement for ARRL-member US Amateur Radio operators wishing to receive emergency communication training through ARRL's Certification and Continuing Education on-line program. The third year of CNCS reimbursement will cover the tuition expense of more than 1700 amateurs successfully completing the ARECC courses.

In 2002, ARRL proposed to the Corporation for National and Community Service that the League could greatly expand its emergency communications training program with grant funding. The training is currently supported by the third year of a three-year, $540,000 federal homeland security grant from CNCS. The League was among several dozen nonprofit organizations designated to receive about $10.3 million in federal money to boost homeland defense volunteer programs. During the first year of the grant--September 2002 through August 2003--2225 emergency communication volunteers started the Level I course through the grant-funded program, and 1676 completed the training, a 75% completion rate. In the second year, ending August 31, 2004, there were 1937 graduates, also a 75% graduation rate.

"A good number of people have told us that without the grant, they would not have participated in the training," Miller said. "The CNCS grant has done exactly what it was intended to do: provide a larger group of trained emergency communications people able to support a number of official agencies in a time of need."

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for all Americans to serve their communities and country through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Members and volunteers serve with national and community nonprofit organizations, and local agencies to help meet community needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security and other critical areas. Citizens 55 and up are especially encouraged to get involved.

"Introduction to Amateur Radio Emergency Communication" is a basic Amateur Radio Emergency Communication course (ARECC) to raise awareness and provide practical knowledge for amateur radio emergency communication volunteers.

The course includes basic message handling, equipment and use, the incident command structure, and operations and logistics, among other topics. This course has 23 lesson units and takes about 25 hours to complete over an 8-week period; there are also intermediate and advanced courses available for further study and training. Continuing education units are available.

Levels II and III continue the student's education in emergency communications, giving additional instruction in net control, liaising with public safety officials, severe weather and hospital communications, large-scale disasters, ARES, federal planning and much more.

IN THE NEWS:

Time is Short to Register for Tuition-Free Courses

An article posted to the ARRLWeb called attention to the fact that the last course seat available for tuition reimbursement under the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) grant will open in June. After that, only a few reimbursable seats in each course will be offered through October under a United Technologies Corporation (UTC) grant. By the time the CNCS and UTC grants end, some 8000+ radio amateurs will have taken advantage of the tuition subsidies and received training in Amateur Radio emergency communications. At this time, no further grant-sponsored reimbursements for Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course students are on the horizon. EmComm Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, commented: "This has been a very successful program, thanks chiefly to the support and participation of the ARRL Field Organization. We sincerely appreciate your efforts and hope that with your continued support, these grants will conclude on a successful note."

Community Education Program

CEP Coordinator Bill Barrett, W1WJB, traveled to Humboldt County, Iowa, for another highly successful CEP presentation May 4. People from several counties' emergency management agencies attended, as well as a county commissioner. A local ham group gave a very thorough and comprehensive demo.

Bill next traveled to Centennial, Colorado for a May 18 meeting with local Citizen Corps Council members that also went quite well, although attendance was lighter than hoped. He is working up a new "CEP Update" newsletter to improve the invitation process--especially the follow-up process.

Birmingham, Alabama has just settled on a reschedule date of August 2 for their CEP presentation.

The CEP is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to explore the best ways Amateur Radio can work with local emergency managers and with Citizen Corps councils. The CEP has targeted a dozen communities from Maine to Oregon to learn about the value of Amateur Radio to community safety and security. The Program is scheduled to end in August.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Dan:

Here's what I'd like to say about the courses:

Potential Emergency Coordinators and all Amateur Radio Operators have you heard about this great resource? All three levels of the EmComm Courses are well-designed, are user friendly and you get a great coach and mentor as well! Don't worry, those of you who aren't techno-geeks. No calculators needed. The lessons can be completed in an hour or less each. You are given feedback very quickly regarding your written answers for each chapter. I highly recommend taking all three of these informative and enlightening courses.
Rev Dr Alicia Abell, KG6LJ

ARRL Opens EmComm Courses

May saw the opening of all three levels of ARRL's grant-sponsored Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Courses. Registration opened May 2 for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level I on-line course (EC-001). Class began May 20. Registration for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level II on-line course (EC-002) opened May 9, and class began May 27. Registration for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level III on-line course (EC-003) opened May 16, and class was to begin June 3.

To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web page. For more information, contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, dmiller@arrl.org; 860-594-0340.

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