On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:58:07 CST, "Ivor Jones"
wrote:

Besides, what training
is necessary to pass radio messages..? Don't we already know how to do
that..?

If "passing radio messages" was all that was required it wouldn't be a
problem.

I am a co-station-manager of an emergency radio unit at a major
medical center EOC served by the county ARES/RACES unit. Over the
five years there, we have had regular training exercises as well as
several actual call-outs. Our position handles three (yes, three)
voice circuits and two data (packet) circuits to two counties' EOCs
and to the regional hospital dispatch center. It involves handling
traffic in three different systems, using message forms particular to
those systems -- remember that we support them and their operations,
and do what they ask us to do for that support. Each operator (we
usually have two per shift) has to know the functioning of each
component of the EOC and how to navigate through them - they don't
have time to teach us when "things happen". We may also be called on
to operate the "regular" radio equipment that the med center uses on a
day-to-day basis, and we have trained and licensed some of the
emergency room support personnel to operate some ham radio equipment
located in the ER which is on a specific inter-hospital system. In
other words, we are an integral part of the EOC's operation.

You cannot drop an untrained "I know how to pass radio messages"
amateur operator into that mix and hope that it will function
properly. What we do with such volunteers is to direct them to a
resource net (the radio equivalent of the hospital's "labor pool"
assignment system) for placement in positions that do not require that
level of training.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net