Ivor Jones wrote:
"Steve Bonine" wrote

. . . The thing that I object to is the
folks who say that they don't have time to participate in
training, but "I'll be there if you need me in an
emergency."

Sorry, but I'm one of those. I *don't* have time, I have a full time job
and I volunteer for an animal rescue charity at the weekends, plus all the
normal family/household things that most people do. Besides, what training
is necessary to pass radio messages..? Don't we already know how to do
that..?

Or am I missing something..?

My experience in actual disasters suggests both good news and bad news
in this regard.

Bad news: Yes, you're probably missing something. Knowing how to pass
radio messages is a valuable skill, but it doesn't translate directly to
the kinds of tactical communications required during a real event.
Having trained with your local group can be a big help, both in terms of
honing specific skills, getting familiar with the local people so you
work better as a team, and forging relationships with the local agencies
that you're going to work with in the actual disaster.

Good news: During the Katrina operation, I worked with a team of hams
who had never met each other until we were thrown together in
Mississippi. Experience and training ran the gamut from decades to
minutes. We were able to meld into an effective operation and provide a
much-needed service. Some in the group had a lot of training and
experience that they shared with the rest of us. Most hams are fast
learners and the basic experience of using the radio is valuable.

So in the best of all worlds, everyone would have had training. In this
world we live in, I understand that it's simply not possible for
everyone, either because of time constraints or because there's no
organized ham radio group in the area.

My comment was actually aimed at a tiny minority of hams who show up on
site and become a part of the problem rather than a part of the
solution. These people do exist, even in the ham radio fraternity.

73, Steve KB9X