EMC047 Mandatory Training?? 1/4
To:   Emergency Communications Units - Information Bulletin
To:   Emergency Management Agencies via Internet and Radio
By:   Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) of the
      California Governor's Office of Emergency Services

EMC047 Mandatory Training?? 1/4 For Release 9/30/96 

One of the more interesting challenges of providing these
bulletins is that we get requests for help in a wide variety of
situations. Some are drastic, some are hilarious and others are
normal. Here is one that happened some time ago and has been
altered to protect the source. 

An ARES official with RACES responsibility asked for help in
regarding a mandatory training program proposed by a local
agency as the intended training had little to do with the 
particular program - but seemed designed to protect the agency
staff rather than really help the volunteers.

Here is part of our reply:
"Remember this principle: After a problem occurs - such as the
one you described - the managers tend to 'run scared' and add a
'protective step' to forms, or training designed to avoid the
same 'problem' from arising again.  It is a widespread human
response that is not without its benefits; it just takes research
to find the benefits in the seemingly draconian measure.

First: do not fall for the ideas of some responders that they do
communications ONLY. Expand their beliefs to the concept that
there will be a broad use of the responders in many fields of
activity across the full Public Safety Communications systems.
Plan to have them trained (familiarized) with work tasks, hazards
and benefits of EACH activity to which they may POSSIBLY be
called upon to do. Many ARES and RACES 'communicators' think
that all they do is talk on the mike, use a key or a keyboard and
pass messages (traffic). If that is their perception, then you are
better off losing them to their ego-response - that mandatory
training is unnecessary.

Continues next week
 
ACS Web page: http://www.garlic.com/oes    BBS 916-262-1657
FTP archive:  ftp.ucsd.edu/hamradio/packet/tcpip/incoming
OES ACS staff manager Stan Harter, Email seh@oes.ca.gov
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