EMC292 Successful EMCOMM Units
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  

EMC292  Successful Units        Release 6/4/01

Continuing the topic of RACES history, this material was
originally issued as RACES Bulletins 331-333 in l994 when
it was rephrased from a April l993 Orange County RACES
newsletter, NET CONTROL. 

Successful government EMCOMM (emergency communications)
units (whether ACS, RACES or otherwise named) display
or have certain characteristics and attributes: 

1. Administration of the program by staff oriented to
management, not technical work.

2. Active involvement of the program participants in the
on-going week-by-week, or day-to-day, life and affairs of
the agency.

3. Careful selection of the chief Administrative Officer
(CAO) for skills of management and vision as to the
utilization and capabilities of the program.

4. Acquiring the special know-how that enhances the use of
a volunteer program.

5. Asking for help, whether in procuring the right CAO,
preparation of written position descriptions or general
statement of standards and expectations for participants.

6. Requiring ongoing training and participation in
emergency services nets using agency facilities for
operator familiarization and equipment testing.

7. Expecting program participants to equal or excel paid
staff.

8.  A constant complaint from those involved in emergency
response is that "communications always fail" when least
expected, and when  least prepared for that happenstance
So, realization of the importance of a communications
reserve under agency direction is a key factor indeed.

9. Activating a PORTION of the emergency communications
unit personnel at anytime that paid staff is involved with
ANY potential or exiting emergency.

10. Train participants not to mention government
frequencies on-the-air as they may be confidential. Instead
refer to the channel number if required to change the
frequency. Also train to refrain from making comments
on-the-air pertaining to public safety such as police or
fire communications overheard on scanning monitors.

11. Setting requirements of participation and adhering to them,
including removal of any who fail to participate in most
activation's and drills, or are inactive. 

Since there are other commitments such as job, family and
other matters in their lives, participants need to determine
what is truly important in their own life and minds. If there
are other commitments that will prevent full support of 
required activities then you should not be a participant
unless there is a definite defined role where you do fit.

(continues next bulletin on unsuccessful units.)

 Cary Mangum, W6WWW        E-mail: cary.mangum@macnexus.org
                           ---
Bulletins are on the ACS Web page: http://acs.oes.ca.gov/  - and a
FTP archive at ftp.ucsd.edu/emcomm   along with a Landline BBS at
916-262-0856 (graphical & standard interface). A direct email
subscription is available at http://www.harthaven.com/subscribe/
EOM