Training
2025 Training Activities.
Training details for 2025 will be posted as soon as they are available. The activities below are for existing ECS members and prospective members who wish to complete their training requirements.
All sessions are open to all existing members and prospective members regardless of their certifications status. No pre-registration is required.
Limited makeup opportunities will be available for the ECS Protocols Training and Exercise. Contact training@k0ecs.org to arrange for a makeup.
ECS Weather Spotter Training:
Monday, February 3, 2025 - 7:00 PM. Weather spotter training will be held at the Johnson County Admin Building, 111 S. Cherry in Olathe. Enter through the West doors off Kansas Ave. This training will be conducted by the National Weather Service and is intended for ECS and other first responders in the County and is not open to the general public.
ECS Protocols Training:
Saturday, February 15, 2025 - 8:00 AM. This session will include the ECS Annual Business meeting and will be held at the Johnson County Admin Building, 111 S. Cherry in Olathe. Enter through the West doors off Kansas Ave. The training and business meeting should be finished by Noon.
ECS Protocols Exercise:
Monday, February 24, 2025 - 6:30 PM. This session will be a table-top exercise of ECS protocols. It will be held at the Johnson County Admin Building, 111 S. Cherry in Olathe. Enter through the West doors off Kansas Ave. The exercise should be concluded by 9:00 PM
Weather Spotting Exam
The link for the 2025 exam will be posted here. The exam will be self-scoring and you can see your score when you complete the exam. You can take the exam as many times as necessary to achieve the passing score.
Protocols Exam
The link for the 2024 exam will be posted here. The exam will be self-scoring and you can see your score when you complete the exam. You can take the exam as many times as necessary to achieve the passing score.
Background Check
If you were not a member in good standing in 2024, you must submit the background check form directly to the County sometime between January 1 and February 28, 2025.
Click Here to download the background check form and instructions.
ECS Training Requirements
Training requirements differ depending on your ECS membership status. Review the 3 categories below for the training requirements that apply to you. All activities below must be completed by March 31 (except as noted) to be certified for 2025. For questions, contact training@k0ecs.org.
1. For those who wish to become a member of ECS for the first time or whose membership has expired/lapsed.
Complete your FEMA ICS-100 and 700 courses and submit completion certificates to training@k0ecs.org. (links to the FEMA Courses are at the bottom of the "Join" page.)
Complete the Member Info Form
Pay your membership dues ($5.00) (see below for instructions)
Complete the background check form and submit it directly to Johnson County Emergency Management (directions on the form). This step must be completed between January 1 and February 28 to allow the County time to process the background check.
Attend the Protocols Training
Attend the Protocols Exercise
Attend the NWS Weather Spotter Training seminar
Complete the Protocols and Weather Spotting tests on-line.
2. For existing members whose certification expires in 2025:
Complete the Member Info Form
Pay your dues ($5.00) (see below for instructions)
Complete the Protocols and Weather Spotting tests on-line.
Attend the ECS Protocols Exercise.
Attendance at the Protocols Training, and Weather Spotter Training is optional, but highly recommended.
3. For existing members whose certification does not expire in 2025:
Complete the Member Info Form
Pay your dues ($5.00) (see below for instructions)
Members are encouraged to participate as fully as possible in training activities each year - even if their certification isn't expiring. If you complete the steps in Item 2 above, you will not need to re-certify until 2026.
Dues Payment
All ECS members must pay annual dues ($5.00) to become or to remain certified. Annual payment of dues is required whether or not you need to recertify.
Dues may be paid as follows:
By check made out to "Johnson County ECS" and mailed to:
Bill Gery KA2FNK, Treasurer
11208 W 51st Terrace
Shawnee, KS 66203By PayPal - Click here to pay your $5.00 dues by PayPal.
Dues must be paid in full by March 31 of each year.
Amateur Radio Operator Credentialing Requirements and Resource Typing.
Johnson County ECS is a member of the the Metropolitan Emergency Communications Council (MECC) and has coordinated member credentialing requirements and resource typing with other Metro KC emergency communications organizations. All members must be at least Type IV operators. Net controllers must be at least Type III operators. Operators who complete their requirements for membership in ECS (see the Join page) are automatically classified as Type IV operators.
Contact training@k0ecs.org for a summary of the MECC Amateur Radio Operator resource typing categories and requirements and instructions for applying for a resource type upgrade.
Click here for access to the FEMA website with the complete list of independent study courses.
ECS members may request an upgrade of their operator classification through the MECC by completing this form and submitting evidence of completion of the required FEMA courses as instructed on the form.