Training
Because Putnam County TN ARES serves County and City agencies, there are two training paths that can be accomplished based on your personal goals.
You will have fulfilled your requirement of "Level 1" when you give your ARES Registration Packet to the EC and receive your ARES card.
If you wish to follow a more traditional ARES only path and "work the radio", you'll want to follow the "Level 2" path.
If you're looking to build on your "working the radio" skills, support ARES, and take on more of a team leader role, you'll want to follow the "Level 3" path.
There are additional Courses that you can take to better yourself for your community and ARES in the Training Appendix of the Putnam County TN ARES Emergency Plan
Any completion certificates that you receive and turn in to the EC will garner you points for each certificate.
Level 1
Send in ARES Registration Packet
Level 2
Follow Steps 1 , 2 & 4
Level 3
Follow Steps 1, 2, 3 & 4
STEP 1
FEMA Independent Study Courses:
FEMA IS-100 (Incident Command System, Introduction)
FEMA IS-700 (National Incident Management System, Introduction)
LINK: http://www.training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx?all=true
NOTE: FEMA occasionally updates their courses. You will notice some courses may have a letter after the main course number. Example IS-100b, IS-700b, IS-800b. The letter indicates a revision to the initial course after it was first offered on the website. Please take the most recent revision of the courses available on FEMA's website. Virtually all Emergency Management agencies are now requiring everyone, including volunteers, to take the FEMA courses.
Prior to beginning any formal FEMA training, you will need to determine if you have a FEMA Student Identification Number (SID). The FEMA Student Identification Number is a unique number generated and assigned to anyone who needs or is required to take training provided by a FEMA organization.
Your FEMA SID uniquely identifies you throughout the FEMA organization and all of its agencies. The goal is for your FEMA SID to serve as your personal identification number instead of your Social Security Number (SSN) in support of FEMA.s effort to decrease/cease the use of SSN for identifying and tracking individuals.
Before completing the FEMA Independent Study courses below, if you DO NOT already have a FEMA Student Identification Number (SID), you'll need to visit the following website to apply for the FEMA SID before enrolling for any online classes. Visit this site for more information: https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid/
For those that HAVE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED any FEMA Independent Study courses and HAVE NOT registered for a new FEMA Student Identification (SID) number, you will need to complete the following:
Go to https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid/ to obtain your new SID.
Once you have obtained your new SID, call 301-447-1200 to get your transcripts transferred from the old system to the new system. You will need to provide your Social Security number (that is how your transcripts are currently stored) and your new SID number. The transfer will not take place automatically, so you need to perform this step. Once you have completed the process FEMA will erase your Social Security number from its records.
STEP 2
The ARRL Introduction to Emergency Communication course (EC-001):
The EC-001 course requires successful completion of the IS-100 & IS-700 courses listed in Step 1.
You may also take the EC-001 course online directly from the ARRL.
LINK: http://www.arrl.org/emergency-communications-training
If you have taken the old ARECC Level 1 (EC-001) class, it will be accepted with proper documentation, but it is highly recommended that you update your knowledge and take the current ARRL Introduction to Emergency Communication (new EC-001) offering.
You may have to wait to take this course. If you do there should be a option to sign up for notifications of new course dates
http://www.arrl.org/online-course-registration
STEP 3
Additional FEMA courses:
Many emergency management groups are now requiring the additional FEMA courses listed below in order to deploy to & support their locations. Therefore, it is highly recommended that ARES volunteers also complete the following FEMA Independent Study courses:
FEMA IS-200 (ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents)
FEMA IS-800 (National Response Plan)
LINK: http://www.training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx?all=true
For ARES operators who wish to be authorized to work in County Emergency Operations Centers, these courses are required.
STEP 4
Send FEMA transcripts to the Emergency Coordinator:
After you have completed a FEMA course, the Putnam County TN ARES Emergency Coordinator MUST have documentation to show our served agencies.
Send your PDF Certificate to ec@pctnares.org or you may hand it to the EC at the next meeting.
Points are awarded for each certificate that you earn and turn in to the EC.
OPTIONAL/SUGGESTED TRAINING
ARRL Training
Public Service and Emergency Communications Management for Radio Amateurs (EC-016)
LINK: http://www.arrl.org/online-course-catalog
This course is designed to train licensed Amateur Radio operators who will be in leadership and managerial roles organizing other volunteers to support public service activities and communications emergencies. In this course you will learn how radio amateurs prepare and organize to support local community events, and, working in coordination with governmental and other emergency response organizations, deploy their services to provide communications when needed in an emergency.
PR-101 A Course and Information for PIOs (EC-015)
LINK: http://www.arrl.org/pr-courses
The ARRL EC-015 course explains at a basic level the functions of a Public Information Officer during a deployment. Because radio communicators are often seen as "having the information" and approached by the media during events, it is suggested that all ARES/RACES communicators familiarize themselves with a basic Public Information Officer/Public Relations course. This will give you the basic skills needed in order to handle those situations successfully.
Red Cross Training
First Aid
CPR
LINK: http://www.redcross.org/lp/cpr-aed-firstaid
Having some basic skills to address issues in the field make you that much more valuable!
Supplemental FEMA Independent Study Courses
FEMA IS-22 Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness
LINK: https://training.fema.gov/is/coursematerials.aspx?code=IS-22
The "Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness" has been designed to help the citizens of this nation learn how to protect themselves and their families against all types of hazards.
Optional On-Line Training
TN ARES Standardized Position Task Book
You can track your progress via the TN ARES Standardized Position Task Book.
You may download the most recent version of this Task Book at http://tnares.com/index.php/information
This Task Book starts you on the path of earning Level 2 and above.