Maintaining Leadership Focus in Volunteer Emergency Organizations

Outstanding How-To article on how to manage Volunteer Emergency Organizations.
http://bigmedicine.ca/wordpress/2011/11/judy-esmond-options-maintaining-leadership-focus-in-volunteer-emergency-organizations/#sthash.VEClTRzS.dpuf

I especially want to point out the following paragraph of the article:

PEOPLE

1) Leaders should ensure that every step is made to make a newbie welcome. A ʺfather – figureʺ (utilising specific skills and abilities) can take the newbie under his or her wing for the first two or three meetings; making them feel at home and instil a sense of belonging. It is a common fact that if a newbie hasn’t made a friend within the first seven weeks, there is a strong possibility they won’t hang around much after that.

2) Home in on the skills, talents, abilities, attributes, etc of the newcomer and begin to utilize them ASAP.

3) If membership or team spirit appears to be waning, perhaps a change of leadership is needed? Leaders who hold the post for long periods can generate staleness. Fresh blood often introduces a fresh approach.

My comments to this are:

Regarding #1:
I specifically thank all the members of the ARES-Club (Arkansas Radio Emergency Services Club) for having made me feel welcome from the first moment onwards and for your continued elmering. It is not often that one meets HAMs like you.

Regarding #2:
I also thank you for having utilized my skill set from the beginning - it takes a confident and knowledgeable person to guide someone else, knowing how to apply their skill set and allowing them to gain leadership experience - and you did.

Regarding #3:
I certainly see no waning team spirit with the ARES-Club! Why is that? I believe it's because you practice the art of rotating responsibilities. That's exactly what a friend of mine, a US Navy Commander, suggested I practice with our Decon Unit where I work.


See more about "Maintaining Leadership Focus in Volunteer Emergency Organizations" at: http://bigmedicine.ca/wordpress/2011/11/judy-esmond-options-maintaining-leadership-focus-in-volunteer-emergency-organizations/#sthash.VEClTRzS.dpuf

NIMS ICS forms for AUXCOM, CERT, ARES, Amateur Radio operators

This is the best collection of ICS forms that I have found to date for the AUXCOM, CERT, ARES, Amateur Radio operator, covering all ICS forms of interest for the communicator: http://bearsfl.us/files/ics_forms/

2014 ARRL Field Day - NTS-style message Bonus

ARRL HQ replied today regarding my inquiry about further details on the 2014 ARRL Field Day "NTS-style message Bonus".

It is the message format which is of interest and not the message carrier, i.e. as long as it is in proper NTS radiogram format & via RF. Quote:

"Yes, messages sent via NBEMS or Winlink will count for Field Day bonus points as long as the messages are in the proper NTS radiogram format and the messages leave or enter the Field Day site via amateur radio RF."

That will be most exiting! I can think of: voice (ok, that's nothing new), CW (this neither), FLMSG (within NBEMS suite of free software programs), WinLink, HFLink ALE AMD and APRS as being possible carriers of the radiogram, with the last two likely the least common choices for most HAMs. Maybe I can think of a few more by Field Day… Why don't you too bring something new into YOUR Field Day activation, with some new modes of message relay?

Thus, the Arkansas HF Digital NVIS NBEMS Net (AHDNN) will be operational and have extended operational hours during Field Day, schedule to be announced on the AHDNN newsgroup, NCS: N5AT.

Additionally, the Arkansas Radio Emergency Services Club will send NTS radiograms via all above mentioned digital modes of communication.

73 de Marcus NX5MK

Amateur Radio Featured at 2014 Preparedness Summit

Just came across the following newsline:


Amateur Radio Featured at 2014 Preparedness Summit
The Preparedness Summit is the largest public health preparedness conference in the United States. Each year, approximately 2,000 preparedness professionals attend this multi-disciplinary event. This year, the Preparedness Summit is highlighting the importance of amateur radio.
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?427424-Amateur-Radio-Featured-at-2014-Preparedness-Summit
http://preparednesssummit.org/ham-radio/

Might be worthwhile to take a look at.

New Year's Resolution: Become a CERT Leader

http://www.arrl.org/ares-el%3Fissue%3Dcurrent#toc01

Right on! See here.

Little Rock Fire Station 16 CERT initiative

Are you interested in supporting your family, neighbors, local community and fire fighters? Do you live close to Little Rock Fire Station 16 located at:

11000 Southridge
Little Rock, AR 72212

Are you an Amateur Radio or Citizen band operator or do you know one who is your neighbor? Do you want to offer other skills and enthusiasm or are interested to learn about how to help yourself and your family? Do you know how you would contact your fire station if the phone nets were down for any reason? Reply to my post, let's talk about it and join in!