Happy Halloween everyone!! Here’s a spoooooooky post from an anonymous submitter:<\/p>\n
I’ve been subscribed to the mailing list http:\/\/groups.yahoo.com\/group\/WCFARES\/<\/a> for a while now and think that some of the posts are ridiculous. WCF (West Central Florida) is some sort of “official” ARRL section they have set up over here.<\/p>\n The one post which I thought might have been worthy of a Hamsexy submission was this little ditty:<\/p>\n Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:30 pm With all the advanced training a lot of us have or are going through, it I think we need to come up with a new technical and professional Ideas?<\/p>\n Ron Wetjen ”<\/p>\n ————————<\/p>\n Then he replied to himself;<\/p>\n Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:33 pm<\/p>\n > I think we need to come up with a new technical and professional After a little thinking, I thought of “Communications Specialist”.<\/p>\n Some poking around, and I discovered there is a “Communications The position description below refers to the position on a Search & “Communications Specialist” sure sounds a LOT better than “Amateur” … FEMA US&R RESPONSE SYSTEM<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Position Description:<\/strong><\/p>\n COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST<\/strong><\/p>\n The task force Communications Specialist is responsible for managing the Description of Duties<\/p>\n The Communications Specialist is responsible for:<\/p>\n Participating in the development of the Communications Plan.<\/p>\n Assessing overall needs and developing the Task Force Incident Obtaining frequencies, installation, operation, and maintenance of the Coordinating communications with other appropriate entities including Adhering to all safety procedures.<\/p>\n Accountability, maintenance, and minor repairs for all issued equipment.<\/p>\n Maintaining appropriate records and reports.<\/p>\n Performing additional tasks or duties as assigned during a mission.<\/p>\n Maintaining the communications cache in an operational state at all times.<\/p>\n Monitoring all task force communications.<\/p>\n Developing requests for ordering replacements for consumable items and Position Requirements and Criteria<\/p>\n Individuals who meet the following requirements and criteria will be Knowledge Knowledge<\/p>\n 1. Must have practical knowledge of current telecommunications theory. Installation 3. Knowledge of incident communications planning and frequency management.<\/p>\n 4. Knowledge of radio protocols and operational discipline.<\/p>\n 5. Knowledge of amateur radio skills and operations, land mobile radio, 6. Must have completed the FEMA Communications Specialist Course.<\/p>\n Skills<\/p>\n 1. Ability to work with and effectively communicate within the task 2. Ability to effectively organize and plan during crisis situations.<\/p>\n 3. Have a working knowledge of computers and applications.<\/p>\n 4. Ability to program communications equipment.<\/p>\n Abilities<\/p>\n 1. Ability to anticipate and plan for task force communications needs.<\/p>\n 2. Ability to instruct task force members in the correct use of 3. Able to work at heights to place antennas, repeaters, etc.<\/p>\n 4. Must be able to communicate effectively orally and in writing.<\/p>\n Ron Wetjen ” They have my membership on “Moderated Status” and they will not let any of my replies go through, so here is my attempted response:<\/p>\n Just call your self amateurs because that is what you are. A professional is someone who does something FOR A LIVING, such as fire chiefs, dispatchers, or police command bus crews. They are not amateurs. They are they the REAL Emergency Communicators, just to keep things in perspective.<\/p>\n Amateur radio is the backup plan to the backup plan. It’s a great resource when ALL else fails. If you walk around calling yourself a “Communications Specialist”, you will look like a complete and total ASS-CLOWN, which to me will give others a bad impression about ARES.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Happy Halloween everyone!! Here’s a spoooooooky post from an anonymous submitter: I’ve been subscribed to the mailing list http:\/\/groups.yahoo.com\/group\/WCFARES\/ for a while now and think that some of the posts are ridiculous. WCF (West Central Florida) is some sort of … Continue reading
\nSUBJECT: A “new” nickname?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nsounds kind of “amateur” to be calling ourselves Amateurs, and calling
\nourselves hams … doesn’t help evoke any sense of professionalism.<\/p>\n
\nsounding word for ourselves! Emergency Communicator is OK … but kind
\nof long and doesn’t really stand out and make an impression!<\/p>\n
\n> sounding word for ourselves!<\/p>\n
\nSpecialist” position in the ICS system!<\/p>\n
\nRescue team, but take that out, and it describes what we do and what we
\nshould know perfectly! (Haven’t found anything yet, on the FEMA
\nCommunications Specialist Course other than maybe IS-242)<\/p>\n
\nand since it’s already in the ICS system, everyone already has an idea
\nof what it is!<\/p>\n
\ncommunications system for the task force during incident operations. The
\nCommunications Specialist reports directly to the Technical Team Manager.<\/p>\n
\nCommunications Plan.<\/p>\n
\ntask force communications system during incident operations.<\/p>\n
\nthe IST Communication Unit Leader.<\/p>\n
\nitems lost damaged or destroyed.<\/p>\n
\neligible to become Communications Specialists in the FEMA US&R Response
\nSystem. The intent of these requirements is to select personnel capable
\nof managing the communications needs of the task force in the urban
\ndisaster environment. The requirements and criteria for the position are
\nidentified in the following categories:<\/p>\n
\nSkills
\nAbilities<\/p>\n
\n2. Must have a working knowledge of the parameters of task force
\ncommunications equipment including:<\/p>\n
\nOperation
\nPower requirements
\nFrequency programming
\nField troubleshooting<\/p>\n
\ntelephone, and satellite systems.<\/p>\n
\nforce and with other entities regarding communications issues.<\/p>\n
\ncommunications equipment while deployed in a disaster environment.<\/p>\n
\n————————————————————————————————–<\/p><\/blockquote>\n