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RSOE EDIS Emergency & Disaster MAP
Broadcastify - Public Safety Audio
Two-way radio communication may seem like a thing of the past with smart phones,
texting and the availability of more advanced technology. However, with the recent
frequency of natural disasters, storms, devastating fires and other emergency
situations, more attention is being paid to radios as a reliable form of
communication and a back-up communication option, including amateur radio
operators. When cell service goes down, as it does in large-scale disasters,
public safety agencies quickly turn to amateur radio to establish communications
in ravaged areas.
Carson City DEMARC/AUXCOMM is a team of Amateur Radio Operators, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), who have voluntarily agreed to utilize their skills and sometimes use their own equipment for public service communications support to both government and non-government entities. FCC regulations prohibit Amateur Radio Operators from receiving compensation of any kind for providing public service communications.
We are always looking for new members! If you would like to offer your time and expertise for a worthwhile and necessary public service—and have fun doing it—we invite you to apply for membership. The only qualifications are an amateur radio license and a desire to serve. There are no dues.
We meet at 0800 every Wednesday at the Nevada State Emergency Operations Center, located in the Office of Emergency Management at the National Guard facility on Fairview Ave.
We operate or check into several nets at that time, including the CAL OES HF Net, a VHF net on the 147.27 repeater, a DMR net in the Nevada Room 3132, a Fusion net, the State 800 MHz trunked radio system (NCORE), the statewide NAWAS system and Winlink Packet via W7DEM on VARA, ARDOP and PACTOR. We also check in to the national FNARS system and the national SHARES system.
Interested in joining us? Please click the application link in the menu. You will be contacted very soon.
This is the NV Operations Center in the DEM building.
Whenever the State of Nevada Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated, Carson City DEMARC/AUXCOMM participates in the incident or event underway. This includes activities such as the Governor's Inauguration, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caldor and Dixie Fires, the "Storm Area 51" incident, New Year's Eve monitoring, Nevada Day activities, and numerous planned exercises.
The photos above were taken in our radio room during a recent Nevada State SET Exercise. We were fully staffed and operational on all modes throughout the event.
Please be aware that, since 2020, the ARRL has required completion of the EC-001 Introduction to Emergency Communications course for all new ARES/AUXCOMM members, in addition to the FEMA courses ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700, and ICS-800.
These courses are available online at no cost and are not difficult. The FEMA ICS courses can generally be completed in just a few hours. There is no urgency in completing these requirements.
The ARRL EC-001 course requires more time but is now offered in a virtual classroom environment. All that is needed is a computer, an internet connection, and a webcam.
AUXCOMM:
AUXCOMM is the de facto certification level required of volunteers by FEMA/CISA and other federal and state emergency management agencies. AUXCOMM trains amateur radio personnel to have the tools to work in the ICS/NIMS structure and understand where they fit, and provides credentialing for those volunteers who have completed that certification. Not all COMLs have the intimate knowledge of amateur radio that we do, so AUXCOMM allows the incident manager and/or COML to be confident that certified volunteers are trained and competent to a recognized level.
FEMA Certification
The FEMA Independent Study Program offers a variety of online courses covering emergency planning and operations. Of particular importance to ARES/AUXCOMM members is the series of four National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses listed below.
Some organizations require completion of one or more of these courses before allowing volunteers to assist during a disaster. Regardless, they are valuable, informative, and strongly recommended for every ARES/AUXCOMM member.
FEMA Course IS-100.C
Introduction to the Incident Command System
FEMA Course IS-200.C
ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
FEMA Course IS-700.B
National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction
FEMA Course IS-800.D
National Response Framework, An Introduction
These courses are offered through FEMA's Emergency Management Institute Independent Study Program, which includes many other topics of interest. Browse the complete course catalog or visit the FAQ page for additional information. All Independent Study courses are offered free of charge.
