ICS 300/400

[PaulR]

Then you really lucked out.  An hour into it(on the first day) all I could hear was an imitation of Charlie Brown's teacher!  LOL 

[isuhawkeye]

then you had a bad class.  the course reviews I have received after teaching confirms that 300 is the best, most dynamic, and most engaging of the ICS series. 

We conduct the class with full exercises, and reviews for every section.  The "driest" section is usually planning, and the Planning P.  Unfortunately many responders do not have enough experience with real mission planning to teach this section affectively. 

Sorry you had a bad experience

[heliodoc]

I don't if it's got anything to do with luck....

Can not quite get it out verbatim from DHS.... But

It all depends on the instructor and how he/she wants to present it..

If there is alot of scenarios injected into the course and the instructor sees things moving along and people understanding the basis of the material, then a test maybe an option.. That's how my I 300/400 was meted out.....

Do not know how isuhawkeye does his, but I think I am fairly close in my writing here

[arajca]

having been through the FEMA ICS TTT course, the test is not optional. Typically, the class uses one scenario and progresses through it. If you don't like government forms, you will not have fun...

[Short Field]

CAP needs to get a lot of people ICS 300 credit by the end of the month...

[isuhawkeye]

arajca I am an instructor.  I teach ICS 300/400.  I dont make this stuff up

[Dustoff]

Hi John et all,

It might depend upon whose auspices you are teaching under.

I'm an instructor under the guidance/direction of the Center for Domestic Preparedness under FEMA.  When I teach a course under their sponsorship the test in MANDATORY!

Of course, it is an open book/open note/open neighbor adult collaborative leaning assessment tool.   

And just FYI, 100/200/700/800 are now going to be required for all CAP-USAF folks (at least on the reserve side of the house in NCLR)

TSgt Jim Laning
RANCO NCLR
ICS Instructor
etc...

[RiverAux]

Of course, it is an open book/open note/open neighbor adult collaborative leaning assessment tool.   

Not sure if you're joking, but the 300/400 I took that was taught be state instructors did not have open book tests. 

[KyCAP]

isuhawkeye -

Curious about your trainer status ...  supposing you work for some other agency that sponsored your training.   I called the CDP region contact and he point blank told me that paid responders and Red Cross are eligible, but DHS does not RECOGNIZE Civil Air Patrol as being eligible for any resident training at Anniston, AL at the CDP.   It's VERY hard here in KY to get trainers to hold the 300/400 courses on the weekends because they are PAID folks working during the week.

Our Wing ES officer is working on the requirements to be a 300/400 trainer, but CAP nationwide is hurting on this point if you see the national reports that I see.   It doesn't help that we have a requirement imposed upon us that is only supporting the development of trainers for OTHER organizations than our own that don't often train on weekends.

[arajca]

KyCAP,
   try applying for FEMA's E449 ICS TTT course at EMI at Emmitsburg. All the EMI courses are available to CAP members. The cost is affordable ($0.00 for the class, $0.00 for billeting, $~100 meals for week, airfare reimbursed) AND they consider CAP as a STATE agency, so you don't need to go through the federal agency hoops.

   In CO, they have some "special" requirements for "recognized" ICS instructors - basically you have to be part of either a fire or law enforcement system.

[KyCAP]

I hear what you are saying, but this was told to me that this was DHS policy and therefore Civil Air Patrol should NOT be eligible at the FEMA course either(both programs being ran by DHS with similar benefits) .  Only because no one from NHQ has been negotiating with DHS (in my opinion) because Red Cross is eligible...   Unless your state law says that you are part of your state's org chart some how (like in KY) then saying CAP is a state agency is "sketchy".

That being said, we will explore the FEMA ECI courses.....  Thanks for the intel.

[heliodoc]

May say CAP is a State agency when you are taking online tests and Some States have CAP at the EOC table as representatives during tabletops, etc and during disaster operations.  But we are taking our direction from the EM or EOC director

CAP can attend EMI courses, but again CAP is tasked for support and not necessarily response.  These types of classes can assist CAP in being a better, rounded, educated in the emergency management arena.

But again with CAP's charter and with its risk averse mentality, we are better suited for search, disaster assessment and such like that

I 300 and I 400 are not going to guarantee CAP a reponse mechanism or capability.  It merely helps us to recognize who we are going to work for and then MAYBE a CAP IC will be tasked with an assignment the paid responders assign us.  Many EM agencies already recognize us for our search capabilty, but surely the paid response agencies are not going to give us a major disaster to run based on our VOLUNTEER status, unless there is no one available and that may be a stretch.  Just go the classes if you can make the one during the week.  If you have to give up another CAP activity for I 300 and I 400, DO IT!!

Because only going to CAP activities and criticizing the classes as yawns and boring shows that CAP can not take anyone elses point of view and that We are everywhere and everything to disaster response

DHS MAY not recognize us once again due to our volunteer status, possibly weak and lack of updated MOU's at the National level.  Also if we have to be reminded to "finish " our online I courses by the Natl Commander and showing resistance like the responders did in the early years, "as another hoop by Guv" then how can we be taken seriously??

Again if you have to "give up" a week for I 300 / 400 in lieu of another CAP activity that may be "more exciting" then that is your choice.  Alot of this upper mgmt ICS stuff is not for everyone, but I will tell you from wildland fire point of view, it sure can open ones eyes, and sometimes it sure is NOT exciting nor "action packed" enough for some CAP Rangers

Fllame me if you want, but some facts are hard for CAP to accept at times.....especially givin up time for one activity or another......................it depends on your priorities and depends on how serious CAP is to the process of its "Emergency Services" thrust other than what is has done so far.  It is all about education and seeing how the real world exists

[KyCAP]

Heliodoc,

Just to make sure that we're on the same page.   Personally, I am committed that CAP SHOULD take the courses.  I have had ICS-300 from DHS Center for Domestic Preparedness on a WEEKEND taught locally.   However, many of us volunteers who can't spare one of the two weeks of vacation that we might have for ICS-300 / ICS-400 training (just like Volunteer Firemen who are in the same boat here in KY) there is no availbility to getting the courses on a weekend.  Further,  NHQ has provided little "guidance" or 'boosted' the morale to get people motivated about this.    When members see the decrease in their USAF training budget because on 1/1/09 your OPS quals for Mission Pilots and observers expired because of a 30 minute online course and the wing training budget is 90% less.. well.. then they might care...

[heliodoc]

Ky CAP

I am pretty sure we are on the same page....

Not addressing to you.  This is my second time in CAP after 25 yrs and some things have NOT changed in CAP and especially the NHQ and its support for the operating units.

IT'S EASY to issue ICL and REGs but real implementation is another and yes when the budget cuts come and CAP gets its portion reduced.... it should not come as a shock....

[KyCAP]

Roger. :angel:

[arajca]

I hear what you are saying, but this was told to me that this was DHS policy and therefore Civil Air Patrol should NOT be eligible at the FEMA course either(both programs being ran by DHS with similar benefits) .  Only because no one from NHQ has been negotiating with DHS (in my opinion) because Red Cross is eligible...   Unless your state law says that you are part of your state's org chart some how (like in KY) then saying CAP is a state agency is "sketchy".

That being said, we will explore the FEMA ECI courses.....  Thanks for the intel.

I got the information straight from EMI. Send the Admissions (NETC-admissions@dhs.gov) dept an email for clarification and their current policy.

[Eclipse]

1) What about WMU states?

2) What if you don't print a new 101 card?  Mine's current until about 2010.



From: Salvador, John
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 4:49 PM
Subject: NIMS Compliance by 31 Dec 08




Region and Wing Commanders,

We're coming up on the 31 Dec 08 deadline for completion of NIMS training and from the reports we've seen it looks like most wings will have enough fully trained people to execute their assigned missions after the compliance date. I've included the information (see email below) on how to obtain Operations Qualifications reports that will tell you exactly how well your region/wing is doing.  It appears that one course, IS-700, is still needed by a lot of our members so we ask you to encourage those people who need it to complete it and the other online courses they need by the end of Dec so they will remain qualified in their mission specialties.

Members who don't complete the required training by 31 Dec (see attached NIMS training letter) will become non-qualified in those missions specialties until they complete the training.  Their CAPF 101 card will have a double asterisk after those mission specialties and a note that says "NIMS Training Incomplete."  Once they complete the required NIMS training and get it validated by their unit, they will regain their qualification for their mission specialties.  Please let us know if you have any questions.  Thank
you.   

Sincerely,

John A. Salvador Director of Missions, HQ CAP


______________________________________________
From:   Salvador, John 
Sent:   Tuesday, November 25, 2008 5:41 PM
To:     National Board
Subject:        New Reports Help Units Track NIMS Training Completion

Region and Wing Commanders,

The NHQ IT department has created two excellent reports to help units track NIMS training completion.  These reports are available using the reports
feature in eServices under "Operations Qualifications".   The first report
is called "NIMS Statistics".  It gives the percentage of training completed for the unit (includes raw numbers too) by NIMS course and ES mission
specialty.   The second report is called "Missing NIMS Training".  This
report lists the NIMS training that has been completed and the training that still needs to be completed by each individual ES qualified CAP member in the unit.  Please let us know if you have any questions. 

The NHQ staff hopes you and your families have a safe, relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Sincerely,

John A. Salvador
Director of Missions, HQ CAP

[KyCAP]

Eclipse,

I had seen the two messages you posted that one from yesterday, but I don't understand your bullet points #1 and #2?   

The 101 Card would not have the NIMS requirement on it and we now know it's required and the WMU/IMU gets it's data about OPS quals FROM e-services?  So there is really no way around those people dropping off without the course being documented?

[Eclipse]

Eclipse,

I had seen the two messages you posted that one from yesterday, but I don't understand your bullet points #1 and #2?   

The 101 Card would not have the NIMS requirement on it and we now know it's required and the WMU/IMU gets it's data about OPS quals FROM e-services?  So there is really no way around those people dropping off without the course being documented?

Best as I can tell the WMU is not exchanging info on ICS completion.

As a GBD I need 300,700& 800.  These are not indicated in any way on the SQTR, nor as pre-reqs anywhere.  My ICS completion was entered and is showing under training in eServices, but does not show anywhere in the WMU.

The only place I can find is the free-form field at the bottom of the ES Specialties page, which just about anyone can update.

Therefore the 101 cards, unless things change in two weeks including the holidays, will not change or show the double asterisk.

[KyCAP]

I've logged into WMU and I do see what you are talking about.   Let me see if I can get Pete to come over and comment on this.