Alert Rosters

[Stonewall]

My previous wing required a specific form for reporting your squadron's alert roster.  I thought it was a decent form and made known to wing what your specific capabilities were.  I've attached one below that I found in my electronic pile of CAP crap.

On the bottom is says "CAP Test Form".  Did this form ever come to be any type of standard?  Is there a standard Alert form these days?

I edited cadets' last names and all numbers, but I wanted to leave it filled out as a sample of how the form is used.

[SJFedor]

You mind if I steal and bastardize the hell out of that? 

Actually, I really like the concept. I'd like to make a few changes, but seriously, you mind if I use it?

[Stonewall]

As I say everytime I attach a file for people to see/use, feel free to use the heck out of it.  I don't even ask that I get credit for it.  I'm here for you, buddy.   

[SJFedor]

Shibby.

I'll send you my revised version, if you'd like.

[Stonewall]

Abso-freakin-lutely!

[RiverAux]

If your members keep their information up to date in eservices, you've got all the contact information, and qualification information that you need. 

The form you posted seems to be an early version of the Homeland Security alert roster that I know was being used in 2001-2 at least.  Not sure if it still is.

[Stonewall]

If your members keep their information up to date in eservices, you've got all the contact information, and qualification information that you need. 

Keeping personal information up to date can be a tall order for some. 

I'm sure there are lots of versions of alert rosters out there that work well.  I liked the system we had for a while because not only did wing get an updated version of this form on a monthly or quarterly basis (I forgot which), they were distributed to each squadron for GTLs to have in the event that you had to link up with another team for whatever reason.

[IceNine]

Also, how many people except those highspeeders with cell cards have internet access all the time.  I like the Idea of throwing this in the mission binder and throwing it in the truck

[RiverAux]

I didn't say you had to only access it from the internet.  Just pointing out that the info is already available.  One of my pet peeves is Wing asking squadron commanders for information that Wing already available to them but don't bother to use. 

[Stonewall]

I hear ya, R.A.  Nothing like doing work that doesn't have to be done.  I think the problem is that not all CAPers, especially the old schoolers, are too computer savvy.  I know I'm not, but I'm learning more and more every day.

[ELTHunter]

The other problem is, a lot of our ground team capability is with cadets.  Even though they are computer savvy, they don't take the time to update their personal information and such.  Sometimes you can barely get them to input and update their SQTR's.  The other problem is, NHQ changes the looks and link/report names on a regular basis.  It's seems to be a game to see if we can figure out what report is called what from one month to the next.

Don't get me wrong, I am a big believer in the MIMS, or Ops Quals or whatever it's called lately.  It's light years from the way we were even a couple of years ago.  It's just not the most user friendly database around.

[RiverAux]

There is a pretty good incentive to keep that stuff up to date -- do it or don't go on missions.   Squadron commanders have the same option -- if they ensure their members info is up to date, they can tell Wing where to stick it when they ask for the info. 

[ELTHunter]

There is a pretty good incentive to keep that stuff up to date -- do it or don't go on missions.

All fine and dandy until you need a bunch of folks but no one has bothered to keep their information updated.

Squadron commanders have the same option -- if they ensure their members info is up to date, they can tell Wing where to stick it when they ask for the info. 

As a Group ES Officer, I'd much rather use the reports available in Ops Quals if I was assured they were current.

[RiverAux]

I'm all for making things as easy as possible on CAP members, but at some point they have to assume a little bit of individual responsibility.  Most CAP members have internet access and the capability to do this.  Those that do not, can certainly work with their leadership to get the right info in. 

If I move and don't tell my employer, I don't get my paychecks.  Its not the employers fault. 

[floridacyclist]

The Commander and I were talking about this last night..we both agreed that where we work, we are responsible for checking our email. If something is emailed to us, it is assumed that we got it. We agreed that teaching our cadets this is not a bad thing.

On the Eservices thing, we've told everyone that supervisors are responsible for their people's contact data and have been dragging cadets into the Personnel office one at a time to update contacts with all that stuff....home phone, cadet parent phone, dog's phone. primary email, secondary email etc etc

We are also working on a backup paging system using a freelists.org mailing list and all of the digital device email addresses we can get our hands on. When an authorized person sends an email to our alert email address, everyone with a cellphone or pager that can receive emailed pages as text messages gets the message; if it's a true emergency, we would CC it to the everyone@ oursquadron list too. None of this would replace the old-fashioned telephone tree, but would give some folks a bit of a head start on getting ready.

[Tubacap]

How do you find freelists.org to work?  Is it easy to set up?  Can users sign up their emails themselves?

[floridacyclist]

I'm not sure if users can sign up, I started using it specifically so that I could sign folks up; the first thing I did was copy/paste everyone's email from the Capwatch database into an everyone email list that we use for general announcements. This is something that we could never do with Yahoo as folks had to voluntarily create a Yahoo account and sign up. We also have an alert list that I'm working on for just emergency-typ alerts...like I said, not as a replacement for a phone tree, but as an augmentation of one.

It's not really that hard, just not as pretty as Yahoo groups.

[IceNine]

I know what everyone is going to say 25 cents a pop...BUT

I personally have set up a group in my email called REDCAP, as well as one in my phone.  both lists are set with everyone that is qualified for mission in my group.  We have a response map for which units will go where, and which are on standby.  I just hit that group button type out my message and texts go out to the entire group, giving an area usually by closest airport, and the number to call.

It is quite simple to use.  If you are emailing them it is something like (cell number)@nextel.messaging.com
or some variation.  This works great for us, and relieves my calling each person.  Plus if the members are fidgety about getting these messages they are reimbursable as a communications expense I simply put the total (usually around 8 dollars) on my 108 and toss everyone a quarter when I see them

[JC004]

I know what everyone is going to say 25 cents a pop...BUT

I personally have set up a group in my email called REDCAP, as well as one in my phone.  both lists are set with everyone that is qualified for mission in my group.  We have a response map for which units will go where, and which are on standby.  I just hit that group button type out my message and texts go out to the entire group, giving an area usually by closest airport, and the number to call.

It is quite simple to use.  If you are emailing them it is something like (cell number)@nextel.messaging.com
or some variation.  This works great for us, and relieves my calling each person.  Plus if the members are fidgety about getting these messages they are reimbursable as a communications expense I simply put the total (usually around 8 dollars) on my 108 and toss everyone a quarter when I see them

25 cents?  Even Sprint is cheaper than that.  PAWG is implementing this and it works.  Now I know exactly what it is when I get a text message at 1am.    

Here's a list of the addresses used by various providers:
http://www.notepage.net/smtp.htm

[Duke Dillio]

I really hate to bring this up because it is rather horrible but it is what i have to work with.  CAWG pretty much requires everything to be on the WMU.  Now I know most here think WMU is really really bad and I tend to agree, but there is a setup where you can print your page.  We get our cadets and seniors to upgrade the information monthly as we have internet access at our squadron building.  While I still say no to WMU, I use it because I have to.

[Trouble]

I know what everyone is going to say 25 cents a pop...BUT

I personally have set up a group in my email called REDCAP, as well as one in my phone.  both lists are set with everyone that is qualified for mission in my group.  We have a response map for which units will go where, and which are on standby.  I just hit that group button type out my message and texts go out to the entire group, giving an area usually by closest airport, and the number to call.

It is quite simple to use.  If you are emailing them it is something like (cell number)@nextel.messaging.com
or some variation.  This works great for us, and relieves my calling each person.  Plus if the members are fidgety about getting these messages they are reimbursable as a communications expense I simply put the total (usually around 8 dollars) on my 108 and toss everyone a quarter when I see them

YEP. That is the way to go!

My SQ has a SAR Mission e-mail list server, that we use to send out e-mails and text messages to those signed up for it (our UDFT's, GTM's, GTL's etc) It really cuts down on the phone calls.     

When we get a call we send out one of several variations of this standard message:

"SAR Alert!  If available for a mission, call ________ (insert Name of GTL or POC) at _________(insert phone Number)  ASAP."

Leaving the GTL to plan, prep, and speak with IC instead of making unnecessary calls.

[RiverAux]

Email alerts for mission activations are not ideal since many people don't check their email but once or twice a day.  They may be fine for letting some folks know that there is a mission underway, but I certainly wouldn't count on it if I were trying to actually set up a team.  Decent backup, but poor primary system. 

[davedove]

Email alerts for mission activations are not ideal since many people don't check their email but once or twice a day.  They may be fine for letting some folks know that there is a mission underway, but I certainly wouldn't count on it if I were trying to actually set up a team.  Decent backup, but poor primary system. 

Very true.  Email is great to announce upcoming events and to pass files.  However, because most people don't normally check their email constantly, it's not good for immediate missions.

For instance, you have a member sitting at home, watching TV and his computer is not even turned on.  An email is sent out asking those available to contact the sender within the hour.  Our member is not doing anything special, just watching an old movie.  He doesn't check his email until the next morning and thus misses the mission.  But, if someone had called him, he would have responded immediately.

Text messages are not as bad, as many people keep their cell phones on all the time, and so would get the message.  But, a lot of old-schoolers, such as many of our members, don't keep their cell phones on all the time either.

[afgeo4]

Well... if the old schoolers know that their cell phones are on the alert roster and they want to do missions, they should keep their phones on so they can be alerted.

When doctors were issued beepers they were told to keep them on because you can't beep someone if they turned off their beeper.

Makes sense?

[CAP006]

Well... if the old schoolers know that their cell phones are on the alert roster and they want to do missions, they should keep their phones on so they can be alerted.

When doctors were issued beepers they were told to keep them on because you can't beep someone if they turned off their beeper.

Makes sense?

Makes perfect sence to me.

[davedove]

Well... if the old schoolers know that their cell phones are on the alert roster and they want to do missions, they should keep their phones on so they can be alerted.

When doctors were issued beepers they were told to keep them on because you can't beep someone if they turned off their beeper.

Makes sense?

I guess I'm of the old school.  My cell phone is not my primary phone.  I am on my unit's alert roster, but my primary number is my home line and the secondary number is at work, the two places I'm most likely to be.  If I'm not in one of those two places, I typically don't want to be contacted.  I keep the cell phone only for emergencies unless I'm on a mission.  Then I keep it on as an alternate communication choice.

[floridacyclist]

Besides, if their phones are off, you can't call them anyway.

Email / text messages are just a backup system. In fact, I would have everyone call me (or whomever was their POC) on the phone to verify orders before moving one inch. An alert on the text system might read something like:

DO NOT DEPLOY!
1: ELT Mission - Panama City
2: POC Capt Floyd
3: Email gfloyd@tallahasseecap.org or call 555-555-5555 if available

Of course, everything else would still be going on and nobody would be moving (except to check their gear), but that goes out as soon as I get the text/page/email from AFRCC saying there's a mission in our area and wakes folks up.
if enough call me from that, I'm not going to waste a lot of time tracking folks down through a phone tree

Well... if the old schoolers know that their cell phones are on the alert roster and they want to do missions, they should keep their phones on so they can be alerted.

When doctors were issued beepers they were told to keep them on because you can't beep someone if they turned off their beeper.

Makes sense?

Edited phone number - MIKE

[afgeo4]

Well... if the old schoolers know that their cell phones are on the alert roster and they want to do missions, they should keep their phones on so they can be alerted.

When doctors were issued beepers they were told to keep them on because you can't beep someone if they turned off their beeper.

Makes sense?

I guess I'm of the old school.  My cell phone is not my primary phone.  I am on my unit's alert roster, but my primary number is my home line and the secondary number is at work, the two places I'm most likely to be.  If I'm not in one of those two places, I typically don't want to be contacted.  I keep the cell phone only for emergencies unless I'm on a mission.  Then I keep it on as an alternate communication choice.

What can I tell you? If your phone is for use on missions and you don't get to go on a mission because your phone is off then I guess you should either e-bay your phone away or start keeping it on.

[floridacyclist]

Exactly! Nobody is talking about 2Bing anyone, but if we can't get ahold of someone as easily as possible, they simply won't get invited to the sandbox.

Either way, if your listed phone numbers are where you are at, then you would be called eventually if we didn't get enough response from the email page-out. The downside is that you would then have to move a lot faster because you didn't get the heads-up that others did.

Of course, if someone literally doesn't want to be contacted, that is their choice...but give enough failed attempts and I'll stop wasting time even calling them.

[davedove]

Well, hey, since most of the calls tend to happen in the wee hours of the morning, I'll be home anyway.

If it's a situation where one can anticipate being called, like a disaster situation, I would keep closer to the phone, and email, anyway.

[baronet68]

CAP needs to get serious about alert notifications and get a subscription service that is automated and will hunt people down. 

Sendwordnow.com has such a service that my company uses for emergency notifications... it calls your home, cell, or any other phone number you have listed in the database and delivers a message using the NOAA-type automated voices.  At the same time, it can also send text messages and email.  The system also can track when/if the intended caller got the message, gives options to reply by email or over the phone ("Press 1 if available, Press 2 if still sleeping, Press 3 if uniform is dirty... ").  Lastly, this particular service also sets up a conference call that everyone can join to discuss the situation.

Something like this would make the alert roster a thing of the past.  When the mission starts, simply set the beast loose (it's web-based) and wait for interested/available personnel to join the conference call.  It's not a free service but it's a step in the right direction if CAPHQ wants to stay relavant in the ES arena.

(Disclaimer: I do not work for SendWordNow.)

[fyrfitrmedic]

CAP could take a page from the USCG and maybe license a copy of ANICS.

[afgeo4]

CAP needs to get serious about alert notifications and get a subscription service that is automated and will hunt people down. 

Sendwordnow.com has such a service that my company uses for emergency notifications... it calls your home, cell, or any other phone number you have listed in the database and delivers a message using the NOAA-type automated voices.  At the same time, it can also send text messages and email.  The system also can track when/if the intended caller got the message, gives options to reply by email or over the phone ("Press 1 if available, Press 2 if still sleeping, Press 3 if uniform is dirty... ").  Lastly, this particular service also sets up a conference call that everyone can join to discuss the situation.

Something like this would make the alert roster a thing of the past.  When the mission starts, simply set the beast loose (it's web-based) and wait for interested/available personnel to join the conference call.  It's not a free service but it's a step in the right direction if CAPHQ wants to stay relavant in the ES arena.

(Disclaimer: I do not work for SendWordNow.)

That system sounds pretty great if we can make the fees down.

[JC004]

Here's how PAWG is doing our SMS alert system at the moment: http://www.pawingcap.com/docs/jointnotification.pdf

[RiverAux]

For most missions you don't really need anything fancy.  IC calls squadron commander, squadron commander calls people to get ground and/or aircrews together.  He gets immediate confirmation of who is going and since you usually don't need EVERYBODY to show up, it keeps from bothering people who aren't needed. 

[SJFedor]

What happens if the SQ/CC doesn't answer the phone/doesn't like to wake up early in the morning to call his people up? I've heard of quite a few times where IC's go to call the unit/CC and either he or the CC's wife picks up and pretty much tells them to take a long walk off a short pier.

I believe in dedicated alerting officers with a roster of people they know will respond if called. It's a waste of time to just go through the rolls to hope you can muster enough people for a mission, when you can, instead, have a confirmed, regularly updated list of people who WILL ACTUALLY PLAY.

[floridacyclist]

I know I had suggested this and it showed up on my Eservices about the same time that I made IC2..but I also received a lot of other permissions after cornering the Wing IT guy and getting my permissions straightened out from when they disbanded my old group.

Either way, I ended up with National Eservices Member Search privileges. If you're an IC or WAO, check under your restricted applications for member search and see if it says National at the top. I've used this to find people. Another useful tool is the join function on the main website as I can type in the zipcode of an ELT signal and it will give me the closest units and a contact person for each, often not the unit CO.

[RiverAux]

If you can't get the CC, you should already have the numbers of the deputy commanders and squadron ES officer.

[_]

I believe in dedicated alerting officers with a roster of people they know will respond if called.

In Maryland responsibility for getting teams falls to the group duty officers.  An IC will get the call from AFRCC then call the duty officer of the group the mission is in.  There are several duty officers in each group.   The group duty officer will rotate who is on call every couple weeks.  These duty officers can look up who is on the alert roster for each squadron in the wing directory but most have the team leaders' phone numbers in their phones.  The duty officers interact with the people in the group so they have a good idea of who can do what, when and where. 

I don't like completely relying on text messages because I don't have many people and they don't all have cell phones.  I like being able to speak with them directly to find out their availability.  When I get the call I will do a preliminary text message to the people who normally come out but I usually end up calling around because a beep from a text message doesn't wake them up in the middle of the night like me calling them multiple times.

[brasda91]

Well... if the old schoolers know that their cell phones are on the alert roster and they want to do missions, they should keep their phones on so they can be alerted.

When doctors were issued beepers they were told to keep them on because you can't beep someone if they turned off their beeper.

Makes sense?

Sure...for pagers.  Updates to your cell phone providers system are done at night.  In order for your phone to utilize the updates, you have to turn your phone off, then turn it back on.  Your phone then connects to the system with any changes/upgrades.

My primary contact number is my home phone, if they don't reach me there, then they can reach me on my cell phone.