Help make me ES smart

[flyguy06]

Ok, so in my quest to get more "ES" friendly, I have a few questions.

1. I was online today loking up info on the AFRCC. I found their website and it talked about the U.S. Mission Control Center. WHat is that exactly and how does it tie into CAP?

2. How is the chain of notification done? Does it go from AFRCC to Wing to a SAR Team or what?

3. I read about these SAR courses speciifically for CAP. How do I get in one?

4. I am in a Guard unit wher eI am about to go through a NIMS course. Can I apply this to CAP?

[floridacyclist]

I'll answer your last one for you

Yes

The whole purpose of NIMS/ICS is to put everyone on the same sheet of paper. Ideally, ALL responders.....cops, firefighters, Ham operators (ARES), CAP members, Disaster Animal Rescue Team members, etc etc all go through the same training. In fact, mixing them up is ideal as they learn about how each other works and how to cooperate, especially in the tabletop exercises.

I taught an ICS100 class for ARES the other night that had more DART members in it than hams (most of our hams have been trained) plus a few CAP members. Next weeks 700 course is supposed to have a few volunteer firefighters, Sheriff's Dept auxiliarists, and even more CAP members.

When CAP offers the ICS300 course in April, it too will be open to all, but really aimed at volunteers since it will be on a weekend. Even the cops will have certificates reading Civil Air Patrol as the issuing authority, which we all think is great for PR and team-building.

[SarDragon]

#2

This apparently varies in execution from wing to wing. In CAWG, it goes like this:

a. AFRCC call a single phone number, which is set up to call forward to the programmed number. This number changes as frequently as daily, and is the number of the Wing Mission Alerting Officer (WMAO) for the day.

b. The WMAO takes the pertinent data from AFRCC and starts calling IC from the list until one agrees to take the mission. The "list" is set up geographically, so the first ICs called are closest to the satellite hit.

c. Once an IC is assigned, the WMAO is done. The IC then issues a page, and folks respond according to the requested assets.

[sardak]

#1 The space based part of the Sarsast system is located on NOAA weather satellites.  The US Mission Control Center is operated by NOAA and is where the signals from Sarsat are processed.  The automated process determines signal location(s) and sends the report to one of the Coast Guard RCCs or the AFRCC depending on where the signal(s) plot.  The receiving RCC then begins working to resolve the incident.  Only the RCCs interface with the MCC.

For more info see http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov

There was a plan for PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) signal reports to be sent directly from the USMCC to the state agencies responsible for working PLB incidents, bypassing the RCCs.  However, cost, the low number of PLB activations and other issues scuttled the program.  Vermont was the only state to be tied into the system before it was canceled.

Mike

[RiverAux]

It appears that the AFRCC didn't even have any PLB missions in 2005.  Their 2004 report had 1 person saved in a PLB mission, apparently the only one of the year.  However, if no federal assets are used, they call it an "incident" rather than a mission so it is very possible that if a PLB was activated and AFRCC did nothing more than pass it along to the state then it wouldn't be included in their mission stats. 

NOAA indicates 34 people rescued in 20 incidents in 2006, most probably in Alaska which has had the PLB program for quite a while. 

[DNall]

#2

This apparently varies in execution from wing to wing. In CAWG, it goes like this:

a. AFRCC call a single phone number, which is set up to call forward to the programmed number. This number changes as frequently as daily, and is the number of the Wing Mission Alerting Officer (WMAO) for the day.

b. The WMAO takes the pertinent data from AFRCC and starts calling IC from the list until one agrees to take the mission. The "list" is set up geographically, so the first ICs called are closest to the satellite hit.

c. Once an IC is assigned, the WMAO is done. The IC then issues a page, and folks respond according to the requested assets.

That's how we do it in Texas, with a couple varriances. The ICs are listed by Group (geographic area) & are on a rotating list, say no/no contact & you go to bottom of the list, take the mission & you're last call next time. They then use the Gp alert roster cross-ref'd w/ resources avail (unit list w/ what they can give), and alert closest qual'd & willing to go. Can do sign in electronically, cause honestly no one is driving two hours from Beaumont to Richmond to check in, drive two hours back, then start looking at their local Apt. Having a closer IC would make sense, but we don't have that many to go around.


#3
I'm not sure which courses you're talking about. Yuo'll do GES & some other stuff online, then to get certified in the varrious qualifications you have to demostrate a series of skills to an evaluator. For ground team & observer there should be wknd events offered in your area, at least on a quarterly basis to teach &/or practice those skills. It may be a course or a SaREx that may have some seperate instuction happening or may be about OJT & watching others/asking questions. The radio qualification is something normally done at your local unit. More advanced qualifications have fewer opportunities, but it's basically the same process & usually involves mentoring w/ someone.

There's also the National ES Academy you can sign up for in the summer if you can or want to go up there for a week & get fully qualified. Many Wings also have similiar programs, at least on the Ground Team side - Hawk Mountain being the big one.

There's also the courses you may have seen on the AFRCC site. SMC floats around to something like 20 locations in the country each year, you just have to check the schedule & watch for it. The other couple are in-resident national courses that you'll need some experience first & then you can apply & go up there for. Being in the guard should help you a lot with that application when the time comes.

Hope that helps.

[flyguy06]

#3
I'm not sure which courses you're talking about. Yuo'll do GES & some other stuff online, then to get certified in the varrious qualifications you have to demostrate a series of skills to an evaluator. For ground team & observer there should be wknd events offered in your area, at least on a quarterly basis to teach &/or practice those skills. It may be a course or a SaREx that may have some seperate instuction happening or may be about OJT & watching others/asking questions. The radio qualification is something normally done at your local unit. More advanced qualifications have fewer opportunities, but it's basically the same process & usually involves mentoring w/ someone.

SAR MANAGEMENT COURSE
 
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The SMC Course was developed in the 1970's to bring Search Management Information to the men and women of the Civil Air Patrol and others from State and Federal agencies within the United States. The course is administered by USAF SAR Controllers assigned to the AFRCC. These men and women of the AFRCC volunteer for this duty in addition to a full schedule of rotating shifts at the Center. Controller must be assigned to the AFRCC for a minimum of one year before being considered as an instructor.

The SMC Course is currently scheduled for January thru November each year with one class per month.

A little about the course:

The classes run on Saturday 0800-1700 and Sunday 0800-1700. The course could be administered during the week if that is more capable with your needs. The course consists of lessons with PowerPoint presentations, and ends with a tabletop exercise of an aircraft search scenario. Specific areas covered include, SARSAT capability, RCC/IC coordination, public affairs, incident command system, what the RCC can provide to the IC in the field, and other SAR related matters.

To schedule a course in your area contact your regional training LO or State Emergency Services Officer. Minimum requirements for a course are: Provide at least 20 and no more than 30 attendees, choose a venue that can accommodate the lecture and table top exercise for 5-7 groups (tables etc.). We will bring a projection system that we connect to a laptop as the lessons are in Power Point format. Once a date and location have been agreed upon it will be published on this site. The course manager at the AFRCC will remain the POC for those personnel wanting to attend, which may be outside the area of instruction.

The focus of the course is to provide an environment that will allow the attendees to discuss their past experiences, concerns for SAR and do that "all-important" networking that is needed to provide a cooperative SAR network. It is HIGHLY encouraged that sponsors include local and state law enforcement, state agencies and even volunteer agencies when considering a course. This will provide the highest level of networking for the attendees.

For more information please contact the AFRCC Training Flight at 757-764-3980. If you are a CAP member, contact your training officer.