| |
WA4ZKO > ARES 14.12.11 16:05l 73 Lines 3842 Bytes #999 (0) @ USA
BID : 8241_WA4ZKO
Read: GUEST
Subj: ARES/NTS Study: ECAC Submits Interim Report
Path: IZ3LSV<IK6IHL<IK6ZDE<VE2PKT<N9PMO<N4ZKF<N9LYA<W9JUN<WA4ZKO
Sent: 111214/1310Z 8241@WA4ZKO.#NKY.KY.USA.NOAM BPQ1.0.4
Not a great deal here to comment upon yet. I did get a chuckle out
of paragraph number four in the ARRL article below.
Source: ARRL News
-----
10/27/2011
ARES and the National Traffic System (NTS) exist as the League's
implementation of the basic principle stated in Part 97.1(a):
"Recognition and enhancement of the value of the Amateur Service to
the public as a voluntary non-commercial communication service,
particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.' The
ARRL Board of Directors' Programs and Services Committee (PSC) tasked
the League's Emergency Communications Advisory Committee (ECAC) to
recommend improvements to ARES and NTS so that the Amateur Service
can better serve the public in providing emergency communications.
Assigned study topics include, but are not limited to, ARES and NTS
objectives and organizational structures, integration between ARES
and NTS, training, certification, credentialing, and relationships
with served agencies.
While nothing has yet been decided, ECAC Chairman Dale Williams,
WA8EFK, has filed an interim progress report with the PSC. He told
the ARRL that the panel of ECAC members from across the country
"began this challenging assignment immediately. Knowing that both
ARES and NTS operations across the country are based in strong
legacies, proven methodologies and expertise, our initial effort was
to capture field opinions of the current status of both organizations.
Our immediate goal is to determine how ARES and NTS are viewed by
those directly involved. We need to understand the good features of
both groups, where we are in terms of capabilities, where we should
be, what shortcomings we face and how we can best make any needed
changes."
Williams reported that over a period of 60 days, "we prepared survey
questions to be introduced to the leadership of both groups. Using two
independent teams, we developed an extensive series of questions for
the field organization. These were evaluated and combined to form the
basis of our planned surveys. To minimize the potential for rumor and
innuendo to negatively affect the surveys, we sent advanced copies of
both to the NTS leadership for their review and to Section Managers
for forwarding to their individual Section Emergency Coordinators for
their viewing. This also afforded the opportunity for the field
leadership to offer input and suggestions about the prepared questions
and their format. We accepted the field replies and incorporated
several changes to the surveys."
Williams found that this resulted in early feedback "that indicates
there may be a need for major paradigm shifts in expectations,
organizational structures and how we train the general ham population
for handling traffic in an emergency. We know initially that both ARES
and NTS are wildly different across the country. Some units function
very well, while some are quite dysfunctional. We intend to discover
why the differences exist and how the best practices of the successful
groups can be translated into successes for problem groups."
The final version of the survey forms was accepted by the ECAC at a
September 14 conference call and the ECAC is now preparing to release
the surveys to NTS Managers, Section Managers and Section Emergency
Coordinators. "Plans call for a thorough review of the reported data,
the building of a report matrix, completion of any necessary follow-up
work and then the results analysis," Williams said. "Our next report
should contain the analysis and an outline of the project projections."
It must be emphasized that nothing has been decided and only
information is being sought at this time by the ECAC, which exists
solely as an advisory committee to make recommendations to the
League's Board of Directors.
-----
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
