HollyKing's Journal

Tonight I attended the Basic EOC Operations training at the Seattle EOC. This was the first class in a series to teach how the EOC works and how to perform a role in the EOC. Since I have worked with EOCs in the past and have completed the ARRL's Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course Level I and II along with several of the NIMS courses tonight was mostly review. The Seattle EOC is organized a little different than the NIMS/ICS plans, as all EOCs are to fit their served agencies, so that part was new to me. Good information there.

The thing that I found out tonight that I am excited about is that Seattle will be offering ICS-300 and ICS-400 classes next January and February. A lot of the ICS courses can be taken online but a few of them are only available in a classroom setting and this gives me a chance to take them. Of course that means I'll have to study ICS-100 and ICS-200 before then so I'm ready.

After the training tonight I spent some time talking with some of the other amateur radio operators. I saw a couple of examples of go bags and came up with a few ideas of my own. One nice bag had several compartments to keep things organized. I have several bags but either their designed to carry a laptop or just have a single large compartment. Time to go browse that bag/luggage store in Pike Place Market. Oh, no! Shopping! ;)

Stories about amateur radio helping out with wilderness rescues make me think about becoming a part of a search & rescue team. Something like KCSARA. The Seattle ACS group probably needs some more help too.