SPECIAL NOTICE: RAC Aux-Comm Training Course

The Ontario Government has funded Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) to train volunteers in Auxiliary Communications (Aux-Comm).  The course is FREE. Below you will find details on: the target audience and goal of the course,  the pre-requisites you must meet, the link to register for the course, and finally a course description. Course location will follow.

Target Audience:

The Aux-Comm course is designed for experienced Amateur Radio volunteers who provide communication support during planned events and incidents, as well as communication personnel from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government Emergency Management services.

Goal:

The Aux-Comm course aims to improve interoperability among Non-Governmental Organizations and Emergency Management workforces, ultimately contributing to a more efficient and effective disaster response.

The goal of this 20-hour course is to provide instruction to Aux-Comm volunteers so that their individual and organizational efforts/expertise are appropriately integrated into the public safety/service communications support environment.

Aux-Comm volunteers provide alternate communications by supporting communications with other organizations:

• in cases where local services have failed;
• at emergency incidents/planned events/training exercises; and
• within the emergency management structure (Emergency Operations Centre (EOCs), etc.)

Pre-requisites:

• Sign up at the Ontario Corps Volunteer Registration Portal and complete the pre-requisite steps described there.  This includes 4 on-line training modules that take about 2 hours to complete.
• Complete a Criminal Record Check. You will be contacted by Triton Canada within about a week of completing your OntarioCorp registration and training.  The turnaround is typically 2-3 days.
• Complete the online IMS100 e-learning (2 hours)

Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE RAC AUX-COMM TRAINING program*

*link takes you to Eventbrite. Please note: The form currently allows you to register for each day separately. Until we can get that fixed, please just register for the first day, Sept. 27th. If you already registered for the 28th, don’t worry, we will not miss you!

Course description

Course outline

• The Communications Unit and Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)
• Aux-Comm Roles and Responsibilities
• Interoperable Communications
• Incident Communications
• Incident Radio Communications Plan
• Incident Communications Centre
• Team Management and Accountability
• Resources, Safety and Deployment
• Best Practices
• Interoperability and Radio Networks

Group exercise scenarios:

• SOP Exercise
• Power Outage
• Train Derailment
• Wild Land Fire
• Severe Storm/Flood