Education & Training

Fort Ward Amateur Radio Club is committed to Comprehensive Training Goals to minimizing the impact of disasters on our communities, property, economy and environment. Comprehensive Training and Exercise Programs are essential to ensure that first responders, emergency managers, government leaders, non-governmental partners, private citizens and emergency radio communications operators have the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform key tasks when a disaster strikes.

Regional Emergencies such as an earthquake, our communications systems—cell phones, land lines, and Internet, could or are likely will fail. Communications and power could be out for 10 days or more, as communities and first responders survey for casualties and damage, communicating with members of our neighborhood disaster response team is essential.

The Gulf of Mexico Storm "Katrina" and other disasters taught the value of Amateur/Ham Emergency Radio Communications. President Bush needed to get a message to Mayor Nagin in New Orleans. Amateur Radio was the only means of communications to get the message through.

Amateur/Ham Emergency Radio Communications has been saving lives and aiding federal, state and local governments for 100 years.

Responders Tip-1:
Becoming informed and educated about the incident once the first altert is Issued or responders arrives on the scene;

Responders Tip-2:
Incident commander to execute command and control activities;

Responders Tip-3:
Officers and responders deployed to tactical assignments in the hazard area to communicate their observations and progress to the IC and to receive updated orders;

Responders Tip-4:
Responders in a hazard area to radio to the IC should there be a Mayday event.

Fort Ward Amateur Radio Club is a clearinghouse for Radio, Electronic Education.