ACES

Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay recently sponsored an ACES class in Manzanita, Oregon. Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay was started as a Map Your Neighborhood effort and has grown into a many pronged organization that includes MYN (98 neighborhoods), CERT (57), Red Cross (45), Ham radio operators (43), 12 of which completed the ACES Basic Certification.  EVC continues to be a model community program, recently installing their own amateur radio repeater and winlink node to provide service in their area.   Working directly for Tillamook County Emergency Management, the EVC group continues to develop and train responding personnel and citizens in all aspects of emergency preparedness.  The BASIC course included seven ACES instructors teaching different units with practical message passing, tactical nets, and a deployment exercise.

Depoe Bay CERT and Lincoln County ACS sponsored an ACES BASIC class at the Gleneden Beach Depoe Bay Fire Hall.  The class consisted of new North Lincoln and Depoe Bay CERT communicators as well as ACS/RACES communicators.  Four ACES instructors participated in the presentation and fourteen people graduated from the program.  Depoe Bay CERT has been very proactive in encouraging their members to get amateur radio licenses.  Student experience ranged from less than one year to well over 30 years, with the more experienced students pitching in to help the newer folks learn the techniques needed for emergency communications.

The winter 2011 offering of the ACES basic course was sponsored by the Hillsboro EOC amateur radio team.  The typical Hillsboro and Beaverton students were joined by colleages from Multnomah County ARES and the City of Gresham.  Skill levels ranged from "very experienced" to those that made their first amateur transmission as part of the course.  Represented agencies included ARES/RACES units, city EOCs, and multiple CERT organizations in the metro area.  Three of the lessons were taught by guest instructors, one of which being the City of Hillsboro Emergency Manager.