Training is an important part of emergency preparedness and emergency communications. We will be adding new training opportunities very soon.
Skywarn Training
The NWS requirement for being certified as a Basic Spotter is to either attend a live NWS certified training class at least every 2 years or take the online MetEd Skywarn training classes mentioned below:
https://www.weather.gov/lot/spotter_talk
Available year round, the NWS also has available online SKYWARN training through the COMET MetEd website which is accepted as an equivalent to the Basic Spotter Training live sessions offered each spring by the NWS around the country. There are 2 courses each taking around 1.5-2 hours to complete and an excellent weather picture gallery at the end of the second course. For an overview of the courses available, refer to the NWS Training Portal website. For a direct links to the MetEd
Skywarn courses: – Role of the Skywarn Spotter – SKYWARN Spotter Training
Basic FEMA Emergency Management Institute Training
All ARES members wishing to be qualified to assist any served agency in the event of an emergency needs to have completed at least the bare minimum of ICS and NIMS classes. This training will familiarize the member with the basic structure being used throughout the US (local, county, state and federal levels) for handling both planned and unplanned incidents (emergencies). Each class can be stopped and started at the student’s discretion and each class takes about 3 hours to complete. At the end of each class, the student will need to take the timed exam in order to be certified at that level. The initially required classes are:
IS-100 Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS)
IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction
Once completed, the next classes required will clarify and expand on how ICS applies to the individual responder and how resources at all levels (local through federal) are called upon to assist in an incident:
IS-200 ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
IS-800 National Response Framework, An Introduction
Please forward the email received after successfully completing each exam, which will also have a link to the certificate earned, to admin@kanecountyares.org. Certificates will be kept on file to insure proper credit for the work done and to verify qualifications if deployed.