Paul Smith

FMA-108Incident Command SystemResources and Facilities Written by kb5pgy This week will be my last week covering ICS fundamentals. I will be covering both the categories of resources available in ICS and the types of facilities available in ICS. I will also cover mobilization. Resources are grouped according to how they are deployed and their readiness … Read more

FMA-107 Incident Command System (ICS)Organizational Structure The ICS Organizational StructureLast week, I went over the basics of ICS. This week, I will describe the basic organizational structure of ICS. ICS is a modular organization that is based on the size and complexity of the incident. Incident Commander (IC)By definition, any ICS incident has an Incident … Read more

FMA-101Incident Command SystemHistory and Overview IntroductionThere has been considerable debate about the new requirements for Incident Command System (ICS) certification for all personnel responding to emergencies. Some of the comments I have seen are of the theme of “why should I have to learn yet another thing I will never need to actually use?” ICS … Read more

EME-122HOW REPEATERS ARE USED DURING EMERGENCIES Modified for Houston from original Mecklenburg County ARES© How are Repeaters used during Emergencies? Emergencies can come in all different sizes. Some are very small and some can affect our entire region. The primary purpose of repeaters is to have a method of communication during any emergency whether it … Read more

EME-121EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DEPLOYMENT Modified from original Waller County ARES training articlewritten by Christine Smith, N5CAS (sk) .We will discuss the steps necessary to set up, begin, and end operations in temporary locations, such as shelters in schools or churches, or temporary command centers at any location. Responding After The ActivationIf you already have your assignment, … Read more

EME-120DISASTER COMMUNICATIONSGENERAL PROCEDURE Waller County ARES training material written by Christine Smith, N5CAS (sk) To transmit in the voice mode, always remember to talk across the face of the microphone. Speak slowly, distinctly, clearly, and do not let your voice trail off at the end of words or sentences. On FM, hold the transmit button … Read more

EME-119 Hospital Emergency Communications Waller County ARES training material written by Christine Smith, N5CAS (sk) With the development of new commercial communication products, there has been increasing discussion of new missions for Amateur Radio. An important mission exists for our service that isn’t new, but is largely unfulfilled. Many ARES or RACES groups would say … Read more

EME-118Alternate Methods of Communication Waller County ARES training material written by Christine Smith, N5CAS (sk)edited 03 Aug 2025 by Paul Smith (K5PRS) There will be times when some form of communication other than Amateur Radio might be more appropriate. Remember that your job is to communicate. Here are some possible situations: Legal Thoughts Regarding Licenses:1. … Read more

EME-117 ATTITUDE AND EMCOMM Waller County ARES training material written by Christine Smith, N5CAS (sk) A person having just completed basic training as a fire fighter is not going to be expected by the public, his peers, or his superiors to be as well suited to all aspects of the job as one who has … Read more

EME-116Hazardous Material Waller County ARES training material written by Christine Smith, N5CAS (sk) This discussion is really just meant to be an introduction to Hazardous Materials (HazMat). I would like to also stress the need for personal safety when dealing with Hazardous Materials. Amateur operators sometimes encounter HazMat incidents, or you may be asked to … Read more