ARECC-001 Course Success!

I am proud to announce that the first-ever local ARECC-001 Course, "Introduction to Amateur Radio Emergency Communications", was held this past weekend with a total of 20 hams in attendance. All twenty passed the course and will be receiving their certificates from the ARRL. The class was started at 8:00 AM both days and lasted until 4:00 PM with short breaks and lunch. I thank each attendee for the courtesy and attentiveness displayed during the long lectures and discussion periods. This class establishes an emergency communications core that can work with the local served agencies more efficiently and in accordance with their needs. The majority of the attendees also completed the minimum IS series courses (IS-100, 200, 700, 800) that are rapidly being required to be associated with ARES and FEMA emcomm operations. Several signed up to have a state-wide ARES/FEMA badge which will help identify them during emergency/disaster conditions throughout Alabama. The course was taught by three ARRL Certified Instructors - Les Rayburn N1LF, Rod Scott N1YZ and Bill Davidson KW4J (that's me!)

Here is a list of the new ARECC-001 Certificate Holders:

Jame McLester W4YXU John Outland K3FP Hub Harvey N4HUB*

Ed Manley W4AGA* Tom Appleby KI4PPR* Ken Browning KE4B

Mike Scott W1NDZ Jim Moore AB4YWL* Alex Davies W4AVD*

Dave Drummond W4MD Tom Howell KG4MPU Ken Caruso KS4NX*

Ed Pitchford KD4AY Marcus Thomas KF4YHP Jack Evans KC4PZA

Otis Bentley K4AAE Eddie Lary WS4I Gary Green W4GRE*

Bob Thomas KC4AF John Murphy KA4ZXL

* tested and passed ARECC-002 and ARECC-003 exams!