CARES Training Program

Certification Program | Orientation Sessions | Material and Summaries | 
Training History | External Resources

The CARES training objectives are:

1. Develop and maintain an organization training plan that continues to meet CARES’ current operational requirements.
2. Provide the structure and opportunity for all CARES members to advance their overall skills and readiness.

Information on CARES training activities are found here:

• CARES Training and Certification Program
• Orientation Training sessions
• Orientation Training material and summaries
• Training History
• External training resources

Orientation Training Sessions

The focus of CARES Orientation Training Sessions are for our members to review the roles, processes, procedures, and responsibilities that we will encounter during an activation.  This training directly support our mission and the CARES Certification Program.

The training sessions are usually informal, held during our monthly general meetings, and are intended to elicit constructive discussion by the membership as we examine our emergency management policies and procedures.

CARES Orientation Training Material
   Presentations and Training Summaries

• 1st Shift; the 1st 8 hours of an activation (Nov 2007)
• 9-1-1 Communications Systems, Summary  (April 2000)
• ATV Slides+Notes (225kb), Notes only (25kb)  (May 2001)
• Batteries, All About, (4.0Mb)(March 2012)
• Batteries, Care and Feeding of Rechargeable Batteries, (2.6Mb)(Dec 2008)
• CARES SOP 3.0, Introduction to
• Drill -- Dam Break! (Oct-2012) Overview, Debrief
• Drill -- Earthquake, City Wide (Oct-2009) Part 1, Part 2a, Part 2b
• Drill -- Earthquake Response, CERT, CARES (Oct-2011) Overview
• Drill -- Earthquake, City Wide (Oct-2013) Overview
• Drill -- Packet (Oct-2010) Overview, Debrief
  
• Comm Van Update, pages 24-42 (Sep 2011)
• Cross-Band Repeaters, Introduction (Oct-2013)
• Cross Band Repeat Radio Test  (Nov 2003)
• Cupertino Sanitary District and Emergency Prep (Sep 2003)
• Cupertino Sanitary District Update (1.4Mb) (Oct 2007)
• Damage Assessment and START (3.2Mb) (Feb 2005)
• Drought and Wildland Fire Risks (3.5Mb) (Feb 2014)
• Earthquake!  The CARES Response (Nov 2008)
• Earthquake!  The CARES Event Timeline (Apr 2012)
• Emergency Plan Review (Updated)
• Extended Response: Staffing and Resource Planning  (Jan 2000)
• Go-Kits (Sep 2013)
• Forms for Field Responders (Dec-12) Dec-10, Jan 09
• Infrastructure Safety Assessment Part 1, Part 2 (May 2013)
• Incident Command System and SEMS (1.5Mb)  (Dec 2000)
• Lunar New Year Event Prep  (Mar 2003)
• MCIP Overview, Santa Clara County   (Oct 2005)
• Message Handling (Mar 2011)
• Message Handling: Open Nets&Field Msg Handling (Oct 2002)
• Message Handling; Situation Reporting  (Feb 2002)
• Message Handling; Response Operations Change  (Jan 2005)
• Movie: Dirty War; Fiction Terrorist Event (Sep 2005, see KN6PE)
• Operations: 1st Shift (Nov 2007)
• Operations: NCS and EOC Operations (Jan 2001)
• Packet Kit Update, pages 14-23 (Sep 2011)
• Packet Radio, Introduction to (Mar 2009. Sep 1999)
• Packet, Hands on (Apr 2009)
• Packet Radio, Updated  (Apr 2004)
• Packet Radio and Outpost (Apr 2004)
• Pandemic & Flu (Jan 2007)
• PG&E and Emergency Preparedness, Summary (Feb 2001)
• Preliminary Safety Assessment (Jan-14), (Nov 2007)
• Red Cross Communications, Summary (Mar 2000)
• Resource Management and handling SUVs (Dec 2005)
• Resource Management Followup (May 2006)
• Response Scenarios (Nov 2005)
• Santa Clara Fire Dept and Disaster Experiences (Sep 2001)
• SCVWD OPS Briefing, Winter Readiness   (Nov 2000)
• Standardized Emergency Management System (Dec 2000)
• SEMS & ICS Review (Sept 2008)
• SUV, handling, and Resource Management (Dec 2005)
• SUV and Resource Management (Mar 2010)
• START and Damage Assessment (3.2Mb) (Feb 2005)
• Training Plan, Introduction to
• Transmitter Hunting  (Apr 2001)
• Union Pacific Railroad and Disaster Prep, Summary (Jan 2002)
• Wildland File Drill Prep (2.5Mb)(May 2014)
• Wildland File Drill Prep (May 2008)
• Y2K Transition Plan
• Y2K Transition Plan Introduction: Discussion

Top of page

Training History

Training sessions during 2014

• Apr-14,  Wildland Fire Drill Prep
• Mar-14,  Seismic Risks in the Bay Area
• Feb-14,  Drought and Wildland Fire Risks
• Jan-13   Preliminary Safety Assessment

Training sessions during 2013

• Oct-13, Introduction to Cross-Band Repeaters, October Drill Review
• Sep-13, Go-Kits
• June-13,  Summer Event Planning, 4th of July, Field Day
• May-13,  Infrastructure Safety Assessment, Part 2 (redacted)
• Apr-13,  Infrastructure Safety Assessment, Part 1 (redacted)
• Mar-13,  Introduction to WebEOC
• Feb-13,  A Case for Training
• Jan-13   Preliminary Safety Assessment

Training sessions during 2012

• Dec-12, Forms for Field Use
  
• Nov-12, October Drill, Cupertino Dam Break Drill Debrief
• Oct-12, October Drill, Cupertino Dam Break Drill Prep
  
• Sep-12, DOC concept Overview, October Drill Intro
  
• June-12, Summer Event Planning, 4th of July, Field Day
• May-12, SEMS Introduction Course
• Apr-12, Event Timeline
• Mar-12, Everything Batteries
• Feb-12, Emergency Response GoKits
• Jan-12, Santa Clara Emergency Wireless Network (SCEWN) Overview

Training sessions during 2011

• Dec-11, START and Damage Assessment
• Nov-11, City-wide Drill Debrief
• Oct-11, City-wide Drill Prep
• Sep-11, Summer Catch-up
• June-11, Summer Event Planning, 4th of July, Field Day
• May-11, Ark Response
• Apr-11, Ark Operations
• Mar-11, Message Handling
• Feb-11, GoKits
• Jan-11, Preliminary Safety Assessment

Training sessions during 2010

• Dec-10, Forms Review
• Nov-10, City Drill Debrief, Communications
• Oct-10, City Drill Prep, Cupertino Packet
• Sep-10, City Drill Prep, Drill Overview
• June-10, Summer Event Planning, 4th of July, Field Day
• May-10, 
• April-10, Infrastructure Safety Assessment Review
• March-10, SUV & Resource Management
• Feb-10, Preliminary Safety Assessment Process Review
• Jan-10, START and Damage Assessment

Training sessions during 2009

• Dec-09, Communications Staff Augmentation
• Nov-09,
• Oct-09, Prep, City-wide OES Drill, Part 2a, Part 2b
• Sep-09, Prep, City-wide OES Drill, Part 1
• Jun-09, May Ark Drill Prep, Field Day Prep
• May-09, Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness
• Apr-09, Hands On Packet Radio
• Mar-09, Introduction for Packet
• Feb-09, Go-Kits and Power to your Go-kit
• Jan-09, Forms, Forms, Forms, PSA

Training sessions during 2008

• Dec-08, Care and Feeding of Rechargeable Batteries

• Nov-08, Earthquake!  The CARES Response, S.E.T. Prep
• Oct-08, EOC Table Top Exercise
• Sep-08, SEMS and ICS Review
• Jun-08, Field Day Prep, 4th of July Event prep
• May-08, CARES response to an interface fire - Drill Prep
• Apr-08, Understanding the fire response from a Fire Fighter's perspective
• Mar-08, Go Kit review and best practice sharing
• Feb-08, CalFire and how they deploy; VIP Program
• Jan-08, Overview to wild fires

Training sessions during 2007

• Dec-07, Cupertino's 3N Notification System, AM radio station

• Nov-07, 1st Shift: the 1st 8 hours of an activation
• Oct-07, Cupertino Sanitary District Update and ISA support
• Sep-07, San Jose Water and ISA support
• Jun-07, Field Day & Independence Day Event prep
• May-07, Foothill/DeAnza District & Emergency Preparedness
• Apr-07, IEDs
• Mar-07, ATT, their network, and Emergency Preparedness
• Feb-07, Damage Assessment & START; prep for PSA
• Jan-07, Pandemic and City Mass Pro Planning

Training sessions during 2006

• Dec-06, Pandemic, County Pandemic and MCIP Plan

• Nov-06, Infrastructure Safety Assessment, Part 2
• Oct-06, Infrastructure Safety Assessment, Part 1
• Sep-06, Damage Assessment & START
• Jun-06, 4th of July Planning, Field Day Planning
• May-06, Ops changes; handling SUVs
• April-06, City of Cupertino DPW and Emergency Prep
• Mar-06, Introduction to NIMS, Part 2
• Feb-06, Introduction to NIMS, Part 1
• Jan-06, Message Handling, PSA

Training sessions during 2005

• Dec-05, SET CERT/CARES After Action Report, Handling SUVs
• Nov-05, Response Scenarios
• Oct-05, Santa Clara County and Multi-Casualty Incident Plan
• Sep-05, Movie: Dirty War; Fictional Terrorist Event, Debrief
• Jun-05, Art & Wine Festival, Field Day, final 4th of July Prep
• May-05, 4th of July Event Planning
• Apr-05, PG&E and Emergency Preparedness
• Mar-05, GoKit Reviews
• Feb-05, Damage Assessment and START (3.2Mb)
• Jan-05, Response Operations Change, Message Handling

Training sessions during 2004

• Dec-04, SET CERT/CARES Action Action Report
• Nov-04, Santa Clara County OES, EOC orientation
• Oct-04, Red Cross Communications
• Sep-04, Cupertino Shelter Plan, Introduction, Floor Plan
• Jun-04, Art & Wine Festival, Field Day Prep, final 4th of July Prep
• May-04, 4th of July Event Planning
• Apr-04, Packet Radio and the EOC, Overview, Outpost
• Mar-04, START and Damage Assessment Characteristics
• Feb-04, Preliminary Safety Assessment Process Review
• Jan-04, San Jose Water company and Emergency Preparedness

Training sessions during 2003

• Dec-03, SEMS, and how CARES fits in 
• Nov-03, SET Drill Prep, Message Handling
• Oct-03, Deployment GoKits
• Sep-03, Cupertino Sanitary District & Emergency Preparedness
• Jun-03, Field Day Prep
• May-03, START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment)
• Apr-03, Earthquakes and Damage Assessment
• Mar-03, Lunar New Year Event Prep
• Feb-03, SEMS
• Jan-03, County Fire Hazmat

Training sessions during 2002

• Dec-02, CDF, VIP, and Amateur Radio
• Nov-02, Types of Terrorist Threats
• Oct-02, Open Nets and Field Message Handling
• Sep-02, Introduction to the CARES SOP 3.0, Training Plan
• Jun-02, ARRL Field Day, Art and Wine Festival Prep
• May-02, Cupertino City Communications Plan
• Apr-02, Radio Check-out: getting the most out of your radio
• Mar-02, Disaster Medical Assistance Team - DMAT CA-6
• Feb-02, Traffic Handling; Situation Reporting
• Jan-02, Union Pacific Railroad and Disaster Preparedness

Training sessions during 2001

• Dec-01, National Weather Service and their Spotter Program
• Nov-01, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department and Emergency Preparedness
• Oct-01, CARES Functional Field Drill Prep
• Sep-01, Santa Clara Fire Department and Disaster experiences, Bat. Chief Bob Smith
• Jun-01, Message Handling, Field Day Preparations
• May-01, Introduction to ATV Slides+Notes (225kb), Notes only (25kb)
• Apr-01, Transmitter Hunting
• Mar-01, Pacific Bell and Emergency Preparedness
• Feb-01, PG&E and Emergency Preparedness
• Jan-01, CARES Emergency Plan Review (Updated),
  NCS/EOC Discussion

Training sessions during 2000

• Dec-00, Incident Command System and SEMS (1.5Mb)
• Nov-00, Santa Clara Water District and Emergency Preparedness, OPS Briefing, and Winter Readiness
• Oct-00, Functional Field Comms Drill and Readiness Check
• Sep-00, Total Earthquake Response scenario, discussion
• Jun-00, Message Handling, Field Day Preparations
• May-00, Advanced HT Operations
• Apr-00, 9-1-1 Communications Systems
• Mar-00, Red Cross Communications
• Feb-00, Message handling, with Table top exercise
• Jan-00, Review of the Preliminary Damage Assessment Procedure

Training sessions during 1999

• Dec-99, Y2K Transition Plan Review and Finalize, Neighborhood Preparedness Organization; Sharon Blaine
• Nov-99, Y2K Transition Plan Introduction: Discussion
• Oct-99, Extended Response: Staffing and Resource Planning
• Sep-99, Introduction to Packet Radio
• Jun-99, Traffic Handling, Field Day Preparation
• May-99, Shelter Management, John Buckell, Red Cross
• Apr-99, Earthquake Hazards Orientation, Karl Gross, USGS
• Mar-99, Personal Equipment Preparedness
• Feb-99, Wild Fires Orientation, Capt Todd Bruce, Santa Clara County Fire Dept
• Jan-99, Introduction to Preliminary Damage Assessment Procedures

Top of page

External Training Resources

• ARRL, Certification and Continued Education
• ARRL, Getting Started in Ham Radio
• FEMA Emergency Management Institute, Independent Study Courses
• Red Cross, Personal Safety
• Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS)

Top of page

updated:  July 30, 2012