The cost of taking the ARRL on-line Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Courses Level I thru III is now being reimbursed effective Aug. 1, 2006 by SumCo Association of Volunteer Emergency Communication Organizations (SAVECO) for amateur radio operators living or working in Summit County, Ohio. The refund program will remain effective as long as funds are available.
The funds were made available through a $5,000.00 grant SAVECO received from the Robert A Orr Family Foundation, Akron, Ohio. The grant is for training amateur radio operators to provide emergency communication in time of need.
The Amateur Radio Emergency Communication Level I (Introduction), II (Intermediate) and III (Advanced) courses are offered online by the ARRL. Further information on each course is available at http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html. Each course costs $45.00 for ARRL members and $75.00 for non-members. SAVECO will reimburse the $45.00 portion upon proof of completion of a course. The Level I course covers fundamentals and takes about 20 to 30 hours to complete. Each class must be completed within an eight week period.
Hams who have already completed the Level I course may wish to check out the manual as a refresher and to see what updates have been made in the course since they took it.
Amateur radio operators wishing to assist with emergency response for the Summit County EMA and the American Red Cross are being urged to take the training while the cost is being reimbursed. It is likely that training will be mandatory in the near future, according to several ARES officials. Students will be reimbursed as long as funds are available.
Hams interested in learning about the content of the course should go to http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html or check out a copy of the manual at your local library.
Upon successful completion of an ARRL emergency communication course, the student receives a certificate via email with an attractive hard copy arriving about a month later. To request reimbursement for the cost of the course from SAVECO, the student should forward a copy of the email certificate of completion it to one of the following for authorization for a check to be issued by SAVECO. The email must contain your residential address, and a phone number. If you work in Summit County but do not reside there, include the name of your employer and the address.
| Larry Fields, ARES EC |
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| Jason Jodon, North East Ohio Medical Reserve Corps |
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| Marty Copfer, American Red Cross |
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SAVECO has made the training manual for "Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level I" available at several public libraries within Summit County. The manual normally costs $19.95, plus shipping. Those stocking the manual are Akron-Summit County Public Library, Barberton Public Library, Cuyahoga Falls Taylor Memorial Library, Hudson Library and Stow-Munroe Falls Library. A copy of the manual is also available at the Summit County Chapter of the American Red Cross for the Chapter's Disaster Response Team and Red Cross Amateur Radio Club members.