Rescue International's ComTec© Series

Interoperability 101© and Disaster Communications

The 1st and still the best Interoperability/Disaster communications training for America's 1st responders 

A Communications Technician Training for Disasters
and Other Major Incidents

Instructed by Bruce Barton, Director Rescue International

 

NEW - The basic awareness level SAR/Disaster communications ComTec 3A class is now available on the RI training site with a certificate of completion after passing the test. 
DO NOT take this if you will be at one of our training classes you will be able to do so afterwards at an operations level.  Please Plan on the whole day and participating in the hands on if you want to test for the ComTec 2 Ops certificate.  Everyone can do the awareness level online for $5.00 after the class.  Everyone gets an attendance certificate at the end of the classroom session.


We will be returning for our 4th year to the International Wireless Communications Expo in Las Vegas winter 2009
 

IWCE2008 Class update : We want to thank all the sponsors that helped at the IWCE training

C-AT on the use of interoperability crosspatch units and the effects of desensing on radios used on such equipment. 

TracStar for providing Internet access and providing a JPS and Telex satellite connection to the real world thru a Wave Communicator program from Twisted Pair.  And use of a  Flyaway Satellite terminal .

Infinity Gear radios for there GPS demo and help with the Lab session with their new GPS radio SPK/MIC and field programmable radios
 

Watch for new open enrollment classes or sponsor a class in your area.  Remember federal Interop funding covers 100 % of training costs with no matching required.
 


 

Major course topics:

 

Interoperability 101 is a one to three day class designed to bring an extra edge to radio communications officers and technicians, that are charged with the responsibility of maintaining and operating portable communications systems during major deployments and disaster operations.  The class will look at the requirements to set up temporary communications networks and providing interoperable command communications with other agencies working the same incident.

Attendees will be given a no nonsense hands on approach with tricks of the trade and lessons learned in getting communications working under the worst conditions in urban or remote locations.  This class is presented by Bruce Barton, a 36 years veteran of the public safety, SAR and disaster response and communications field.  Bruce has designed and operated portable communications for Search & Rescue and Disaster response teams across the world.   He was responsible for communications and responded with the US State Departments Disaster team to Soviet Armenia earthquake, Rescue International’s responses to Hurricanes Andrew, Opal, Floyd and over 2 months of rescue and recovery operations for Katrina and many other major disasters.  He has developed Disaster and Public Safety communications equipment and published a training manual and program that has be used world wide.  Now he adds the latest in Interoperability to the program and draws on his years of experience in disaster rescue and recovery operations.

Bruce has designed and built a wide ranges of portable communications systems over the past 25+ years.  He helped developed some of the first interoperability crossband systems using a VOX based controllers to link two different agencies and promoted the use of interoperability disaster communications in the early 80’s He designed and implemented a deployable 16 channel VHF and SINGARS radio system with 21 Telex IP based remote consoles and over 125 ICOM radios in the system,  for the National Guard Bureau and SRI Intl.

Attendees will look at how to incorporate from the simplest homemade solutions to the latest Hi Tech solutions in portable communications and interoperability systems, attendees will have a chance to work hands-on with different manufactures equipment that will be available at the class during the hands on and demo session.

Lessons learned from 30 years of disaster response will be looked at to help avoid problems that attendees may face in the future. 

FOR IWCE, NATGARD and SARX attendees
All attendees completing the class will receive a certificate of attendance and can take an optional online COMTEC  2 Ops  exam  and receive a  certification from Rescue International for an additional $25 fee. This varies by class format, length, location and sponsors needs.

Attendees in the local area are asked to bring with prior approval any examples of related equipment that they may have available.

 


Unit
INTEROP 101 Communications and response unit with mobile tower ready for training class deployment

Upcoming Class Details:

Back for our fouth year at the IWCE Las Vegas

2009  8AM to 5PM with breaks and lunch

Hands on and demos Session from 3-5 PM   

Registration at the IWCE web site www.iwceexpo.com

1st Response Expo Fall 2008 watch for details

 

IWCE  BONUS  FREE CD All attendees will receive a free copy of the Rescue International’s Disaster and SAR  Communication ComTec training program on CD and dozens of related Interoperability white papers, Interoperability frequency Lists, Introp Plans, reference and related documents including copies of most of the major manufacturers operations manuals and application  notes.  Lots of great response resources all in one place.

 

Our online testing web site is up and running

Questions on the class can be addressed to bbarton@rescueinternational.org  
This class is available at you location in a 1-2 or 3 day class format. Please e-mail for details
This class meets the requirements for grant training funds from most federal and state relief association programs and Federal Homeland grant programs.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR HELPING TO MAKE OUR CLASSES AND TEAM RESPONSES POSSIBLE:

TracStar mobile satellite systems
Infinity Two Way Radios

ICOM AMERICA Two-Way Radios
Telex-Vega VoIP Radio Interface and Dispatch
MOTOSAT and
Hughes Mobile Satellite Internet
ICRI -
Communications-Applied Technology (C-AT)

New Communications Solutions

ICS TECHNOLOGIES  and www.Portabletower.com
GMC Trucks and our local dealers


WANT TO HELP SPONSOR INTEROP 101 Training or RI's Disaster Team responses contact us for details.
bbarton@rescueinternational.org  

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Rescue Cross, Interop 101, Interoperability 101, COMTEC and contents are Copyrighted
by RI and Bruce Barton 1996-2008 and may also be subject to Trademark protection