Bid: $RACESBUL.313

TO:   ALL ES, CD, AND PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTORS VIA AMATEUR RADIO
INFO:   ALL RACES OPERATORS IN CALIFORNIA
INFO:   ALL AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS
FROM:  CA STATE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
              (W6SIG@WA6NWE.CA)            Ph: 916-262-1600
               2800 MEADOWVIEW RD., SACRAMENTO, CA 95832
               LANDLINE BBS OPEN TO ALL 916-262-1657
RACESBUL.313                    RELEASE DATE: February 14, 1994

Subject: MGT - Semantics - Coordinator 3/7

COORDINATOR. This is probably the most misunderstood word in this
field. It is a common title in California but prohibited in
Hawaii government. It appears that most coordinators are
facilitators and have no authority. For those coordinators who
indeed have authority to provide direction and control, we feel
they should have another title. In the future we shall provide
you a very illuminating article written by a newspaper reporter
on the public confusion over the title coordinator. To add to the
confusion, some coordinators are really planners who are neither
facilitators or managers.

EMERGENCY COORDINATOR OR "E.C.": The title of a volunteer
appointed by the American Radio Relay League, an association of
Amateur Radio operators who sponsor a special interest group
called the ARES or Amateur Radio Emergency Service. The ARES
provides vital health and welfare communications and support to
disaster relief agencies such as the Red Cross, the Salvation
Army and others. In some cases an ARES EC may develop an
agreement specifying that ARES people will "switch hats" to
provide RACES support to a local government agency. Where the EC
is the RACES Radio Officer it takes an exceptionally well
qualified person not to confuse those two distinctly different
roles: the RACES is only Public Safety communications and the
ARES is predominantly public service. The title Emergency
Coordinator is also used by some jurisdictions in another context
and has no connection with Amateur Radio.
(3 of 7. Continued)