This course is Part 1 of a 2-part course offered by CERA to its Neighborhood Radio Watch (NRW) members who are interested in becoming certified to issue neighborhood radio alerts and serve as Net Control during disaster threats such as wildfires, major storms, or widespread power outages.

1. Part 1 of this course will be an online meeting conducted over Zoom.
2. Part 2 is an in-person session on July 30 that includes practice drills and testing.

The path to becoming certified starts with fulfilling the prerequisites of:

• Active participation in NRW Weekly Safety Nets for 6 months.
• Acting as Net Control for a minimum of 3 NRW Weekly Safety Nets.
• Completing CERA's 4 basic training modules below and demonstrating competence and confidence to perform according to the training principles. 
  • Basic Radio Operation
  • Intro to Fire Behavior
  • Scanners 101
  • Incident Command System (ICS) and Event Net Control.

This 2-part course requires successfully completing the following areas:

• Alert and Event Net Control Certification Orientation
• Assignments
• Test

Those who pursue certification should be prepared to:

1. At a minimum, acquire an alert-capable radio.
2. Ideally and additionally, acquire a base station radio for clear and strong transmission.
3. Ideally have a backup power system such as a generator to be able to continue radio transmission in case power is lost.
4. A willingness and readiness to step into a leadership position and accept the responsibility of Net Control during disaster threats and events.