- Join a local club and find out which emergency group it feeds — see
- Check into the weekly emergency net. Consistency matters more than equipment.
- Take the free FEMA independent study courses — IS-100, IS-200, IS-700 and IS-800. Many
- Build a go-kit you can carry and actually know how to deploy.
- Train on the modes your served agency needs — usually FM voice plus
agencies will not let you inside an EOC without them.
What is actually asked of you
Not heroics. Sitting in a shelter for six hours logging supply requests accurately, staying off the radio when you have nothing to add, and following the direction of the served agency. Discipline is the skill.
What is not asked of you
Self-deploying. Never show up at an incident uninvited; you become a liability and a traffic problem. Wait to be activated by your group.