WICEN - call for more operators

WICEN Victoria has been asked to provide operators for three outer metropolitan Melbourne Incident Control Centres (ICCs).

WICEN does not have sufficient operators for all the shifts they have been asked to fill, and so are looking for volunteers from the wider Amateur Radio community.

However, this type of deployment is not for every Amateur Operator!

The ICCs are extremely noisy, busy environments where multiple radios are going simultaneously. Headphones are not an option as the DSE/CFA Controllers want to be able to listen in if they feel the need. Despite all this, accurate message handling and concise voice procedure are absolutely required!

Shifts are 12 hours long with shift changes at 7am and 7pm.

If you feel you can be an effective operator in the environment described, then WICEN has need of you.
Please be aware that there will be some volunteers who will not be able to be sent into an ICC. Indeed some WICEN
members have made themselves unavailable for ICC deployment because they feel they cannot operate there effectively.

Offers of help from interstate have been greatly appreciated, however WICEN do not at present have authorisation to fund interstate travel.

If you are willing to travel to Melbourne at your own expense as some have offered, then Wicen could use you. Please talk to WICEN before travelling however, so they can ascertain whether you are suitable for deployment.

Offers to assist should be made to Mark Dods VK3XMU by email to : secretary@vic.wicen.org.au or by phone to
0409 214 834.

Source: Wireless Institute of Australia