The April meeting of ARES of Champaign County was held Wednesday, April 4, 2007 at the Fire Service Institute.  Here are important notes from that meeting and other news.

ATTENDING
N9XDC, WB9HFK, KC9HXY, KB9KAI, K9MLT, AB9FJ, K9LMM, KC9HND, W9DML, W9EML, KC9JVR, KC9KGJ, KC9KZG, N9DN, KF8ZN, K9SI  (16)


REMINDER ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER PROCEDURES
Please review the severe weather net procedures.  If you do not have a copy you can download it from the web site.  Each Monday from now through June we will be sending out a severe weather outlook for the coming week.  The purpose of this is to give everyone a "heads up" early in the week as to possible severe weather events.  Please keep in mind that situations and timing can change from when the outlook is issued. I will also send out an advisory any time we are in a Moderate or High risk for severe weather. 

A Severe Weather Resource & Information Net will be initiated when a Tornado Watch is issued.  The purpose of this net is to provide updates on the current weather situation and to determine spotter availability in anticipation of possible activation. If and when spotters are activated, then the Severe Weather Net will be initiated.


UPCOMING PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS
ARES has been asked to provide communications for two upcoming events in Champaign-Urbana.  On Saturday, April 28, the March of Dimes WalkAmerica will be held starting at Centennial Park in Champaign beginning at 9:00 a.m.  The MS Walk will be held on Sunday, May 6, at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana beginning at 1:30 p.m.  Please let Heather Schlesser (schlessr@uiuc.edu) know of your availability for these events.


TCARC AUCTION APRIL 14
The Twin City Amateur Radio Club autction will be held Saturday, April 14 at the Windsor Rd Christian Church in Champaign (located between Mattis and Duncan on Windsor).  The doors open at 11:00 a.m., and bidding will begin at 1:00 p.m. There are always good deals to be had on equipment and other stuff.  Amateur Accessories (Steve Zahos, KR4S) will also be set up at the auction site.  Talk-in will be on the 146.76 and 444.100 repeaters.


UPDATE ON FEMA TRAINING
As of April 4, 22 CCARES members have completed ICS-100, 20 have completed ICS-700, 12 completions of ICS-200, and 8 completions of ICS-800. 

More information and links to the FEMA Emergency Management Institute can be found on the WA9RES web site.

When you complete any of the FEMA courses, you will need to send a copy of your course completion certificate to me so your training file can be updated and we have a record of your completion.


NET CONTROL STATIONS
The weekly ARES net is held each Tuesday, 9:00 p.m., on the 444.100 repeater, CTSS 162.2.  The ARES 2m Simplex net is held on 146.550 immediately following the 440 net .

April 10           AB9FJ
April 17           K9MLT
April 24           K9KMM
May 1             W9DML


NEXT MEETING
The next regular meeting will be on Wednesday, May 2, at 7:00 p.m.   Jamie Davis, Disaster Services Coordinator for the Red Cross in Champaign County, will be speaking on the services the Red Cross provides in east-central Illinois