ALLEGHENY COUNTY ARES BACKGROUND CHECK AND TRAINING PROCEDURES

 1). Free PA State Police Volunteer Background Check: https://epatch.pa.gov/home

Click the big yellow button that says “New Volunteer Record Check”. This will start you on a free background check because you are registering as a volunteer. The volunteer organization to enter in the form is Allegheny County ARES. For the volunteer organization phone number, enter (412) 736-7385.

2). Free Volunteer Child Abuse Clearance – PA Act 33:

https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home

Click Next to Create a Keystone ID. Register as a volunteer per above.

Once you have the Criminal Background Check and Child Abuse Clearance, please email those documents to my attention.

3). Obtain FEMA Student ID: https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid

Obtain a FEMA Student ID to take the final exams for the required ICS (NIMS) courses.

4). Take the following free NIMS courses in this order:

            a). IS-100: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-100.c
            b). IS-700: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-700.b

5). Take the free ARRL Basic Emcomm course: https://learn.arrl.org/courses/67044    

6). Finish up with the following free NIMS courses in this order:

            a). IS-200: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-200.c
            b). IS-800: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-800.c

7). Take the free ARRL Intermediate Emcomm course: https://learn.arrl.org/courses/68230

8). Take the online Skywarn training class or an in-person class from the Pittsburgh National Weather Service office. Per the NWS Pittsburgh office, Skywarn training is good for five (5) years.

            a). Online Skywarn training: https://www.meted.ucar.edu/training_course.php?id=23
            b). NWS Pittsburgh training schedule: https://www.weather.gov/pbz/skywarn-schedule

9). Download the ARES Emergency Communicator Individual Task Book:

https://www.arrl.org/files/file/ARES%20Taskbook%20July%202024.pdf

You will need to complete the Basic and Intermediate Requirements to be deployed in an actual emergency. Upon completion of ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700, ICS-800, Basic Emcomm, Intermediate Emcomm, and Skywarn, please email those documents along with the ARES Taskbook to my attention.

Downloadable ARES Application Form