Revised documents for Communications Support Team Certification has
been published to the Documents page of the website.

Major change is in the name of the team from ARCT to CST.

The NRCEV is no longer using the resource typing matrix originally
proposed. The original typing matrix was based on the one developed by
the World Radio Relay League (WRRL). This typing matrix is the one
that has been most familiar to those involved in emergency communications.

However, after much research and discussion, the NRCEV has decided not
to continue to utilize the modified WRRL typing matrix for two reasons.

1) Type I teams defined in the WRRL matrix are in actuality a Task
Force as defined by NIMS and the NRP. The WRRL matrix, and the one
modified by the NRCEV describe a Type I team as a combination of 1
Type II team and 4 Type III teams.

The NIMS/NRP definition of a "Task Force" is as follows: "Any
combination of resources assembled in support of a specific mission or
operational need. All resource elements within a Task Force must have
common communications and a designated leader". Clearly, the Type I
team described above falls under the Task Force definition.

Additionally, The NIMS/NRP definition for a "Type" is: A
classification of resources in the ICS that refers to capability. Type
1 is generally considered to be more capable than Types 2, 3, or 4,
respectively, because of size; power; capacity; or, in the case of
incident management teams, experience and qualifications.

While, the Type I ARCT as defined the WRRL and original NRCEV typing
definition is larger in number of personnel than the other Type ARCTs,
the Type I does not specify any additional capabilities. Therefore, it
can be argued it is not a different type of resource.

2) The National Integration Center (NIC) has already defined a
resource type for Communications Support Teams (CST). The CST already
defined is for Civil Air Patrol (CAP) resources. And the Type I CAP
CST is appreciably different from the Type I ARCT proposed by the WRRL
and that the NRCEV also originally adopted.

Therefore, the NRCEV has concluded that, until a definitive ruling is
made by the NIC on resource definitions for Amateur Radio EmComm
resources, we should align the typing definitions for NRCEV CSTs with
those already adopted, for similar resources, in order to remain
compliant and consistent with both NRP definitions and existing
resource typing structures established by the National Integration Center.

Should the NIC publish a different typing matrix or adopt the one
submitted by the WRRL, the NRCEV will make any necessary changes to
remain compliant with NIMS.