About
About Comm Academy
Comm Academy is a free, virtual training conference for anyone interested in learning more about emergency communications technologies and practices. Taking place April 9, 2022, Comm Academy will feature a lineup of experienced emergency preparedness and emergency communications personnel with great information, stories, and ideas to share.
More than just a collection of online presentations, Comm Academy 2022 will be an interactive event, with participants able to converse with presenters and other attendees via YouTube chat.
FAQ
Q: What is Comm Academy?
A: Comm Academy is a free, online, live training conference for anyone with an interest in developing emergency communications skills.
Q: What kind of training is given?
A: Technical how-to sessions on radio and radio-adjacent technologies (power, antennas, feedlines, etc), operating practices, emergency message handling techniques, incident command, and more.
Q: Do you offer certificates for continuing education, or proof of credit for training courses?
A: No. Comm Academy does not offer any certificates or training documentation regarding the content you will receive as part of the event.
Q: How do I register or sign up to attend Comm Academy in 2022?
A: Unlike Comm Academy 21, we are not requiring registration for the 2022 event.
Q: Who are the presenters?
A: Comm Academy presenters are experts with years of experience, both as volunteers and as professionals in emergency preparedness and response. Past speakers have included members of emergency management agencies, auxiliary communications services, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), first responders, and more. Some highlights for CA22:
Christian Helfrich K7XTN Deep Dive on fldigi
TJ McDonald Exploring Seattle Hazards
Quentin Caudron K7DRQ The Antenna Farm : Growing Yagis Element by Element
Scott Dakers W7SGD The Necessity of Radio in Emergency Responses
Robert Sartore KJ7JXM POTA (Parks on the Air) Lessons for EmComm
Robert Grinnell KD7WNV Ham Support for the Bigfoot 200 Endurance Race
Cindi Barker KD7KSH Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs: Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Community After a Disaster (Aside From HAM Radio)
Tom Cox VE6TOX Making Priorities a Priority
Q: What is the history of Comm Academy?
A: The first Communications Academy (as it was formally known) took place in 1998. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Comm Academy was primarily a regional event organized by the Western Washington Medical Services Emergency Communications team. Over the years, it gained a well-deserved reputation as one of the West Coast’s premier emergency communications training events.
Q: How can I get in touch with Comm Academy?
A: Please feel free to email us at contact@commacademy.org or reach out via any of our social media accounts: Twitter Facebook Instagram. Also, you are heartily invited to join our Slack community in the Cascadia Radio Slack - join at www.CascadiaRadio.org
Q: How can I get help if I'm having trouble during the conference?
A: Please ask for help in the Cascadia Radio #commacademy-help channel, email help@commacademy.org (not the contact address from above - it won't be monitored as thoroughly during the event), or reach out via any of our social media accounts.