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Santa Clara County ARES®/RACES

Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)

Summary of Impact on SCCo ARES/RACES Activities

We are moving back to in-person training. For more information on this and any ongoing COVID-19 requirements see this statement.

08/28/2021 Training Class: Event Planning Tabletop
Modified for social distancing
08/21/2021 Drill: Quarterly City/County Communications Drill
Modified for social distancing
08/14/2021 Mini Drill: RDF Exercise
Modified for social distancing
08/07/2021 Training Class: Packet Operations Type III A
Remote Teaching to accommodate number of attendees
07/24/2021 Training Class: Message Passing
Modified for social distancing
07/14/2021 Training Class: Fundamentals of Emergency Communications
Modified for social distancing
07/10/2021 Training Class: Shadowing
Modified for social distancing
06/26/2021 Training Class: Message Passing
Modified for social distancing
06/05/2021 Training Class: Field Operations Type III Part B & Type II
Modified for social distancing
05/15/2021 Drill: Quarterly City/County Communications Drill
Modified for social distancing
05/01/2021 Training Class: Field Operations Type III Part A
Modified for social distancing
04/17/2021 Drill: Credential Evaluation Mini-Drill
Added Credential Eval Opportunities
03/27/2021 Training Class: Fundamentals of Emergency Communications
Remote Teaching
03/06/2021 Training Class: Net Control II
Remote Teaching
02/27/2021 Training Class: Introduction to Emergency Communications
Remote Teaching
02/20/2020 Drill: Quarterly City/County Communications Drill
Modified for social distancing
Added Credential Eval Opportunities
02/06/2021 Training Class: Net Control III B
Remote Teaching
01/30/2021 Training Class: Net Control III A
Remote Teaching
12/12/2020 Training Class: 2020 End of Year Summary
Remote Teaching
11/21/2020 Training Class: Message Passing
Postponed then later canceled
11/07/2020 Training Class: Packet Operations Type II
Remote Teaching
10/14/2020 Training Class: Introduction to Emergency Comms
Remote Teaching
10/10/2020 Event: Masked Pumpkin Festival Parade (simulated)
Added Simulated Public Service Event
10/03/2020 Training Class: Packet Operations Type III B
Remote Teaching
08/22/2020 Drill: Quarterly City/County Communications Drill
Modified for social distancing
08/08/2020 Drill: RDF Search and Locate Mini-drill
Canceled
08/01/2020 Training Class: Packet Operations Type III Part A
Remote Teaching
07/18/2020 Training Class: Field Operations Type III Part B & Type II
Modified and rescheduled for 8/29/2020
07/11/2020 Training Class: Field Operations Type III Part A
Modified and rescheduled for 8/15/2020
07/08/2020 Training Class: Fundamentals of Emergency Comms
Remote Teaching
06/24/2020 Training Class: Fundamentals of Emergency Comms
Added; Remote Teaching (Experimental)
06/13/2020 Practice: Pop-up Packet Practice
Modified to use social distancing
06/13/2020 Drill: Field Packet Mini-Drill
Modified to use social distancing
06/10/2020 Training Class: Intro to Emergency Comms
Remote Teaching (Experimental)
06/06/2020 Training Class: Event Planning Table Top
Postponed then later canceled
05/30/2020 Practice: Pop-up Message Passing Practice
Modified to use social distancing
05/16/2020 Drill: Quarterly City/County Communications Drill
Modified to use social distancing
05/14/2020 Meeting: EC/AEC Council
Web Meeting
05/02/2020 Training Class: Message Passing
Postponed then later canceled
04/04/2020 Repeater Sprint Contest and Practice
Added
04/04/2020 Training Net: Message Passing Practice
Added
04/04/2020 Training Class: Net Control Type II
Postponed then later canceled
03/25/2020 Functional Exercise: Statewide Medical Health Exercise
ARES/RACES participation canceled
03/21/2020 Practice Session: Pop-Up Net Control Practice
Postponed then later canceled
03/14/2020 Training Class: Fundamentals of Emergency Comms
Postponed
03/07/2020 Training Class: Net Control Type III Part B
Postponed then later canceled

Precautions

All SCCo ARES/RACES personnel are reminded to follow the precautions recommended by SCCo Public Health, the CDC, Cal/OSHA and other official entities.

Before attending any SCCo ARES/RACES event, please review these screening questions and, if you have any of the listed symptoms, remain at home.

See the other reference information below for more comprehensive guidance.

News

08/03/2021
In light of the recent significant increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Santa Clara County (“County”), due primarily to the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, masks are now required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status when indoors. Health Order August 02, 2021 [This order is no longer available online.]
07/16/2021
With cases of COVID-19 rising locally and increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley recommend that everyone, wear a mask indoors. Press Release July 16, 2021 [This press release is no longer available online.]
06/21/2021
In light of declining cases and widespread community vaccination against COVID-19, The county Health Order of May 18 is phasing out. The newly adopted workplace regulations issued by the California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (commonly known as Cal/OSHA) are in effect.
06/15/2021

California is preparing to get back to normal. On June 15, capacity and distancing restrictions will be lifted for most businesses and activities. As California fully reopens the economy, the state will move beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

The current CDPH Guidance for Face Coverings will apply until October 1, 2021.

05/19/2021
On May 18, 2021, the California Department of Public Health issued a new order establishing focused safety measures designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and announced that Santa Clara County will be entering the Yellow Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The new health order and the move to the Yellow Tier will both be effective May 19, 2021. Many of the previous restrictions are no longer necessary because there is increasing and widespread vaccination and fewer cases of COVID-19 in the community. [This order is no longer available online.]
03/24/2021
On March 23, 2021, the California Department of Public Health announced that Santa Clara County will be entering the Orange Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy effective March 24, 2021. The County Health Officer urges businesses, entities, and residents to continue exercising caution even as certain restrictions are lifted by the State. [This order is no longer available online.]
03/03/2021
On March 2, 2021, the California Department of Public Health announced that Santa Clara County will be entering the Red Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy effective March 3, 2021. The County is also lifting local activity-specific health directives, effective Wednesday, March 3, 2021. As certain activities are allowed to resume, the County Health Officer urges residents to proceed with caution. COVID-19 case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths are falling, but still remain very high. Vaccinations are occurring as quickly as supplies allow, but most people in our community are still not vaccinated. [This order is no longer available online.]
01/25/2021
On January 25, 2021, the California Department of Public Health announced that the Bay Area Region is no longer subject to the State’s Regional Stay At Home Order. However, Santa Clara County continues to experience an alarming rate of COVID-19 transmission, and hospital and ICU capacities remain extremely limited in the county and region. As always, businesses, entities, and individuals must follow both the State and County Health Officer Orders, and where there is a conflict between the two, the stricter rules must be followed. [This order is no longer available online.]
11/30/2020
To reduce the likelihood of a surge in hospitalizations that would exceed the capacity of hospitals in the county, several modifications to the current Mandatory Directives take effect on November 30th. [This order is no longer available online.]
11/16/2020
On November 16, 2020, the State moved the County of Santa Clara into the Purple Tier (Tier One), the most restrictive tier in the State’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy.” [This order is no longer available online.]
10/05/2020
The Health Officer of Santa Clara County issued an order establishing revised mandatory risk reduction measures applicable to all activities and sectors to address the COVID-19 Pandemic. [This order is no longer available online.]
07/02/2020
The health officer of Santa Clara County issued a revised order to shelter in place. Its effective date depends on whether the State approves the County’s application for a variance. This order supercedes previous orders. [This order is no longer available online.]
06/01/2020
The health officer of Santa Clara County issued a revised order to shelter in place. It goes into effect on June 5. This order supercedes previous orders. [This order is no longer available online.]
05/18/2020
The health officer of Santa Clara County issued a revised order to shelter in place. This order supercedes the April 29th order and modifies the conditions of the prior order. [This order is no longer available online.]
04/29/2020
The health officer of Santa Clara County issued a revised order to shelter in place. This order supercedes the March 31st order, extends the duration of the order, and modifies the conditions of the prior order. [This order is no longer available online.]
03/31/2020
The health officer of Santa Clara County issued a revised order to shelter in place. This order supercedes the March 16th order, extends the duration of the order, and adds additional social distancing requirements. [This order is no longer available online.]
A new Coronavirus (COVID-19) Data Dashboard is available from the Santa Clara County Office of Public Health.
03/19/2020
The Governer issued a stay at home order, effective immediately. (PDF)
03/16/2020
The health officer of County of Santa Clara issued an order to shelter in place, effective 12:01 a.m. on March 17, 2020. [This order is no longer available online.]
03/11/2020

After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to postpone or cancel the following training and exercise activities:

  • Saturday, March 14: Fundamentals of Emergency Communications training class (postponed)
  • Saturday, March 21: Pop-Up Net Control Practice session (postponed)
  • Wednesday, March 25: Statewide Medical Health Exercise (ARES/RACES participation canceled)
  • Saturday, April 4: Net Control Type II training class (postponed)

Future activities are under review. We should know more in a few weeks.

Nothing is more important than the health of our people (and their families and others with whom they will come into contact). And our plans for conducting these activities with appropriate “social distancing” met the current public health guidelines. But with federal, state, and local health agencies all continuing to tightening restrictions on gatherings, we think it’s best to err on the side of caution and restrict even this type of activity.

We understand how important these training opportunities are for many of you. So, we will be working on rescheduling the postponed activities sometime in the future. We hope that after a few weeks or so, we will have more information about how this situation is playing out. This will also give us time to conduct some surveys regarding when it might be best to reschedule.

Stay safe and be sure to follow public health guidelines. For continued updates about our response to COVID-19 and for links to the various health agencies, keep an eye on this page.

03/09/2020
The Health Officer of the County of Santa Clara issued an order imposing a countywide moratorium on mass gatherings of 1,000 or more persons. [This order is no longer available online.]
03/07/2020
Weather permitting, we will conduct the 3/21 Pop-Up Net Control Practice session outdoors. See the updated information on the sign-up page.
03/06/2020
Weather permitting, we will conduct the 3/14 Fundamentals of Emergency Communications training class outdoors. See the updated information on the sign-up page.
03/05/2020
**New Guidance from the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health**


The Santa Clara County Department of Public Health has issued updated guidance to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). [This guidance is no longer available online.]

TL;DR. What does it say?

If you scroll down to about the middle of the page, in “New Guidance for workplaces and businesses” and in “New Guidance for Persons Hosting Mass Gatherings and Large Community Events,” you’ll see the general recommendation of canceling “large” meetings and avoiding events where people are within arm’s length of one another.

How does that apply to Santa Clara County ARES/RACES?

While the above guidance is in effect, it is prudent for us to either postpone or cancel activities that are contrary to that guidance. For example, our training classes place 40-50 people, most of which are in the higher-risk age category of 50 years or older, in a room where they are closer than arm’s length to each other for three hours. That’s clearly against the above guidance.

We’ll decide the status of future events on a case-by-case basis as we get closer to each event. So, if you’ve signed up for future events, watch for notifications.