so i finally got my ARES registration sorted out and did my ICS 100 and 200 like they asked and went to a few of the monthly nets to introduce myself. last weekend we had an actual activation for a pretty bad storm system that knocked out power across a few counties and our EC called everyone in to support the EOC and a couple of shelter sites.

i have to say i was not really sure what to expect going in. id done some simulated emergency tests before but this was different, real traffic, real people needing help, lots of waiting around honestly followed by bursts of actual radio work. the net control at the EOC was really on top of things but at the shelter i was posted at we went like two hours with almost nothing to pass and then suddenly had a bunch of welfare traffic all at once.

anyway im curious what other peoples first real activations were like. did you feel prepared or did you realize there were gaps. i felt pretty good about the radio stuff but i was not ready for how much just sitting and being available is part of the job, i kept wanting to do something and there wasnt always something to do. also brought way too much gear, next time im going lighter for sure.

yeah the hurry up and wait thing catches almost everyone off guard their first time out. i think a lot of people come in expecting it to be like a busy contest weekend where the radio never stops and its really not like that at all. the value you're providing is just being there and being ready, even when nothing is happening.

sounds like your EC has a decent program going if you had ICS prereqs and regular nets before they activated you. some groups around here just throw people in with zero preparation and it shows. the welfare traffic surge you described is pretty typical for shelter ops, quiet quiet quiet then a family wants to pass a message and suddenly three more people are in line behind them.

one thing i'd say for next time, bring something quiet to do during the slow stretches, a book or whatever, just something that doesnt distract you from the radio. i used to try to study for my Extra during long activations which was maybe not ideal but it kept me from going crazy

that matches my experience pretty closely. my first real one was a flooding event maybe three years ago and i overpacked terribly, had like a full go-bag worth of stuff for what ended up being a six hour shift at a rec center. live and learn i guess. the waiting is real but honestly i'd rather be bored at an activation than have it be so bad that we're slammed with traffic because that means something's gone seriously wrong out there.