Certified Emergency Co-ordinator Programme

The CEC Badge. See info below.

Candidates should read this information carefully. A factor of the CEC exam is the candidate's comprehension and ability to follow simple directions.

One of the primary reasons for the existence of the Amateur Radio Service is its ability to serve the public, especially through emergency communications. Radio Amateurs of Canada recognizes this fact with its commitment to its Amateur Radio Emergency Service and with several formal agreements in place with disaster and emergency-oriented agencies. But this service is only as good as the ability, dedication and knowledge of its volunteer members. (TM: Registered trade-mark. "Any and all use of the RAC AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE & DESIGN trade-mark requires a written licence or permission from Radio Amateurs of Canada Incorporated.")

The RAC Emergency Coordinator's Manual is the next phase of the RAC commitment to excellence in modern emergency communications support. It is helping official RAC Field Organization appointees to acquire, develop and refine the skills needed to perform at a high standard in an emergency communications situation.  (See Open Letter to All ARES ECs) But that doesn't mean it is intended for appointees only.

All Emergency Coordinators, District Emergency Coordinators and Section Emergency Coordinators, as well as all other ARES members, have the opportunity to successfully pass the certification examination which is included in the RAC Emergency Coordinator's Manual. In fact, the CEC designation should be considered as being a requirement by and for every Canadian Radio Amateur who is serious about providing public service communications, especially but not only ECs, DECs and SECs. Section Managers should also consider gaining this designation.

Eligibility: The RAC CEC designation is not dependent upon the holder being an elected or appointed official in the RAC ARES/NTS. It is not necessary to be a member of the ARES, appointed or otherwise, nor is RAC membership a requirement although it is very strongly encouraged. The designation continues in force following the end of a CEC holder's term in any RAC ARES/NTS position and cannot be taken away from or given up by a holder who has duly attained it. Once you have it, you have it forever.

Any Radio Amateur in any country may write the exam -- found at the back of the EC Manual itself -- and upon successful completion be designated a RAC Certified Emergency Coordinator (RAC CEC). Please note the CEC designation is restricted to licenced Radio Amateurs and is a stand-alone designation sharing no equivalency with any other programme or experience.

Administration (Fee Within Canadah): No fee is required for RAC members. However, the non-RAC member admin fee currently is $5.00, to be included when submitting the completed exam, to cover administrative costs. It is not refundable. If we can't find your call sign in the RAC member data base, we have to assume you are not a member. That includes family memberships. Replacement certificates may be obtained for a $2 administration donation. Cheques and money orders must be made payable to Radio Amateurs of Canada Inc., marked with your call sign and the words "ARES Fund" Sorry, credit cards cannot be accepted for these purposes. Please DO NOT SEND CASH. Since the administration fee for those outside Canada will be slightly higher due to the cost of mailing certificates, candidates in other countries should .

The examination is "open book" and the candidate must refer to the listed training materials while taking the exam. All four of the source documents for successful completion of the examination are available for download from this website using the links below. All four are required in order to correctly answer the questions. NO other sources are pertinent to this exam. Such other references will not be accepted and no credit will be given for questions answered using anything other than the sources listed below.

1. RAC Emergency Coordinator's Manual - This document includes the CEC Exam in PDF format. Please note that further instructions for candidates writing the exam appear only in the PDF file and must be read and followed. For convenience in writing and forwarding via E-mail, the exam itself may be downloaded as an MS Word file. It is also available as an HTML page. However, in both cases the spacing and formatting may be imperfect and difficult for the candidate to use and the examiner to mark. The best copy will be that in PDF format and submission by regular postal mail is strongly encouraged. (Version Français)
2. ARRL Public Service Communications Manual - This document contains a wealth of information that is necessary for those Radio Amateurs engaged in emergency communications. It covers both the Canadian and U.S. ARES/NTS organizations and operations. For Canadian, wherever "ARRL" or "the League" appear, read "RAC".  (Nous regrettons que ce document d'ARRL ne soit pas disponible en français.)
3. Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service - Industry Canada (RBR-4 (Formerly RIC-2) - This is the document that defines the major Industry Canada regulations under the Radiocommunication Act. (Version Français)
4. Radiocommunication Regulations - Industry Canada (RR) - This document covers additional regulations which apply to the Amateur Radio Service in Canada. (Version Français)

(Note: Although the above four resources are those specifically required for the RAC CEC exam, other downloads are available at Download Documents and, while not being specific sources for the exam, will provide a more complete understanding of the ARES/NTS. Serious Amateur Radio emergency communicators will wish to read them.)

The Exam: Examination questions are of the short answer type. Throughout the examination the candidate is required to give a source reference (or references) to every answer. Such references do exist for every question and are required without exception. Include the correct source designation, as indicated in the list above, including the section, chapter and/or paragraph number. Page number is not necessary.

The question/answer sheet provided must be used, with answers CLEARLY hand-written, typed or entered using a computer. If it can't be read, it will be marked as being incorrect. Scanned attachments or other duplicates of pertinent source document pages will NOT be accepted in lieu of the candidate actually answering the question and indicating the precise source reference(s).  Candidates must stick to the resource material and not give answers related to other training, personal experiences or local protocol such as, "In Frostbite, Alberta, we do it this way...". The correct answer to the question comes from the indicated reference sources and no where else. If an incorrect reference is indicated, no marks will be given for that question. (Note: A review of the exam is being conducted with the intention of updating it where required.)

Submitting Exams: Examinations are to be submitted to the for grading. Preferred method is by postal service directly to the VPFS. Please do not send exams to RAC HQ by email.

If submitting by e-mail attachment, please do so only directly to the VPFS and DO NOT send as a jpeg or similar scan. Exams received in that form cannot be accepted. Please use a text method suitable for printing, such as MS Word, Adobe PDF, Word Perfect, etc.

Exam Marking: Minimum pass mark is 90% with no exceptions. Marks are not divulged so please don't ask. In case of a mark below 90%, the candidate may be given general suggestions of questions that should be re-visited, but specific information as to correctness of answers will not be provided. Please bear in mind that the VPFS has many other volunteer duties to perform in addition to those of the CEC programme. Candidates are asked to kindly allow a minimum of four to six weeks for grading of the exam and issue of a certificate, although usually that process is completed much sooner.

Submitted exams become the property of RAC Field Services and are not returned nor will the VPFS enter into any correspondence or discussion with anyone regarding a CEC exam or its results. Candidates should retain a copy of the completed document for their own records.

Successful candidates will receive a Certified Emergency Coordinator Certificate which recognizes their effort and knowledge of the documents on which the examination is based. In addition, successful candidates will be listed below and be entitled to add "RAC CEC" after their name/call sign when originating correspondence related to Amateur Radio; for example, "Alice Smith VE9RAC (RAC CEC)". Unsuccessful candidates will be notified and encouraged to re-write after further study, bearing in mind that this is an open book exam.

The CEC list is growing steadily and all ARES/NTS leaders are urged to consider increasing their own knowledge and setting an example by obtaining the RAC CEC designation themselves, thereby encouraging all other ARES/NTS volunteers to do the same. It is time well spent and attests to the ARES professionalism at a time when such is greatly needed.

PLEASE NOTE: If your name and call sign appear below and you are able but currently not involved directly with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (TM), you are strongly urged to volunteer your services, either locally or at the Section level. This important community resource cannot continue without a steady influx of dedicated volunteers and there is always some way each of us can help, even without the CEC designation. Your knowledge and experience are the foundation of the ARES. Have fun while doing "good"! Please contact your Section Manager, Section Emergency Coordinator or the RAC VPFS for more information. The future of Amateur Radio depends upon the public service it provides. If you have achieved your RAC CEC designation but are not a member of RAC, why not become one now...by clicking HERE.

Holders of the RAC Certified Emergency Coordinator (CEC) Designation

CECs who are also RAC members may now join the Emergency Coordinator Mailing List

For more info and to register, please .

All RAC CECs past, present and future, may obtain and wear the new, RAC Certified Emergency Coordinator badge, currently available for $8.50 ($10 for non-RAC members), including mailing within Canada, by cheque or money order ONLY. Please do not send cash. Mailing costs outside of Canada will be higher so please ask before ordering. Gift orders will be accepted but the name and call sign of the CEC must be provided. Cheque or money order, clearly marked as being for the "ARES Fund - CEC badge", and including your call sign, are to be made payable to Radio Amateurs of Canada and must be sent directly to the VPFS. Do not send to RAC Headquarters. Contact information for the VPFS is published on page 4 of The Canadian Amateur and appears online at http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/management/executive/. The badge, slightly larger than a Canadian (or U.S.) 25-cent coin, is constructed of red enamel on metal, with raised gold-coloured letters and RAC ARES insignia. It features a jeweller's clasp to lessen chance of loss and to prevent spinning. This prestige badge, which displays the wearer's accomplishment in achieving the designation, is available only to RAC CECs to a maximum of two (2) badges each.