American Red Cross of Central Florida 

ChERS Database Training Program Help Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What are our training options?

Your unit has two options for setting up a ChERSD training class:

• Contact a ChERS Instructor directly to provide training at your training facility
• Rent a set of ChERS training laptops from the American Red Cross of Central Florida and contact a ChERS Instructor to provide training

Before scheduling a training session, familiarize yourself with the Policies in the ChERS Training Policies and Procedures Guide in Word or PDF. All ChERS Instructors have a CD-ROM with all the training materials, a virtual "portable classroom." This means that if you have access to a computer training facility, you do not have to rent the preloaded ChERS laptops.

ChERS Instructors are listed here in Word or PDF. Check directly with an Instructor to determine any additional requirements. Chapters that arrange training directly with an Instructor must reimburse the Instructor directly for the cost of travel.

Rental laptops, preloaded with current ChERS software and training database, are available from American Red Cross of Central Florida. There are three rental packages from which to choose. Reimbursement of the Instructor travel and maintenance costs will be handled directly by the requesting chapter or station. If help is needed in locating an Instructor, contact National Headquarters User Support at 1-888-RPT-PROB (usersupp@usa.redcross.org).

How long does a ChERS training class last?

The entire training course takes four days. Students are encouraged to attend all sessions but must attend the Human Resources module training on the first day. A Chapter or Station with special needs may pre-arrange with an Instructor to focus on selected aspects of the training. For more information, talk directly to an Instructor in your area, or review the ChERS student training materials in Word or PDF. Here is a typical ChERS training schedule:

Day/Time	Task
Monday AM	Equipment arrives. Instructor en route.
Monday PM	Instructor prepares classroom and equipment.
Tuesday	Human Resources training (required for all other modules).
Wednesday	Education training (highly recommended for all).
Thursday AM	Disaster training (optional) and AFES training (optional).
Thursday PM	System Administrator training and FedEx pickup of equipment.
Friday AM	Instructor may be available to provide site with feedback and recommendations about automation procedures, hardware, etc.

How many students can attend a ChERS training class?

Classroom training involves hands-on exercises and is best conducted in groups of 8 to 15. ChERS training can be conducted effectively when there are two or fewer students per workstation. Units are encouraged to contact neighboring chapters to fill classes.

When we contact an Instructor directly, how is reimbursement handled?

When you are using your own training facility, you should arrange for direct reimbursement to the Instructor for all Instructor expenses, including travel. When the American Red Cross of Central Florida ships a set of rental laptops, they will bill the chapter after the laptops are returned and have been inspected. For more information, review the ChERS Training Policies and Procedures Guide (Word or PDF version).

Should we provide a vehicle for an Instructor?

Your unit is expected to provide the Instructor with a vehicle if the Instructor requests one.

How do we advertise our training session on the ChERS Web site?

When you use your own training facility instead of the ChERS rental laptops, you may contact User Support and ask that your class be posted to the ChERS website on CrossNet. Contact User Support at 1-888-RPT-PROB (usersupp@usa.redcross.org).

Who can tell me more?

For more information about ChERS training and the ChERS Laptop Rental Program, please contact:

Kristen Howell
Director - Health, Safety and Community Services
LeonC@CentralFL-RedCross.org
(407) 894-4141 extension 5641

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