Invest in Resilience. Strengthen Your Communications Capability.
By sponsoring an Auxiliary Communicator (AUXC) trainee, your agency strengthens its ability to respond to emergencies with flexibility, interoperability, and confidence. AUXCs are trained volunteers with specialized communications skills who integrate into your operations during incidents, events, and activations—providing surge capacity, redundancy, and mission assurance.
This page addresses your role in the AUXC Position Task Book (PTB) process, answers common concerns, and explains why your agency’s support is a critical investment in community preparedness.
The Position Task Book (PTB) is a nationally recognized tool used to document the performance, experience, and competencies of an AUXC trainee. It aligns with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS).
When your agency initiates or supports a PTB, you are not “certifying” a trainee—you are supervising their participation in real-world communications operations and evaluating performance based on observable criteria.
Access & Oversight: Allow the trainee to participate in agency-approved exercises, incidents, or events where communications support is needed.
Supervise, Don’t Train: You are not expected to provide full technical training. Instead, observe and document the trainee’s performance in real settings.
Evaluate Fairly: Use the PTB checklist and criteria to determine if the trainee has demonstrated the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
“Am I liable if something goes wrong?”
No. The PTB is a professional development and evaluation tool. You are documenting your observations, not providing legal certification or assuming personal responsibility for the trainee’s future actions.
“Will this take up too much of our time?”
No. The process is designed to integrate with your normal operations. AUXC trainees support existing missions and events; their PTB documents their role—not adds extra burden.
“What if I’m not sure they’re ready?”
You control the process. If the trainee has not demonstrated competence in a task, you may delay sign-off and request additional performance. Your evaluation is final.
“Is this all on us?”
No. You are part of a broader system. The WEM, and state recognized AUXCs are available to answer questions, review PTBs, and help guide your decisions.
When you sign off on a completed AUXC PTB:
You’re confirming the trainee demonstrated the skills and behaviors outlined in the PTB.
You’re relying on your professional judgment based on observed performance.
You are not assuming liability or certifying future flawless conduct.
This is similar to signing off on an EMT or firefighter completing probation. It reflects readiness, not perfection.
Only public safety agencies can provide the real-world access needed to prepare AUXCs for deployment. Your involvement ensures the trainee:
Understands your systems, protocols, and expectations.
Operates under appropriate supervision.
Is prepared to support you when it matters most.
This helps ensure AUXCs are integrated, not independent, when activated during incidents.
✔️ Interoperability
AUXCs are trained to operate under COML/ICS direction and communicate across disciplines.
✔️ Surge Capacity
They extend your team during high-demand events, large-scale incidents, or when infrastructure is compromised.
✔️ Mission Assurance
Trained AUXCs ensure backup and continuity when primary communications fail.
✔️ Public Trust
Participating in this national program demonstrates your commitment to professional standards and community safety.