Looking through the classifieds in this morning's newspaper & came across these items:

COMPUTER OPERATORS The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking applicants with computer database and software experience for intermittent, temporary positions at it's facility near Berryville, Virginia. Candidates must be abl e to operate a personal computer to maintain a property accountability database and have experience in automated and/or manual property inventory procedures... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMPUTER REPORTS/ANALYSTS The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has temporary, intermittent positions available at its Berryville, Va. facility to analyze data and manage complex databases. Candidates must have knowledge of SQL, Oracle, Powerbuilder and Microsoft Office Suite skills. Salary ranges from $33,650 to $40,714 per year. ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMPUTER SPECIALISTS The Federal Emergency Management Agenc y (FEMA) is seeking Computer Specialists for intermittent, t emporary positions at its facility near Berryville, VA. Must have knowledge of UNIX and Novell operating systems, relational databases, and automated inventory systems. To apply, please send an application or resume to ...

I would appreciate speculation from any geeks out there as to what FEMA may be doing.

-- Not paranoid, just curious! (howe9@pop.shentel.net), January 18, 1999

Answers

Here's a few more:

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking applicants with extensive inventory control and property management experience for tempo rary positions at its facility near Berryville, Virginia. Candidates must have excellent computer skills to maintain an automated property accountability database. Knowledge of Fed eral property management policies a plus...

MATERIALS HANDLERS The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking applicants with materials handling/ wareho use operations experience for intermittent, temporary positions at its facility near Berryville, Virginia. Must have knowledge of personal computer for data entry; ability to operate a forklift and other warehouse equipment; and knowledge of the receipt, storage, and distribution of materials...

PROGRAM SPECIALISTS The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has temporary, intermittent positions available at its Berryville, Va., facility for persons with strong analyti cal skills, excellent written and verbal communications skil ls and experience in project management to analyze and evaluate disaster programs. Must have experience with Microsoft O ffice Suite software. Salary ranges from $33,650 to $40,714 per year...

TRAINING SPECIALISTS The Federal Emergency Management Agenc y (FEMA) has temporary, intermittent positions available at its Berryville, Va. facility to develop training courses for the delivery of services to disaster victims. Candidates must have teaching or adult education experience, strong communications skills and the ability to develop training materials. Salary ranges from $33,650 to $40,714 per year...

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), January 18, 1999.

At $40,714 per year for the skillsets required, these are "volunteer" positions.

~C~

-- Critt Jarvis (Wilmington, NC) (critt@critt.com), January 18, 1999.

putting together a database... critt is right... with the skills fema is looking for they are going to have to get in line with the rest of the labor market

-- michael (michael@yahoo813.com), January 18, 1999.

What a joke. I wouldn't wash cars for that rate.

-- curtis schalek (schale1@ibm.net), January 18, 1999.

I've been in that Database. Years ago when I used to run a greenhouse, we had a 30 gal drum of acid that we used to bring our irrigation water to a normal PH. They also wanted to know how many above ground propane tanks we had and where they were located. All this information is useful - and I sure it saves Firefighters lives when they are in the thick of deciding how to best fight a fire.

-- Berry (BerryPicking@yahoo.com), January 18, 1999.

Mea culpa.

Thanks to BerryPicking and Steve Tomczak (another wise counsel via email) for bringing me back to the query of this thread. The FEMA database contains useful, life-saving information; both to local communities and their emergency responders.

Having worked for a public safety software vendor while living in a region that has taken three direct hits from hurricanes (Bertha and Fran in 1996; Bonnie in 1998), gives me insight and appreciation for the value of services provided by FEMA.

I'll take a look at their job posting now.

~C~

-- Critt Jarvis (Wilmington, NC) (critt@critt.com), January 18, 1999.

DONT TRUST FEMA

-- xxxxx (foo@bar.com), January 18, 1999.