Welcome to VT-ARES!

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a volunteer organization administered by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL— a national organization to promote the interests of the Amateur Radio Service [ Part 97 of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations as a “voluntary, non-commercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications”] in the United States), to provide communications in times of emergencies. The ARRL facilitates emergency communications through its Field Organization in general and ARES in particular. All ARES volunteers are FCC licensed Amateur Radio operators.

VT ARES recognizes Vermont Emergency Management (VEM) within the Vermont Department of Public Safety as the state agency responsible for emergency command and control during declared disasters and major emergencies. VT ARES also recognizes the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), a radio communications service of volunteer licensed amateurs specifically designed to provide emergency communications to local or state civil preparedness agencies. Unlike ARES, RACES is administered by civil authorities, not the ARRL.

This website is intended primarily as a resource for ARES members, as well as emergency management personnel for local towns and local/statewide disaster-relief organizations. To read more about ARES, visit this ARRL page.