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In an Emergency, Amateur Radio Operators Can Handle Your Communications
“When all else fails...”

Ares Contacts

ARES is administered nationally by the American Radio Relay League (the ARRL), but operates under FCC guidelines set out in CFR 40 Part 97. Use of hams for emergency communications is a last resort, to be called upon only when other means of communication fail. Hence the motto: “When all else fails.”

operators

ARES serves both governmental and non-governmental agencies through “Memoranda Of Understanding” (MOUs). These MOUs and other non-binding letters explain the roles and responsibilities of the participating partners. If an MOU exists on the national level, between the ARRL and an organization, then it need not be reiterated at lower levels. Agencies and organizations signatory to MOUs are referred to as “Client Agencies” or “Served Agencies” (SAs). MOU’s exist at the national level for the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, FEMA, National Weather Service and others and are on file at ARRL Headquarters.  

Town Emergency Managers and local service agencies are encouraged to set up MOU’s with their District ARES group as part of their EOP’s (see below). Including ARES in table-top or full/partial-scale exercises can prove beneficial should a real need ever occur.

The ARRL has produced a brochure (PDF) that provides an intro to emergency communications and ham radio operators, download via this linkARRL Ham Radio Brochure †. You might want to take a look at the videos below, too. They're short, but can give you an idea of how ham operators can be used by your organization in a disaster situation.

VIDEOS—Ham operators at work—Click to view in a new window, if your browser has the necessary video plug-in. Otherwise, right-click and “Save link as...” to download:
Katrina    [mpg4, 52MB]
Walter Cronkite, KB2GSB, narrates an over-view    [66.5MB, mpg1]

 

 

Section Manager
Paul Gayet, AA1SU

Assist. Section Manager
Matt Atwood, WE1H

Special Projects Officer
Jane English, KD6PCE

Civil Air Patrol Liaison
A.J. Murray, N1ZWL

Ralph Stetson III, KD1R

Affiliated Club Coord.
Allen Tinker, W1AAT

Official Observer Coord.
Linda Robinson, W1MP

Public Information Coord.
Chris Roy, KA1ZAD

Section Emergency Coord.
Fred Messer, WA1LIE

Section Traffic Manager
Bruce Greenleaf, KF1Z

Technical Coord.
Mitch Stern, W1SJ

Webmaster
R. Conway, N1WWW

 

For Town Emergency Managers   

So, if all else fails and you can't use the phone/fax/email/ how can you contact ARES? This you’ll need to work out as part of your MOU with your district ARES group. In general, if you can reach any ARES member in your vicinity, that ham can then get the ball rolling. Even if there is no near-by ARES member, contacting any ham operator can get things started. Before the need arises, check your zip code, and those nearest, to find any ham who may be living within range and speak to him or her about being your liaison to your District group. The ARRL has a handy locate-by-zip-code database you can use. It’s a good idea to re-check annually as info changes.

ARES operators will have all the needed equipment to get on the air: radios, antennas, power, cables, etc. Nonetheless, ensuring a relatively quiet space, the ability to safeguard equipment during breaks, power if available, are examples of things to work out before-hand so all runs smoothly.

For Served Agencies

Many national agencies have their own radio systems and frequencies, a number of smaller, local agencies may as well. If yours does, ARES members can fit right in to your established protocols and procedures. However, a pre-need introduction to your equipment and systems will go a long toward ensuring a smooth interaction. If you do not have a radio system in place, ARES members come fully equipped! The ARRL maintains MOUs (see below) with the Red Cross, Salvation Army, FEMA, and others. The MOUs may serve as a base for your own agreement with your local ARES group.

Resources

Free Microsoft Viewers for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint docs—Read and print these formats even if you don't have MS Office

Get Adobe Reader free so you can read and print PDFs

“What Is A Communications Emergency?”  [PDF]

ARRL National MOU’s:  www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/   [web]

ARES & RACES—Two Flavors of Emergency Communication Operations   www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/faq-ares-races.html  [web]

Locate Hams by Zip   [web]

ARES

About ARES    www.arrl.org/FandES/field/pscm/sec1-ch1.html   [web]

Towns and ARES Districts —A spreadsheet of Vermont towns with county names and ARES Districts included.  [MS Excel]

District Coordinators

  • Lamoille / Orange / Washington Counties—District 3—Tom Long, KB1NGQ, Waterbury Center
  • Addison County—District 7—Steve Johnson, KB1IVE, Waltham
  • Bennington County—District 5—
  • Caledonia/ Essex/ Orleans Counties—District 2—Mike Gruteke, K3BRJ, Derby Line
  • Chittenden / Franklin / Grand Isle Counties—District 1—Bob Brown, W4YFJ, Essex Junction
  • Rutland County—District 6—Ben Tredwell, N1UKK, Poultney
  • Windham County—District 8—Tim Bell, KA1ZQX, Townsend
  • Windsor County—District 4—Robert Stewart, N1NCT, Reading

 

 

 

 

   VT ARES Memberstruncated VT ARES member list †  (name/location only—MS Excel)

LEPCs

   Districts, Chair Contacts— www.dps.state.vt.us/vem/lepc_districts.htm   [web]

   Websites:

 

 

 

 

 

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