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Amateur Radio Included in FEMA Guide for National Emergency Preparedness
03/22/2023
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released a final version (March 2023) of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Functional Guidance. The guidance, which provides a framework for communications resources within incident management, officially includes support from amateur radio operators. The expanded Communications Unit (COMU) structure now includes the Auxiliary Communicator (AUXC) role, which covers personnel from services that provide communications support to emergency management, public safety, and other government agencies. This includes amateur radio.
NIMS guides government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to work together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and other emergencies. “This is a major step in the recognition of the need and usefulness of amateur radio and other communications services in our national preparedness,” said Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, Director of Emergency Management for ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®. “It also gives official guidance to pave the way for future training and education of volunteers in ARRL’s Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®),” Johnston added.
The NIMS ICT guide (PDF) is available at https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_ict-functional-guidance.pdf.
ARES, RACES, AuxComm
We get so sophisticated and we have gotten so used to the reliability and resilience in our wireless and wired and our broadcast industry and all of our public safety communications, that we can never fathom that they’ll fail. They do. They have. They will. I think a strong Amateur Radio community [needs to be] plugged into these plans.
—Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator (2009-2017), 3 May 2011
ARES Membership Requirements
Every licensed amateur regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization is eligible to apply for membership in ARES. Training may be required or desired to participate fully in ARES. Please inquire at the local level for specific information. Because ARES is an Amateur Radio program, only licensed radio amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable but is not a requirement for membership.
FEMA Training Courses for ARES®
ARES NET PREAMBLE & SCHEDULE
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The local ARES Net is held each Sunday Evening at 8:30 PM on the Suring repeater 145.470 (-) 114.8 pl. Feel free to join us, and follow along with the Preamble and schedule of Net Control Operators.
NET PREAMBLE: (Updated 4/17/23 KD8FUE)
Good evening,
Welcome to the Tri-County Cooperative ARES & RACES Net. My name is (your first name), (your call sign) and I will be your net control this evening.
This net meets every Sunday night at 8:30 PM or whenever its services become needed. The primary repeater frequency is 145.470 with a tone access of 114.8. The backup repeater frequency is 147.000 with a tone access of 107.2. This is a directed net which is open to all ARES & RACES Stations in all locations that are within range of this repeater system.
The purpose of this net is to ensure proper understanding between ARES & RACES stations, to share information, and to become better prepared for public service emergency communications.
I will now take a standby for any emergency or priority traffic. Please call (your call sign), your net control station.
(Pause for any emergency or priority traffic)
I will now call all registered Menominee County ARES & RACES stations. When called, please check in and list any traffic when doing so. (call each member)
K8IR (Jim), KD8FUE(Mike) KD80VR (Doug) W8AWF (Robert) NS8V (Paul) KW5AS (Skip)
I will now call all registered Marinette County ARES & RACES stations. When called, please check in and list any
traffic when doing so. (call each member)
KG9GH (Eric), K9STT (Steve)
I will now call all registered Oconto County ARES & RACES stations. When called, please check in and list any traffic when doing so. (call each member)
N9OSF (Larry)
I will now take a standby for any out of county or late time ARES & RACES stations. Please call (your call sign), your net control station.
(pause for stations)
(Read any announcements or ask for general comments or questions)
Hearing no additional business for the net at this time, I will now close the net and turn the repeater back over to normal amateur use. Thank you for checking into the Tri-County Cooperative ARES & RACES Net. We look forward to hearing from you again next Sunday at 8:30 PM. 73, this is (your call sign)
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2023 Net Schedule: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June 1-Eric 5-Steve 5-Robert 2-Steve 7-Jim 4-Paul 8-Robert 12-Paul 12-Jim 9-Paul 14-Larry 11-Mike 15-Jim 19-Mike 19-Larry 16-Mike 21-Doug 19-Jim 22—Larry 26-Eric 26-Doug 23-Eric 28-Steve 25-Robert 29-Doug 30-Robert July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2-Jim 6-Mike 3-Larry 1-Mike 5-Doug 3-Eric 9-Larry 13-Eric 10-Doug 13-Eric 12-Steve 10-Robert 16-Doug 20-Robert 17-Steve 15-Robert 19-Paul 17-Jim 23-Steve 27-Jim 24-Paul 22-Jim 26-Mike 24-Larry 30-Paul 29-Larry 31-Doug