Emergency Communications


Tri-County ARES, RACES, AuxCom SkyWarn    

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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


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 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®

 * ICS-100.b Introduction to Incident Command System (required)

 *ICS-200.b ICS for Single Incidents and Initial Action Incidents (required)

 *IS-700 NIMS: An Introduction (required)

 *IS-800 National Response Framework (required)

  IS-240.a Leadership & Influence

  IS-241.a Decision Making & Problem Solving

  IS-250a Emergency Support Function 15 (ESF-15) External Affairs

  IS-1a Emergency Manager, An Orientation to the Position

  IS-288 The Role of Voluntary Agencies in Emergency Management

  IS-244.b Developing and Managing Volunteers

  IS-120.a An Introduction to Exercises

  IS-130 Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning

4 of these courses are requirements for ARES operators registering with local emergency management/public safety agencies.  Along with the basic ARRL EmComm course, they form the foundation for an educated, certified, trained corps of ARES volunteers prepared to serve as assets and not liabilities to their communities during disaster situations.


 ARES NET PREAMBLE & SCHEDULE


  • 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) , (), ()

    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)

 

 



  • 24/25 Net Schedule:          
               
    Jan - 25 Feb - 25 Mar - 25 Apr - 25 May - 25 June - 25
    5- Doug 2- Eric 2- () 6- Mike 4- Larry 1- Steve
    12- Steve 9- Robert 9- () 13- Eric 11- () 8- Paul
    19- Paul 16- Jim 16- Doug 20- Robert 18- () 15- Mike
    26- Mike 23- Larry 23- Steve 27- Jim 26- Doug 22- Eric
        30- Paul     29- Robert
               
    July - 25 Aug - 25 Sept - 25 Oct - 25 Nov - 24 Dec - 24
    5-Jim 3-Doug 7-Robert 5-() 3-Skip 1-Mike
    13-Larry 10-Steve 14-Jim 12-Doug 10-Doug 8-Eric
    20-() 17-Paul 21-Larry 19-Steve 17-Steve 15-Robert
    27-() 24-Mike 28-() 26-Paul 24-Paul 22-Jim
      31-Eric       29-Larry