ARES® IL INFORMATION

    The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® is an organization supported by the American Radio Relay League, and consists of local amateur radio operators registered in ARES® with a local ARRL Emergency Coordinator (EC).  ARES® is not a club,  but may have amateur radio clubs supporting public service efforts in ARES®.
    Each local EC is charged with reporting amateur radio public service efforts regularly to the ARRL, the Illinois Section, and its ARES® Districts in Illinois with its cadre of local ARRL Emergency Coordinators (EC).
    The Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) leads the Illinois Section ARES® in a multi-level organization. The SEC is responsible for advising the elected ARRL Section Manager in the Illinois Section on emergency communications via amateur radio, leading ARES® efforts in the Section, and submitting regular SEC reports to the Section and the ARRL headquarters.
    In addition to the SEC, there are various ARRL appointed District Emergency Coordinators (DEC), who also perform supervisory support in their Districts for the many assigned county and local ARRL Emergency Coordinators, and serve as assistants to the SEC and on an Emergency Communications Planning Committee for the Section.
    The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) in the Illinois Section is the preferred general means for providing emergency communications support via amateur radio for all served non-government agencies in Illinois through its network of ARES® registered amateur radio operators. Local ARRL Affiliated and Special Service Amateur Radio clubs may assist with resources in ARES®
    Registered ARES® may provide local and county government support in RACES or Auxillary Communications support to emergency managers, and in Skywarn/Severe Weather spotter units that support these local and county emergency managers as well as the National Weather Service.  All should be registered in ARES® with their local EC, for the mutual benefit.

    The real strength of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® in our Illinois section is the many local amateur radio operators who have voluntarily registered themselves and their amateur radio station in ARES® directly with their local Emergency Coordinator, or through the ARRL Field Organization in Illinois. These ARES® Responders register and train in advance of the need, and serve with the leadership of their local appointed ARRL Emergency Coordinator (EC) in providing emergency communication support of many different served agencies, both public and private. Experience has proven that training in advance of the need in an organized group prepares the individual amateur radio operator best. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) supports ARES® in this learned concept to meet the critical need with manuals and other material developed from decades of emergency response by amateur radio operators.  
 
   In addition to Emergency Coordinators, there are ARRL Official Emergency Station (OES) appointments that are part of ARES® organization, and OES candidates apply for this appointment and must be recommended by an Emergency Coordinator. OES are those individual amateur radio operators with special qualifications and responsibilities in many specific tasks in ARES®. These OES, along with the many ARES® Responders, contribute greatly to emergency communication networks via amateur radio, and add to the specific support of many served agencies and the ARES radio networks. An OES appointment is a special and earned distinction, and an appointment as an OES signifies ongoing special committment and effort in specific and general tasks in ARES® for an EC, and the ARRL Illinois Section, in many areas and localities throughout the State of Illinois. These OES may have special ARRL certification in Emergency Communication, in one or more levels, and are members of the ARRL, as are EC. OES have agreed to perform special service with an EC or a served agency, and are recommended for this ARRL section appointment by an EC, and similar to EC, are appointed by the Section Manager for Illinois.

    All Emergency Coordinators have special access to the ARRL, and are able to order forms and material to support local ARES groups, and help train registered members in ARES and develop amateur radio resources in their jurisdictions to support served agencies. 

    District EC information:  DEC Page
    Local EC information:  EC Page
    Official Emergency Station information:  OES Page

    Questions? Contact the  Illinois ARES® via the link below.