SERVED AGENCIES
For our SERVED AGENCIES and prospective new agencies: Amateur radio "Hams" have a
long history of aiding in disasters and emergencies with emergency communication
with their earned and licensed skill and their own special radio equipment.
Through our many operators registered in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service®
(ARES®), our organization may provide free emergency communication via
amateur radio means. More about ARES® can be found in the
ARRL ARES Brochure FSD-25
ARES® offers emergency communication
assistance via amateur radio in support of various Federal Agencies, such
as the National
Weather Service (NWS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
. Our national organization of amateur radio, the American Radio Relay League
(ARRL) already have Memorandum of Understanding
with the national offices. Through these joint MOU, ARES® is recognized
by your national organization to provide these emergency communications services.
Illinois area offices of these served agencies, and other served agencies
operating in Illinois may contact the Illinois ARES® email link below for referral to our local Emergency
Coordinators, or for statewide coordination. Many Illinois local and county
governments, through their local Emergency Service and Disaster Agency (ESDA)
or local Emergency Management representative or officials, may also be aided
with our emergency communications support via amateur radio volunteers. The
Illinois ARES® organization is ready to assist agencies in coordinating, and referring our
registered amateur radio volunteers to Illinois local government representatives
via our local ARRL Emergency Coordinators in Illinois. ARES® may also assist many public organizations
with emergency communications via amateur radio. These assisted agencies are members
of the Volunteer Agencies Active in Disasters (VOAD) in Illinois, and include
the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and many other local groups and chapters
of such organizations.
Our local ARRL Emergency Coordinator can provide further information on what services
ARES® can perform by our registered and federally licensed radio amateurs
using their own or your furnished radio equipment. Our experience has
long shown that advance preparation and local planning before the emergency
ensures the best support. Various area and amateur radio
club Emergency Communications Planning Committee representatives may already
have offered to assist your agency, and we hope that you have taken advantage
of these offers. There are also many fine individual
amateur radio operators, amateur radio clubs, and amateur radio groups within
Illinois, who may already assist with your local and wide area needs in free emergency
communications via amateur radio and should be registered in our volunteer ARES® program with our local ARRL EC for the mutual benefit.
If your public service agency
or Federal, State or local government desires our free ARES® support with
emergency communications via amateur radio, contact the SEC/IL* in advance of
the need for assistance, and to coordinate your request within our Illinois
ARES® statewide organization. Along with our local EC, note our growing network of local Official Emergency Stations (OES) who also serve their local communities and area with
emergency amateur radio links and do help us encourage more in your service
communities.
If your agency already has volunteer amateur radio operators
providing emergency communication support, ensure they are registered in ARES®
with our local ARRL EC, so they may have the benefit of specialized and general
ARES® training and have our organization's support to help serve your emergency
communication needs.
* Served Agency requests in
Illinois - Contact the Section Emergency Coordinator and staff at Illinois
ARES® link below, or find your local Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator as shown on the above links.
For more information, contact the Illinois SEC at the Illinois ARES® link below.
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