An ARES plan is basically a scheme for making the best use of limited ARES resources to provide maximum communications help to other emergency response organizations when they need it.
The Section Emergency Coordinator has full responsibility for writing, and revising, the Section Plan, after extensive consultation with the Section Manager, the District ECs, the Manager of the Section ARES Net, and the Section Traffic Manager.
The SEC is also responsible for getting the Section Plan printed and distributed to each DEC and EC, each Section-level ARRL appointee, the Field Services Manager of ARRL, and agencies served by Alaska ARES.
Each DEC must develop a written ARES plan for his/her District subject to review by the SEC. The plan should permit the counties to operate independently in small emergencies but allow counties to cooperate smoothly with each other and to intermesh effectively with the District and Section ARES nets.
The District Net serves as the primary on-air ARES coordination and training circuit for the District. During emergencies it handles traffic among member Counties and between them and major agency headquarters (including the state Division of Emergency Services, the National Weather Service, and the Red Cross) outside the District. Traffic coming into the District from outside, or going out of the District, usually passes through the District net GATEway.
The District plan must:
List the Boroughs within the District.
Describe procedures to be used by ECs to alert the DEC and other ECs in the District.
List VHF/UHF frequencies to be used for communications between Boroughs (the District net).
Describe procedures for liaison with Section HF nets, including the use of GATEway stations.
List specific locations requiring special attention when involved in emergencies.
Describe any special measures required at each designated special site (e.g. a portable repeater, or special antenna arrangements). In addition, the District plan must include the following verbatim portions of the current Section ARES plan:
Definitions
Policies
Emergency Coordinator
Alerting Procedures
GATEways
Each Emergency Coordinator (EC) must develop a written ARES plan for his/her County/Borough subject to review by the DEC. The plan should permit the County/Borough to function independently in local events, yet intermesh smoothly with the District and Section plans.
The county plan must:
List AECs by title (not by name or call) and describe their duties. The EC should appoint an AEC for each major area of the ECs responsibility. Several duties may be combined in a single AEC in counties with few ARES members. These duties include (but are limited to):
Administration (keeping records, making reports)
Training and recruiting
Liaison with each served agency
Managing the County ARES Net
Describe procedures to alert AECs and other ARES members for emergency duty.
Describe procedures to alert the DEC and other ECs in the District as necessary.
List Amateur VHF/UHF frequencies to be used within the Borough.
List Amateur VHF/UHF frequencies to be used between Boroughs (the District net).
Describe procedures for keeping contact with activated District and Section HF nets.
List the most likely types of anticipated emergencies and describe suitable responses to each, including evacuation, weather reporting, searches in primitive areas, and HAZMAT spills.
List specific locations, if any, requiring special attention in certain emergencies. Examples: flood-prone areas, chemical or explosive manufacturing plants.
Describe the kinds of special attention required at each designated special site (e.g. a portable repeater, special antenna arrangements, boat mobiles or hazmat precautions).
Provide instructions for GATEway Station operation in support of District activities.
In addition, the County plan must include the following verbatim portions of the Section plan:
Definitions
Policies
Emergency Coordinator
Alerting Procedures
GATEway System
Copies of the plan should be widely distributed to members, and specifically to the SEC, the DEC, all Assistant ECs, other ECs in the District, Net Managers, regular net control operators and other ARES members and officials. Copies should also be provided to agencies supported by ARES.