American Radio Relay League
Amateur Radio Emergency Service

Chaves County, New Mexico

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background

 

Public service communication has been a traditional responsibility of the Amateur Radio Service since 1913. In today's Amateur Radio, disaster work is a highly organized and worthwhile part of day-to-day operation, implemented principally through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS), both sponsored by ARRL. The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), independent nets and other amateur public service groups are also a part of ARRL-recognized Amateur Radio public service efforts.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES. The only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a sincere desire to serve. Because ARES is an amateur service, only amateurs are eligible for membership.

There are four levels of ARES organization -- national, section, district and local (The district and local levels are combined in most New Mexico districts).

National emergency coordination at ARRL Headquarters is under the supervision of the ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager, who is responsible for maintaining contact with federal government and other national officials concerned with amateur emergency communications potential, and in general with carrying out the League's policies regarding emergency communications.

At the section level (New Mexico is a section), the Section Emergency Coordinator is appointed by the Section Manager and works under his/her supervision. The SM delegates to the SEC the administration of the section emergency plan and the authority to appoint District Emergency Coordinators (DEC).

It is at the local level where most of the real emergency organizing gets accomplished, because this is the level at which most emergencies occur and the level at which ARES leaders make direct contact with the ARES member-volunteers and with officials of the agencies to be served. The local Emergency Coordinator (EC)  is therefore the key contact in the ARES.  Depending on how the SEC has set up the section for administrative purposes, the EC may have jurisdiction over a small community or a large city, an entire county or even a group of counties. Whatever jurisdiction is assigned, the EC is in charge of all ARES activities in his area, not just one interest group, one agency, one club or one frequency band.

In Chaves County, as in most of New Mexico, the DEC is also the EC.