SOUTH GEORGIAN BAY WEST SIMCOE
                     AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE

THE AREA WE SERVE
 

The South Georgian Bay West Simcoe ARES was officially sanctioned by RAC on April, 2, 2001.

The area for which the SGBWS ARES group is responsible for providing emergency communications is comprised of three townships (including five municipalities) and two partial townships in the County of Simcoe, along the southern shores of Georgian Bay.  With approximately 125,000 year round residents, the population of the area, which is noted for its four season recreation living, swells to 200,000 to 250,000 during late spring through to early fall.  It is famous for winter skiing, and snowmobiling, with facilities second to none.  During the warm weather, the area is the "Gateway to the 30,000 Islands", of South Georgian Bay.  Boating, Diving, Theatre, Cottage Life, Campgrounds, B & B's, Golfing, Hiking, Biking, Arts & Craft Shows, Historical Sites and Ships, Bus Tours, etc., etc.,

For a full screen map showing details of
our service area, click on the first map.


County MapWith 19 individual municipalities in the County of Simcoe, including Barrie, the fastest growth city in Canada, there is a challenge to support the municipal infrastructure and ensure the safety of all residents in the event of emergency or disaster situations.  Details for these municipalities are available by clicking on the map at the left.
 

Amateur Radio enthusiasts are well aware of the increased population and are on standby to provide traffic, directions, local information to visitors and summer residents in addition to supporting the many year round community events that require communications support.

Click here for additional information about Simcoe County
 

Within the 1100+ square miles indicated in the highlited in the map at the left (click on this map - for a full screen view), there are in excess of 300 registered amateur radio operators!  Surrounding the outside fringes of the area indicated, are other ARES groups that are equally prepared and provide public service support.  There are at least six or seven ARES groups responsible for some portion of the map above, all working with one another to provide compatible communication linking in the event of a widespread emergency.  There is a normal population in excess of 1.0 million residents in their coverage area, with the major manufacturing, financial, government and residential centre of Ontario just to the south.  Three of the four major highway transportation routes, and two major rail routes to the northern sections of the Province of Ontario traverse the territory covered by these ARES organizations.

                                

D. Lortie - VE3REK- SGBWS ARES.
Copyright © 2003 [South Georgian Bay West Simcoe ARES]. All rights reserved.