The amateur radio community engages in emergencies primarily through two organizations, namely ARES and RACES, which provide formal structure and processes that amateur radio operators use when working with other emergency responders.
FCC Part 97 Subpart E - Providing Emergency Communications
Amateur Radio Emergency Communication
ARRL-ARES Emergency Coordinator
ARES & RACES Information
Amateur Radio Nets (PDF)
Some Thoughts on Net Participation (PDF)
Skywarn Nets and Local Weather Nets (PDF)
Severe Weather Criteria (PDF)
Net Control Training and Operation: General Background (PDF)
Message from the late Frank O'Bannon, Governor of the State of Indiana (PDF)
Hilly Hundred Volunteer Files
The 2022 Hilly Hundred Files are located with each of the links below. Download them here HH 2022 Saturday Short Route HH 2022 Little Hilly Route HH 2022 Saturday Route HH 2022 Sunday Route HH 2022 Sunday Short Route HH APRS Settings HH APRSdroid Setup Event PowerPoint (10MB)ARES and RACES
ARES stands for Amateur Radio Emergency Service and RACES for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. Both represent formal, national groups with local chapters. The difference between the two is that participation in ARES is open - any ham can call into ARES nets, while RACES is more formal, associated with FEMA/FCC. You have to apply for RACES membership and swear an oath administered by the local RACES representative.The Monroe County RACES representative is A.J. Ragusa KC9EVU. Here is how to join RACES.
The Indiana RACES site provides more information and materials.
Amateur Radio in Recent National Emergencies
Amateur radio has played a critical role in several national emergencies. According to Wikipedia, "Amateur radio operators belonging to ARES (and its predecessor, the Amateur Radio Emergency Corps) have responded to local and regional disasters since the 1930s, including the attacks of September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina. During the Katrina event more than one thousand ARES volunteers assisted in the aftermath and provided communications for the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and other individuals related to the relief effort. After Katrina Hancock County, Mississippi had lost all contact with the outside world, except through ARES operators who served as 911 dispatchers and message relayers."Monroe Country Emergency Communication Plan
Working in concert with the Monroe County ARES-RACES Group, BARC has prepared a formal Volunteer Emergency Communications Plan for Monroe County, Indiana. The following links provide details of the plan.
Document | Pages | Word | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Volunteer Emergency Communication Plan | Cover-74 | Word 12.1 MB | PDF 1.5 MB | |
Individual Components of the plan: | ||||
Cover - Introduction | Cover-8 | Word 5.6 MB | PDF 471 KB | |
Mitigation | 9-13 | Word 371 KB | PDF 267 KB | |
Preparedness | 14-22 | Word 212 KB | PDF 294 KB | |
Response | 23-34 | Word 2.9 MB | PDF 509 KB | |
Recovery - Conclusion | 35-39 | Word 2.8 MB | PDF 301 KB | |
Appendix - MOU/SOU w/ FEMA | 40-43 | Word 61 KB | PDF 89 KB | |
Appendix - MC EMA RACES | 44-50 | Word 143 KB | PDF 147 KB | |
Appendix - FCC 47/94 E | 51-52 | Word 51 KB | PDF 82 KB | |
Appendix - ARES - RACES Application | 53-54 | Word 121 KB | PDF 117 KB | |
Appendix - SOU w/ Red Cross | 55-59 | Word 67 KB | PDF 114 KB | |
Appendix - MOU w/ National Weather Service | 60-61 | Word 53 KB | PDF 75 KB | |
Appendix - MOU w/ Salvation Army | 62-63 | Word 53 KB | PDF 80 KB | |
Appendix - CIBA Hilly 100 | 64-68 | Word 89 KB | PDF 259 KB | |
Appendix - State Science Olympiad | 69-70 | Word 50 KB | PDF 97 KB | |
Appendix - ARRL Message Form | 71-73 | Word 89 KB | PDF 186 KB | |
Appendix - ARES-RACES Asset List | 74 | Word 63 KB | PDF 59 KB |
(Note: You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to read the PDF versions. You can download it for free from Adobe)
Other Emergency Service Documents and Links
Monroe County Emergency Management WebsiteFCC Part 97 Subpart E - Providing Emergency Communications
Amateur Radio Emergency Communication
ARRL-ARES Emergency Coordinator
ARES & RACES Information
Amateur Radio Nets (PDF)
Some Thoughts on Net Participation (PDF)
Skywarn Nets and Local Weather Nets (PDF)
Severe Weather Criteria (PDF)
Net Control Training and Operation: General Background (PDF)
Message from the late Frank O'Bannon, Governor of the State of Indiana (PDF)