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. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership 

There are three levels of ARES organization in the West Central Florida Section, they are section, district and local.

At the section level, the Section Emergency Coordinator is appointed by the Section Manager (who is elected by the ARRL members in his or her section) and works under his/her supervision. In most sections, the SM delegates to the SEC the administration of the section emergency plan and the authority to appoint DECS's and EC's.  

The ARRL District Emergency Coordinator is appointed by the SEC to supervise the efforts of local Emergency Coordinators
in the defined district. The DEC's duties involve the following and much more:

Coordinate the training, organization and emergency participation of Emergency Coordinators
in your district of jurisdiction.

Each county in the West Central Florida Section has an Emergency Coordinator (EC.) The EC is appointed by the SEC.

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
the officials of the agencies to be served. The local EC is therefore the key contact in the ARES. The EC is in charge of all
ARES activities in his/her area, not just one interest group, one agency, one club or one band.

Public Service Communication Manual(.PDF)


ARES Field Resources Manual(.PDF)

West Central Florida Section ARES/Section Information Nets

Every Saturday Morning at 08:30 AM EST
on 3.911 MHz (Alt) 7.281 MHz

 

NEW TIMES and a NEW DIGITAL TRAINING NET - Join In

West Central Florida Section ARES VHF Nets

Every Monday Evening at 7:30 PM
on the NI4CE Repeaters
 

West Central Florida Section ARES Digital Training Nets

Every Wednesday Evening at 7:30 PM
on the NI4CE Repeaters
 

2008 WCF ARES News

Section Emergency Coordinator:

Neil Lauritsen, W4NHL
 

Assistant Section Emergency Coordinators:

North District Emergency Coordinator:  (vacant)

            ( Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas Counties)
 

HAGS District Emergency Coordinator: Ben Henley, KI4IGX

(Desoto, Hardee, Highlands and Polk Counties)
 

Coastal Counties District Emergency Coordinator: Ron Wetjen, WD4AHZ

(Charlotte, DeSoto, Highlands, Manatee and Sarasota Counties}
 

ARES Emergency Coordinators