ARES – Amateur Radio Emergency Service
ARRL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR – Bill Johnson N4NOA
Helping our neighbors in need through communications
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.
ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES – Alert Status
Current ARES Alert Status for the ARRL West Central Florida Section is on the main page.
UPCOMING SECTION ARES LUNCHEON
ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Luncheon – Fall 2023
Date: October 28, 2023
Time: 1100 Eastern Time
Location: Lake Wales Radio Amateurs – QRP and Tailgate Tech Luncheon – Lake Shipp Park – Winter Haven, FL
UPCOMING SECTION ARES MEETING INFORMATION
ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Meeting – Fall 2023
Date: October 28, 2023.
Time: 1300 Eastern Time.
Location: Polk County EOC – 1890 Jim Keene Blvd., Winter Haven, FL 33880.
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Meeting ID: 817 850 5839
Passcode: WCFARES
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NOTE: If you wish to use a static photo at times in place of your video, you must create a Zoom user account and log into that account before joining the Zoom meeting. Zoom user accounts are free of charge to create. Go to https://zoom.us.
WCF Section ARES Organization Structure
Section Emergency Coordinator: Bill Johnson N4NOA – Telephone: (813) 928-8697 – Email: moo.bill@verizon.net.
The Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) 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 many sections, the Section Manager (SM) delegates to the SEC the administration of the section emergency plan and the authority to appoint Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC), District Emergency Coordinators (DEC – optional) and the local Emergency Coordinator.
Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator(s)
The Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC) is appointed by the SEC to fill specific responsibilities as assigned by the SEC. One ASEC will have the authority to act as the SEC in his absence to provide coordination for West Central Florida Section ARES. The other ASECs have specific responsibilities as assigned by the SEC.
WCF Section Assistant Section Emergency Coordinators:
- Randy Payne K4EZM – k4ezm@arrl.net: Administrative and Report.
- Chuck Johnston W4CWJ – twojfarms@yahoo.com: Rural Communities.
- Steve Park W4OEP – spark003@live.com
Emergency Coordinator
Each county in the West Central Florida Section has an Emergency Coordinator (EC.) The EC is appointed by the Section Manager and in consultation with 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.
WCF Section ARES Emergency Coordinators:
- Charlotte: Tom Chance K9XV – k9xv@arrl.net
- DeSoto: Doug Christ KN4YT – kn4yt@yahoo.com
- Hardee: Darrell Davis KT4WX – kt4wx@arrl.net
- Highlands: Randy Payne K4EZM – k4ezm@arrl.net
- Hillsborough: Bill Miller N1CDO – bmiller@hcaresraces.org
- Manatee: Steve Park W4OEP – spark003@live.com
- Pasco: Tim Cunningham KM4YGV – tdc@earthling.net
- Pinellas: Clayton Parrott KJ4RUS – clayton_parrott@yahoo.com
- Polk: Christine Duez K4KJN – cduez10@yahoo.com
- Sarasota: Chuck Cooper K1CHC – coopsail@verizon.net
Assistant Emergency Coordinator
The local Emergency Coordinator (EC) may appoint one or more Assistant Emergency Coordinators (AEC) to assist him in the administration of his ARES program.
We will have a list available shortly of the AECs here on the ARES webpage as soon as it is compiled for publication.
ARES Member
The ARES Member is the key to the success of the ARES program and provide the manpower necessary for ARES to function. 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. ARES members are encouraged to be a part of a local club, just like we encourage all hams to have a local club, which is a base of support for them. However it is not a requirement to join ARES
How to join your local ARES group in the West Central Florida Section – ARESDB.com
You can go to the ARESDB – The ARRL WCF Section ARES Online Database to register for service with your local ARES group. All current ARES members have been requested to go ARESDB and update their registration information. All the ARES groups here in the WCF Section use ARESDB as their ARES membership database. ARESDB was created by Joe Tomasone AB2M immediately following the attacks upon the United States on September 11, 2001. The ARRL West Central Florida Section would like to thank Joe Tomasone AB2M for providing this valuable service to West Central Florida Section ARES.
If you have any questions how to register with ARESDB, you may fill out our online Contact Information Form on our Section website and we will be glad to help get you registered with your local ARES organization where you live.
WCF Section ARES Communications Plan and supporting documents.
Listed below is the current WCF Section ARES Plan that is in the processing of being updated. The current plan is listed for your reference. Please check back for the updated plan. We will announce when the new plan is available by the following means: WCF News on the Section Website, the Section Facebook page, the Section Twitter Page, and The Presser.
Section ARES Plan – New Version Coming out in 2023
WCF Section Communications Plan: Part One.
WCF Section Communications Plan: Part Two.
Other Section ARES Related Documentation:
Overview – Amateur Radio Disaster Communications Network And State of Florida MOU. – PDF Format
Florida Tri-Section ARES Training Task Book – 1/15/20. – PDF Format
Florida ARES Deployment Procedure for Mutual Aid Requests. – DOCX Format.
Summary of Craig Fugate Presentation KK4INZ Presentation, “The Importance of Ham Radio For Disaster” – DOCX Format. This document includes hyperlink to YouTube video of presentation.
More Information on the ARES Program from the ARRL
The ARRL Website ARES Homepage
The ARRL Public Service Communications Manual (2015 Update) – PDF Format
The ARRL Public Service Communications Manual – (2003 Update ) – PDF Format
The ARES Field Resources Guide – PDF Format