ARES – Amateur Radio Emergency Service
ARRL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR – Bill Fetta N7CGC
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 to apply for membership in the ARES. The only qualification for entry level membership, 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.
WCF Section ARES Organization Structure
Section Emergency Coordinator: Bill Fetta N7CGC – Telephone: 907-230-5293 – Email: n7cgc1@gmail.com
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. The Section Manager (SM) may delegate to the SEC the authority to appoint Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC), District Emergency Coordinators (DEC) and the local Emergency Coordinator (EC).
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
- 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 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 EC is therefore the key contact in the local ARES jurisdiction. 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: Jeff Bronsing KJ4NEO –kj4neo@gmail.com
- Hillsborough: Bill Miller N1CDO – bmiller@hcaresraces.org
- Manatee: Steve Park W4OEP – spark003@live.com
- Pasco – TBD – n7cgc1@gmail.com
- Pinellas: Clayton Parrott KJ4RUS – clayton_parrott@yahoo.com
- Polk: Christine Duez K4KJN – cduez10@yahoo.com
- Sarasota – Interim EC: Mike Kearney KG7KIQ – ec@srqares.org
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.
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 to apply for membership in the ARES. The only qualification for entry level membership, 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
Pending the revision of this section, please feel free to email the ARES Emergency Coordinator for the county in which you reside or the WCF Section Emergency Coordinator. The list of ARES Emergency Coordinators is in the section above this one.
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 – Current Plan Under Review – New Version Coming out in 2024
Other Section ARES Related Documentation:
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