What Is ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service)?
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. It is best understood as the voluntary, community-level backbone of ham radio's public service mission — a trained force of operators ready to deploy at a moment's notice when conventional communications infrastructure fails.
Amateur radio operators use their training, skills, and equipment to provide communications during emergencies. Hams serve communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell towers, and wired and wireless networks. Amateur radio can function completely independently of the internet and phone systems. This independence is exactly what makes ARES so valuable to emergency managers and relief agencies.
History and Origins of ARES
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 the category 5 storms Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Michael, and the Joplin tornado. The organization's roots stretch back to the earliest days of organized amateur radio, when hams recognized that their skills and equipment naturally filled a critical gap in civil preparedness.
Over the decades, ARES has evolved alongside both amateur radio technology and the broader emergency management system in the United States. Today it operates as a structured program under the ARRL, with a formalized training curriculum, standardized operating procedures, and Memorandums of Understanding with dozens of government and nonprofit agencies.
ARES vs RACES: Understanding the Difference
New operators frequently encounter both ARES and RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) and wonder what separates them. Emergency service is one of the basics of the Amateur Radio Service and there is sometimes confusion about ARES, the ARRL arm of emergency services, and RACES, the government arm of amateur emergency services.
The most important practical distinction lies in activation timing and authority. ARES is activated before, during and after an emergency, and generally handles all emergency messages, including those between government emergency management officials. RACES, on the other hand, almost never starts before an emergency and is active only during the emergency and during the immediate aftermath if government emergency management offices need communications support. RACES is normally shut down shortly after the emergency has cleared.
There are also important regulatory differences. ARES operators are bound by all applicable Part 97 rules, but they aren't bound by the specific emergency rules as specified in §97.407, as stations operating under RACES are. ARES operators have greater flexibility. RACES stations are limited by Part 97 as to who they can communicate with, which messages they may pass, and how long drills may last.
Many operators choose to register with both ARES and RACES to maximize their ability to serve during declared emergencies. Dual membership offers flexibility, allowing volunteers to participate in both everyday incidents and government-declared disasters.
The Role of ARRL in ARES Operations
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service is the field arm of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL). "Amateur Radio Emergency Service" and "ARES" are registered service marks of the ARRL. The League deals with all aspects of Amateur Radio, including legislation, licensing, and contests; the ARES branch specifically handles field communications, particularly during emergencies.
Although the Amateur Radio Emergency Service is a program and trademark of the ARRL in the U.S., the structure is more supportive than directive in nature, providing mostly for mutual aid in the event of large-scale emergencies. As long as local units are operating in the best interests of Amateur Radio in general and the ARRL in particular, intervention from the national organization is minimal.
ARES in the U.S. has Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with organizations including the American Red Cross, The Boy Scouts of America, National Weather Service (NWS), Department of Homeland Security, Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International, National Communications System, Civil Air Patrol, Salvation Army and SATERN, FEMA, and others.
How ARES Is Organized
ARES operates through a tiered geographic structure that links local clubs and operators all the way up to the national level. Understanding this hierarchy helps new members know exactly whom to contact and how authority and resources flow during an activation.
National, Section, District, and Local Levels
The section is divided into districts, and each district is divided into local areas. Each district has a District Emergency Coordinator to coordinate ARES within the region, specifically leading up regional nets and training opportunities. Each local area has an Emergency Coordinator to coordinate ARES on the local level, and is the primary point person interacting with local served agencies within the local area.
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 or her supervision. The Section Manager may delegate to the SEC the authority to appoint Assistant Section Emergency Coordinators, District Emergency Coordinators, and local Emergency Coordinators.
The Role of Emergency Coordinators (ECs)
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 or her area, not just one interest group, one agency, one club, or one band.
An Emergency Coordinator is a volunteer ham who is part of an organized ARES group, who is appointed by ARRL's Section Manager, and who has gone through all the necessary Emergency Coordinator training requirements mandated by the ARRL ARES program. The Emergency Coordinator is responsible for the ARES event volunteers and working with local community officials or non-emergency event sponsors. The Emergency Coordinator can make decisions for the ARES volunteers and ARES operation.
ECs may also appoint assistant ECs. The local Emergency Coordinator may appoint one or more Assistant Emergency Coordinators (AECs) to assist in the administration of the ARES program. Additionally, at any level within the ARES organization, Official Emergency Stations may be appointed. The OES appointee must be an ARRL member and set high standards of emergency preparedness and operating. The OES appointee makes a deeper commitment to the ARES program in terms of functionality than does the rank-and-file ARES registrant.
Working with Served Agencies: FEMA, Red Cross, and More
ARES amateur radio groups regularly work alongside agencies such as Emergency Management Agencies, the Red Cross, and public health departments. These partnerships are built on trust, reliability, and shared training. ARES teams often participate in planning meetings and joint exercises, ensuring seamless integration when every second counts.
These skill sets are created and improved by the local ARES group through thorough training, both formal and informal, and often in conjunction with local agencies where the team can meet agency personnel with whom they can expect to be operating during a true emergency. This advance effort is a strong contributor to developing mutual trust and understanding among the key individuals managing any emergency operation.
How to Join ARES
Joining ARES is a straightforward process open to any licensed amateur radio operator in the United States. The key steps involve verifying your eligibility, connecting with your local ARES group, and registering your qualifications and equipment.
Eligibility Requirements for ARES Membership
Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible to apply for membership in ARES. Training may be required or desired to participate fully in ARES. Beyond the license, 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 Radio program, only licensed radio amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership.
In terms of license class, entry-level members must possess a Technician-class or higher Amateur Radio license. Your license class may determine the scope of operating assignments available to you, but it does not prevent you from joining.
Registering with Your Local ARES Group
The registration process is handled at the local level. To register with ARES, complete ARRL Form FSD-98 and send it to your local EC. If you don't know who your EC is, contact your ARRL Section Manager.
ARES groups usually have weekly net check-in radio meetings that members should attend to be considered active, ready for service, and to stay up to date on ARES group activities. Attending these nets early on is one of the best ways to meet your fellow volunteers, learn local procedures, and demonstrate your commitment to the group.
ARRL Membership and ARES Participation
A ham does not need to be a member of ARRL to participate in ARES. However, if you become an Emergency Coordinator (EC), you do need to join ARRL. Many members choose to join the ARRL anyway, as membership provides access to resources, the QST magazine, and the ARES E-Letter newsletter covering emergency communications news and updates.
ARES Training and Certification
Simply having an Amateur license and a radio does not make one an effective communicator. Adequately trained and qualified communicators are critical to the success of the ARES program and to the ability to provide communications for served agencies. ARES has a structured training pathway that combines ARRL-specific courses with FEMA's national emergency management curriculum.
ARRL Emergency Communication Training (EC-001, EC-002, EC-003)
ARRL's EC-001 course is designed to provide basic knowledge and tools for any emergency communications volunteer. The course has 6 sections with 28 lesson topics. It includes student activities, knowledge review quizzes, and a 35-question final assessment.
Completion of ICS-100 and IS-700 is a prerequisite for taking EC-001, ARRL's Introduction to Emergency Communications course, which is designed to provide basic knowledge and tools for any emergency communications volunteer. With the online format, students can access the course at any time from anywhere and may work at their own pace and on their own schedule.
EC-016, Public Service and Emergency Communications Management for Radio Amateurs, is designed to train licensed Amateur Radio operators who will be in leadership and managerial roles organizing other volunteers to support public service activities and communications emergencies. There is also an advanced course: EC-016 prepares hams to serve in leadership roles for public service and emergency communication response.
FEMA NIMS and ICS Training Requirements
According to Presidential Homeland Security Directive-5, many ARES operations must comply with the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Activated ARES groups operate under the Incident Command System (ICS) when deployed.
The training courses consist of emergency communications courses offered by the ARRL and several National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses available online, free of charge. The FEMA courses are part of the National Training Program and are the same courses required for local, state, and federal emergency management and incident response personnel, as well as other non-government disaster services personnel.
Commonly required FEMA courses for ARES members include:
- ICS-100 (IS-100.c): This is a FEMA course that presents an Introduction to the Incident Command System. The 2-hour course teaches the principles and basic structure of the ICS, the roles of staff within the ICS, and how NIMS management characteristics apply.
- IS-700: National Incident Management System — An Introduction, which underpins all ICS operations.
- ICS-200 and IS-800: Intermediate and national response framework courses frequently required by county and section ARES groups for full deployment eligibility.
Skywarn and Other Supplemental Training Programs
SKYWARN is a National Weather Service program developed in the 1960s that consists of trained weather spotters who provide reports of severe and hazardous weather to help meteorologists make life-saving warning decisions. Spotters are concerned citizens, amateur radio operators, truck drivers, mariners, airplane pilots, emergency management personnel, and public safety officials who volunteer their time and energy to report on hazardous weather impacting their community.
SKYWARN is a volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters. Each NWS forecast office maintains relationships with local amateur radio clubs and ARES groups that coordinate SKYWARN operations in their county warning area. When severe weather threatens, the NWS activates a SKYWARN net on a designated
