Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) has some deep roots, as we are guided by FEMA from a National level. They establish the Departments of Emergency
Management (DEM) down to the State and County level, who appoint Radio Officers. Those individuals coordinate the emergency response team's actions when "called up" by DEM. The American Radio Relay League created the ARES as a volunteer service to respond to the government's (FEMA's) needs, and  appoints those leading the various tasks.  Within ARES, there are County registered and trained volunteers in a higher level organization called the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, or RACES.

If we were to have an emergency situation, the DEM would contact our leader, the Emergency Coordinator (EC), and he would initiate a phone tree callup, to activate the emergency response system. All those RACES members responding would check in to a radio network, and receive instructions. They are prepared with their emergency gear and supplies, and can generally sustain operations for up to three days. They are required to have CPR and First Aid training on an annual basis. They go to their assigned locations to prepare for emergency operations, and start message handling as necessary by radio.

There are several Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in Clallam County.  Port Angeles EOC at the Courthouse, Port Angeles Fire, Sequim Fire, and Diamond Point Fire. There is also an EOC in Forks at the City Hall, a radio station at Olympic Medical Center, and the Red Cross. Olympic Medical Center has a direct ham radio link to Harborview in Seattle.  Each EOC is lead by an Assistant EC (AEC). Diamond Point Fire is the newest EOC, and I am it's AEC. In the next few months we will be increasing our radio station's size, due to a recent grant approved for more radio and antenna equipment, and eventually a computer with a digital "packet" radio interface system. And, of course, the inclusion of CB radio for the new Diamond Point continuous monitoring system we are establishing. The FRS radios will be privately owned, but used as required to support the system.  This overview constitutes what I plan on offering at the January Annual Board meeting. If you would like additional information, or some area in more detail to be presented, please let me know.

With warm personal regards,

John H. Moore K7NIA   681-2425