Each year hundreds of thousands of Americans volunteer their time and energies for the improvement and safety of their communities. Mechanics turn into firemen when the alarm sounds. Hairdressers become EMT's. Engineers turn into auxiliary policemen. America has a long and proud history of these "Minutemen" who answer the call to service in times of emergency....

And a lot of them are “Hams!”


The Amateur Radio Emergency Service is a national, voluntary organization of FCC licensed Hams - special radio operators who provide communications in an emergency and are organized through the American Radio Relay League. This group has provided emergency communications services for everything from tornadoes to the disaster of 9-11. Hams have been an emergency communications resource from the very beginning of the hobby. We have the equipment, and the skills necessary to provide emcomm. 

Your family probably has already benefited from them!

ARES’ Skywarn program provides critical ground observations to the National Weather Service in storms.

The National Traffic Service has provided long distance emergency communication and free radiograms for families for decades.

The Red Cross uses ARES to provide emergency communications in a disaster. So do the Salvation Army, OEM, FEMA, and hundreds of county and municipal governments.

Because each radio station operator is independent but still can talk to each other, it works….
• Even when the phones are down
• When there is no fax machine
• The internet is gone
• The “trunk line” is jammed
• And the cell phone is dead


If your interested in ARES check this out  www.ARRL.org