Membership Requirements

Every licensed Amateur, regardless of membership in the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in the Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service. The only prerequisite, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a sincere desire to serve. Because the Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service 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.

To become a member of the Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service, you must:

• Hold a valid FCC Amateur Radio license. Your license class may determine your eligibility for participating in certain operating assignments, but is otherwise not important.

• Live or work in Washoe County, or receive an exemption from the Emergency Coordinator.
  
  

• Declare any active commitments you may have to other emergency responder or disaster relief agencies or organizations.

• Agree to maintain current information about you in the Member Database, including contact information, your level of training and course completions, and your resource capabilities (equipment and personal availability). This information is kept private and is not available to the public.

• Commit to complete the minimum training and course requirements and provide copies of certificates of completion to the Emergency Coordinator.

• Pledge to meet participation expectations regarding training meetings, drills and other exercises.

• Make yourself reasonably available to respond to emergency deployments to help fulfill the Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service's primary mission.

Training and Course Requirements

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 Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service and to our ability to provide communications for our Served Agencies. To be deployed by Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service during a declared emergency or disaster, members must hold appropriate credentials that reflect the required National Incident Management System (NIMS) training requirements.

To conform to these standards, Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service has adopted a tiered membership credentialing system. Each membership level has specific training and course requirements. As you progress through the membership levels, you will given increasing responsibilities and will be able to participate in the full range of ARES/RACES missions.

The training courses consist of emergency communications courses offered by the American Radio Relay League 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.

Entry-Level Member

Unless qualified for a higher level of membership, all Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service members start as Entry-Level members. Entry-Level members provide support functions, and can relay tactical messages in the field under the direction of more advanced members. Entry-Level members must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Possess a Technician-class or higher Amateur Radio license.

• Complete the Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service registration form.

Entry-Level members are expected to participate in as many Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service activities as possible and to check-in to at least two Section or District ARES/RACES Nets each calendar quarter.

Entry-Level members are expected to meet the requirements for, and advance to, Intermediate member within six months.

Intermediate Member

Intermediate members may be deployed to non-government organization (NGO) Served Agency facilities such as staging areas, field locations, and shelters. Intermediate members relay tactical messages on behalf of NGO Served Agencies and may relay Health and Welfare traffic.

Intermediate members must meet the requirements for Entry-Level members, as well as successful completion of the following FEMA courses:

• IS-100.b—Introduction to Incident Command System, ICS-100.

• IS-200.b—ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, ICS-200.

Intermediate members are expected to participate in a minimum number of Washoe County ARES/ RACES activities:

• Check-in to at least two Section or District ARES/RACES Nets each calendar quarter.

• Attend two or more monthly training/planning meetings each calendar quarter.

• Act as the Net Control Station (NCS) operator, or Alternate NCS operator, for a Section or District ARES/RACES Net, at least once every six months, to maintain NCS proficiency.

• Participate in as many other activities as possible.

Intermediate members are expected to meet the requirements for, and advance to, Full member within one year.

Full Member

Full members may participate in the full range of ARES/RACES missions, including supporting emergency management and other government agencies, as well as non-government organization (NGO) Served Agencies. Full members may be deployed to Emergency Operations Centers, Incident Command Posts, Communications Centers, or other locations.

Full members must meet the requirements for Intermediate members, as well as successful completion of the following additional ARRL and FEMA courses:

• EC-001—Introduction to Emergency Communication.

• IS-700.a—National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction.

• IS-800.b—National Response Framework, An Introduction.

Full members are expected to participate in a minimum number of Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service activities:

• Check-in to at least two Section or District ARES/RACES Nets each calendar quarter.

• Attend three or more training/planning meetings each calendar quarter.

• Act as the Net Control Station (NCS) operator, or Alternate NCS operator, for a Section or District ARES/RACES Net, at least once every six months, to maintain NCS proficiency.

• Participate in as many other activities as possible.

Full members are encouraged to continue their training, thus enhancing their skills and value to Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service and to the Nevada Section, by completing relevant ARECC and advanced FEMA courses, either on-line or classroom-based.

Participation Expectations

In addition to course-based knowledge, training and experience are acquired through practical application, such as tabletop exercises and planning sessions; in-the-field training, such as job shadowing; and Incident Command System (ICS) experience during small incidents.

To gain the training and experience needed to make you an effective communicator in an emergency, Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service expects you to participate in at least one ARES/RACES activity per month, preferably more when possible. These activities include:

• Monthly training/planning meetings;

• Daily and weekly radio nets, to test your equipment and gain experience operating in a net;

• Public-service events, such as parades, walkathons and bicycle races (not necessarily ARES/RACES events, but good training for mobile/portable operation, as well as communicating in a tactical net structure);

• Drills, exercises, and simulated emergency tests, which are often timed with Emergency Management or other Served Agency exercises; and

• Real incidents. In the past, Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service has been invited to participate in real incidents, such as the 2007 Hawken Fire. This type opportunity provides real-time, real-life experience that cannot be gained even in the best-planned drills and exercises.

Participating in ARES/RACES activities provides the information, familiarity and skill development that helps to maximize effectiveness and to minimize confusion. These activities allow us to train as a team and allow you to get to know and trust your fellow teammates; and operating as a team and knowing and trusting your teammates will be very important during a real emergency.