1. ARES® 3.0
Change is coming…

2. Background
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) has been the public service communications program of the ARRL since 1935 (ARES 1.0)
The last major update to ARES occurred more than 40 years ago (1970’s) (ARES 2.0)
In 2016 the ARRL board of directors created the Public Service Enhancement Working Group (PSEWG)

3. PSEWG
The Public Service Enhancement Working Group was charged "... to conduct a pragmatic review or ARRL's public service program elements; identify opportunities as well as gaps that could benefit from improvement, modernization etc.; and finally, provide findings and suggestions to ARRL's Programs and Services Committee for consideration."

4. PSEWG Issues (January 2017)
Alignment of ARES® with the operational structure of our partner agencies was evaluated, and found to be inconsistent with the structure of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Recommendation was that the Emergency Coordinator (EC) functions as the equivalent position of the NIMS Incident Commander during an activation.

5. PSEWG Issues (January 2017)
Elimination of the Official Emergency Station (OES) appointment was recommended, as all ARES members would serve that function.
Lack of reporting by the EC’s to ARRL HQ was evaluated, and attributed mainly to the lack of a simple electronic reporting process.
The issue of ARES training was evaluated, and partner agencies are calling for all ARES operators to meet training standards, particularly those offered by FEMA.

6. PSEWG Priorities (July 2017)
A new national mission statement for ARES
New national training requirements and local training resources for ARES
Updated field organization job descriptions
Improved ARES operating guidelines
New ARES group benefits
A new volunteer management system – ARES Connect

7. New ARES Mission Statement (approved July 2017)
“The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) is a program of the ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio, which is comprised of organized, trained, qualified, and credentialed Amateur Radio operators who augment and support vital communications on behalf of the public through partner agencies and organizations during emergencies and disasters. The mission of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service is to be an effective partner in emergency and disaster response, providing emergency managers and their communities with radio communications expertise, capability and capacity, supplied by volunteer radio communicators”.

8. PSEWG Findings (January 2018)
Lack of uniform training standards.
No standards for setting members qualifications to serve.
Inadequate credentialing.
No method of certifying a group's skill set
No method of establishing any group's capacity to handle a given load.
No method of determining any group's capabilities.
No complete method of registering ARES members.
Inadequate reporting of activities by ECs

9. Suitable reporting methodologies would:
Provide adequate information storage
Allow a full membership database to be developed
Allow remote field entry
Allow HQ access to database
Insure membership security
Allow automated reporting
Be Internet accessible
Allow database download and/or offline operation by local ECs
Provide adequate user training.

10. ARES Connect
The first step in the next evolution of ARES is group identification
Currently there is no way to identify ARES groups or their associated volunteers
HQ Staff studied the features and benefits of the ARES membership reporting system and its benefits were found to be profoundly important not only to the future of ARES but that an immediate advantage was realizable.

11. ARES Connect Projected Timeline
January 2018 – EC applies for Group Identification number
May 1, 2018 – Field Organization leaders trained in ARES Connect system
May 18, 2018 – ARES Connect roll out to membership nationwide at HAMVENTION
After roll out, members are asked to register with their ARES group

12. Late Breaking News
January Full rollout of ARES Connect completed
Other legacy systems will sunset (including ENY ARES Online Membership System
Glimpses of ARES Connect and new program have been spotted
Ohio ARES meeting (April 7, 2018)
Preview by PSEWG Chair Dale Williams WA8EFK (unavailable prior to ARRL board approval)
Presentation by Ohio SEC Stan Broadway N8BHL

13. ARES Connect Benefits
ARES book sets (great for the EOC or Red Cross radio room)
New ham referral
Early access to the annual ARES Report
forwarding, which will provide ARES groups that have a club callsign with a uniform "call
More to come!

14. ARES Annual Report 2017 Reporting by sections increased
Value of volunteer service = $24.14 per hour
Standardized reporting system
Sections not reporting for over a year are considered to have no ARES program or an inactive ARES program
AK, MT, NNY, ORG, SDG, SC, UT, VT, WMA

15. New ENY Initiatives
Still more changes…

16. ENY ARES 2017 Reporting by counties increased slightly
Value of volunteer service = $24.14 per hour
Standardized reporting system
Sections not reporting for over a year are considered to have no ARES program or an inactive ARES program
6 of the 15 counties in ENY fell into this category as of 12/31/17
As of January 2018 long dormant Sullivan is once again active
The present 66% (10/15) reporting rate needs to improve

17. ENY REPORTING TIMETABLE
March 1 - counties that have not reported in 12 months will be dropped from the SEC Monthly Report.
June 1 - counties that have not reported in over 12 months will be considered inactive.

18. ENY REPORTING TIMETABLE
July 1 - EC positions in those counties that have not delivered a monthly report in the previous 18 months will be declared vacant and the county program considered nonexistent. (This may already happen at the national level as ARES Connect comes online.)

19. ENY Initiatives Event Planning Training Proposal
A Public Service event planning tool
Used with event organizers
Can be basis of writing an Incident Action Plan (IAP)
Available now at enyares.org
Training Proposal
3 Levels
Basic skills
ICS and other courses

21. Event Planning Form Basis for common understanding of an event
What hams can and cannot do (ex. HIPPA)
Assessment of needs
Services requested
Sites to be covered
Inventory of assets
Facilities
Medical
Insurance

22. Training Proposal 3 Levels of training Uses ICS style Task Book system
Lines up with ICS RADO (Radio Operator) position
Certifies operator capabilities for different assignments
Includes demonstration of practical operating knowledge
Identification of future leadership
May be superseded or modified by new National Level requirements

24. NIMS/ICS Core Curriculum

25. NIMS EOC Personnel Curriculum

26. COMMUNICATOR (RADO) Education Proficiency/Skill Participation
ICS 100, 200, IS 700, 800 (Required)
SKYWARN training (Optional)
Proficiency/Skill
FCC Technician or higher (Required)
Ability to Program frequency, offset & tone in radio (Required)
Participation
Join ARES group (Required)
The basic premise is that COMMUNICATOR (Technician class, ICS 100, ICS 200, IS 700 and IS 800 plus the ability to program a VHF/UHF radio required) is an acceptable level of performance. All requirements, except for the radio demonstration may be achieved by free online study. We made SKYWARN training optional at this level. All requirements may be met without any out of pocket expenditure for training by the member. Space for any local training option (such as EOC familiarization) is included at all levels and would be at the discretion of the local group. Note that the four FEMA course requirement lines up with that of NY State RACES membership and are usually required for those operating within an EOC as the ICS RADO position.
ICS Introduction to the Incident Command System
ICS 200 – ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
IS 700 – NIMS, an Introduction
IS 800 – National Response Framework (NRF), an Introduction

27. INTERMEDIATE COMMUNICATOR
Education
FCC General or higher (Optional)
COMMUNICATOR (RADO) Completion(Required)
SKYWARN training (Required)
ARRL EC-001 (Optional)
INTERMEDIATE COMMUNICATOR builds on the program, requiring COMMUNICATOR completion and adds SKYWARN Training as well as the demonstrated ability to send and receive ICS-213 messages, build a dipole antenna, assemble Powerpole & PL259 connectors and assemble a 24 hour go kit. We also require participation in nets and as a Net Control Station. While suggesting additional skills and the EC-001 course, these are left optional at this level. Again, the cost to the member is essentially zero to complete the requirements (with the possible exception of transportation to a SKYWARN training session),

28. INTERMEDIATE COMMUNICATOR
Proficiency/Skill
Write & Send ICS-213 Message (Required)
VHF NBEMS Proficiency (Optional)
Ability to build a dipole antenna (Required)
Ability to build Powerpole adapter cable (Required)
Ability to build PL259 connector cable (Required)
Assemble 24 hour Go Kit (Required)

29. INTERMEDIATE COMMUNICATOR
Participation
Net Participation at least quarterly (Required)
Public Service Event Participation annually (Optional)
Simulated Emergency Test or Exercise (Optional)
Net Control Station (Required)

30. ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR
Education
Complete INTERMEDIATE COMMUNICATOR (Required)
ICS 300 & 400 (Optional)
IS 802, 240.b, 288.a (Required)
SKYWARN Training (Required)
ARRL EC-001 (Required)
ARRL EC-016 (Optional)
ARRL PR-101 (Optional)
AUXCOM (Optional)
Advanced Communicator is essentially aimed at those aspiring to leadership and/or a desire to participate in an ARESMAT (ARES Mutual Assistance Team) concept. IS courses 802, 240.b, 288.a are required but available for free online. EC-001 is required and, while the new rewrite may include a reduction in cost, is presently available online for $50 to ARRL members or in self or classroom study for a VE style $15 exam. This would be the only required course with a fee. EC-016 (presently $35 online) is optional. IS 300 & 400 as well as AUXCOMM, while recommended, are optional since these are multi-day classroom only courses likely requiring travel, meal and lodging expenses. Participation at least quarterly in Nets and as an NCS is required as well as annually in an SET or exercise and a public service event. The Go Kit requirement is raised to hours. A General class license and proficiency in ICS forms is also a requirement. Finally, an optional request by the trainee for consideration in any ARESMAT activity is included.
ICS 300 – Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (Classroom Only)
ICS 400 – Advanced ICS (Classroom Only)
IS 802 – Emergency Support Function (ESF) #2 (Communications)
IS 240.b – Leadership and Influence
IS 288 – Role of Voluntary Agencies in Emergency Management
EC-001 – ARRL Introduction to Emergency Communications (Classroom/Online $)
EC-016 – ARRL Public Service and Emergency Communications Management for Radio Amateurs (Online $)
AUXCOM – Auxiliary Communications (Classroom Only)

31. ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR
Participation
Net Participation at least quarterly (Required)
Public Service Event Participation at least annually (Required)
Simulated Emergency Test or Exercise annually (Required)
Serve as Net Control at least quarterly (Required)

32. ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR
Leadership
Present a training session (Required)
Hold or have held a leadership position (Optional)
FCC General Class or higher (Required)

33. ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR
Proficiency/Skill
Proficient in ICS Forms (Required)
Demonstrate cross-band repeat (Optional)
Winlink VHF/UHF & HF (Optional)
FLDIGI Proficiency (Optional)
72/120 hour Go Kit (Required)

34. ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR
ARESMAT Deployment (Optional)
Ability to volunteer for complex missions
May include travel in support of distant emergencies
While we (and possibly ARRL HQ) may make changes around the edges, take a look at any possible accommodation for those with disabilities and that we will have to actually provide the training, I believe this is a solid program to offer to the ARES groups of ENY for their use.

35. A Certificate Suitable for Framing…

36. ON THE HORIZON Monthly Voice Nets (Fourth Tuesday)
Even months – Repeaters (N2ACF, KA2QYE)
Odd months – HF 3993 LSB
Simulated Emergency Test
First Saturday in October
Digital Nets
NBEMS
Winlink

37. ON THE HORIZON 5 Watt Challenge NVIS Day Use of no more than 5 watts
No repeaters
Log and submit contacts
NVIS Day
Test of Near Vertical Incident Skywave antennas

38. Thanks for your attention!
Questions?
Thanks for your attention!
David Galletly KM2O
ENY Section Emergency Coordinator
enyares.org
Cell:
HH: 4076