Erie County ARES/RACES

Welcome to the Erie County, Pennsylvania Amateur Radio Emergency Services /RACES Website

About Us

ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) [PRONOUNCED AIR'-EEZ] is a trained
group of amateur radio operators willing to assist emergency services and
municipal agencies in an emergency or disaster.

They are specialists in various forms of communications modes from computerized
packet radio, long distance HF voice and morse code, UHF/VHF voice, and even
amateur television. Our members come from various walks of life including
police; fire and ambulance services; doctors; nurses; lawyers; radio and
computer technicians; and former military officers. In emergency situations we
find ourselves being radio resource people for officials in command post and
control group locations.

In some situations, our involvement may only be until other communications
facilities can be established. Other times, it can be until the incident is
completed. The ARES priorities will be coordinated by the Emergency Coordinator
in consultation with the E.O.C. members. These may include:

  • Providing a common communications link between agencies, control groups
    or services involved attending the command post location to be available to
    provide any required communications around the disaster site itself;
  • Establishing assembly areas for responding volunteers outside of the
    effected area to control the assignment of the needed positions;
  • Assisting social service agencies, such as the American Red Cross with
    registration and inquiry communications;
  • Providing backup facilities for first responders in the event of loss of
    radio/phone services;
  • Long distance relay of status to federal agencies should outside links
    be lost. Linking the National Weather Service to the disaster site to
    provide weather information in situations where weather is a critical
    factor;
  • Supplying a team of trained communicators to assist in any related duty
    such as manning an evacuation perimeter

Training Net

The Erie County Amateur Radio Emergency Services, Radio
Amateur Civil Emergency Service, and Skywarn Training Net Meets each Sunday at
Sunday night at 9 pm on the W3GV Repeater System (146.610-located in Erie, PA
and 146.820 in Waterford, PA). Also the WA3UC Repeater on 146.70 is linked into
the system.

ALL REPEATERS REQUIRE A PL TONE OF 186.2 HZ


Resources

Join Erie County ARES/RACES

Click Here for ARES Membership Form

Contact Information

WX3E

WX3E

David M. Wellman- WX3E

 

Erie County Amateur Radio Emergency Services Emergency Coordinator

Erie County RACES Emergency Coordinator

85 W. High Street

Union City, PA 16438

Home Phone: (814) 438-3127

E-mail: wx3e@arrl.net