Fw: Re: [Ares-races] ARES administration and organization details?

[W6YN Don Milbury]

Most of the things you speak of are already in place and are the
responsibility of the ARRL Field Organization. Maintain contact with your
Section Manager, Section Emergency Coordinator, and the District
Emergency Coordinator and those ECs appointed by the DEC. There is little
value in a nationwide ARES database as ARES is a local organization that
deals with local issues. It is at the local level where most of the real
emergency organizing gets accomplished, because this is the level at
which most emergencies occur and the level at which ARES leaders make
direct contact with the ARES member-volunteers and with officials of the
agencies to be served. The local EC is therefore the key contact in the
ARES. The EC is appointed by the SEC, (Jim, KD1YV is your Section
Emergency Coordinator for the ARRL Connecticut Section) usually on the
recommendation of the DEC. Depending on how the SEC has set up the
section for administrative purposes, the EC may have jurisdiction over a
small community or a large city, an entire county or even a group of
counties. Whatever jurisdiction is assigned, the EC is in charge of all
ARES activities in his area.

73,  Don  (W6YN)


--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Howard Watson" <n3tnq@mercednet.com>
To: "John Burch" <occupant@rushmore.com>, "JOE" <k1ike@snet.net>

I agree wholeheartedly!

Howard
N3TNQ
----- Original Message -----
From: "JOE" <k1ike@snet.net>
To: "John Burch" <occupant@rushmore.com>
Cc: <ares-races@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2002 10:54 AM
Subject: Re: [Ares-races] ARES administration and organization details?


> Although the ARRL is behind emergency communication training (they
received
> a grant), I don't see them as being behind ARES in a supportive way
that
is
> needed to help ARES grow.
>
> Some of the things that the ARRL could be doing:
>
> 1) Support a nationwide ARES web site and host web pages for the
various
> local ARES groups.  I am a member of Connecticut ARES and we need an
> expense free web page to post information.  The ARRL already has the
> ability to expand their present web site and host such local ARES web
> pages.  There are some excellent ARES web sites around the country. 
The
> ARRL could then supply a link to these pages.
>
> 2) Support an email list for ARES members.  I run the ConnARES list on
> YahooGroups. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ConnARES/  (Used to be
OneList,
> EGroups, etc)  This has been a very successful email list in the
> Connecticut area for ARES.  For years it has kept us in daily
> communications (vs once a year when a disaster happens).  But,
YahooGroups
> is getting too commercial lately.  We need a web site for the list
owners
> to easily manage their local ARES list, just like YahooGroups has.
>
> 3) Support a nationwide and regional database of ARES members.  I have
a
> database of approximately 800 ARES members here in Connecticut. 
Wouldn't
> it be nice if the ARRL had a nationwide database of ARES members?  If I
> die, there goes the list.  This has been a long time problem with ARES,
> people going SK and knowledge and information lost.  BTW, it would be
> interesting to ask the ARRL how many ARES members they have nationwide,
I
> bet they don't have a clue.  I would like to post my database to a
National
> list that can be shared by all ARES leadership members.  I would not
share
> it with the general ARES membership to avoid Spam and other problems. 
I
do
> share some information with members,
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ConnARES/database
>
> 4) As you suggest, a "site that details the overall organization and
> administration of ARES"  Something that is very easy to find, not
buried
> somewhere at a web site.
>
> 5) Someplace to easily find an ARES membership application.  Pretend
you
> are a new ham and you are looking to join ARES.  Search the web for
> information on how to join.  Search the ARRL web site for information
on
> how to join your local ARES group.  No luck?  No wonder most of us ARES
> members are old farts like me.
>
> I'm being sarcastic at times and hard on the ARRL a lot.  BUT, if we
and
> the ARRL are going to train people for emergency communications, we
have
to
> have a viable organization for them to belong to.  The ARRL can't just
take
> the grant money and leave it at that.
>
> I feel that I have the right to complain because I have tried to do
> something in the Connecticut area.  Many people have gotten behind my
> ConnARES email reflector efforts and have been a great help through the
> years.  Am I bragging? No  Am I proud of my efforts? Yes
>
>
> 73, Joe, K1ike