About Schoharie County
| Schoharie County Emergency Coordinator & RACES Radio Officer | Assistant County Emergency Coordinator | Deputy RACES Radio Officer |
|---|---|---|
| John B. Knoebel, KC2RMD | Wells Farr, WB3CUF | Matt Lacy, KD2TBS |
Amateur Radio has a long tradition of giving back to our communities when the time arises. Emergency communication and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is just one part of the Schoharie County Amateur Radio Association. As a part of the field organization of the ARRL, the Section Manager appoints an Emergency Coordinator (EC) in each county within the section. This EC is tasked with developing relationships between capable amateur operators that can be called upon in times of need, as well as cultivating relationships with agencies requiring communications support in the event of an incident (or in the name of public service. ARES can also be activated to start a "weather net," relaying information to the National Weather Service faster than traditional phone or internet services. Once activated, ARES follows procedures set by the ARRL in various manuals, as well as responding to the demands and unique situation of the served agency and/or incident.
As an ARES volunteer you may be called to provide communications for:
- Disaster relief organizations
- Public service events
- Unplanned emergencies or disasters
- Simulated emergencies and tests of capabilties
Participation in club events, while not normally official ARES programs, provide training as well.
- Training exercises
- ARRL Field Day
- Field deployments
- Pumpkin Patrol
Members of our ARES group will receive a task book to guide you along the way from beginning to leadership positions. There is training to complete in order to gain the skills to communicate well, but to help others as a public service is a feeling seldom matched. The ARES Emergency Coordinator (or deputy) can provide additional training on a variety of relevant topics:
- Message handling and the NTS network
- Communications technology (Winlink, JS8Call, etc.)
- Administrative procedures (creating/closing public service nets)
- Disaster preparedness (simulated events/tabletop exercises)
Download an ARES application form here
Completed applications can be:
- Brought to a regular meeting of the Schoharie County Amateur Radio Association
- Scanned and emailed to the Schoharie County EC team at
- Mailed to EC Knoebel at 115 Fort Road, Schoharie, NY 12157