HARNEY COUNTY ARES -- KE7YLA provided by Bravenet.com

HCARES Mission Statement

The mission of Harney County Amateur Radio Emergency Service, (HCARES), is to establish and maintain the leadership, organization and infrastructure necessary to provide emergency radio communications in support of emergency management entities throughout Harney County, Oregon.

When conventional communications are inadequate to meet public safety and/or humanitarian needs; When amateur radio resources may help facilitate response or recovery in any emerging situation; When lives and property can be protected; When human suffering can be relieved; Whenever and wherever it becomes necessary, so no community in need is without essential communication services.

Guiding Principles:

Harney County ARES strives to enhance the reliability, quality and professionalism of Amateur Radio Emergency Service personnel through the establishment of stringent training and performance standards, policies, procedures, management and supervision of amateur radio operators registered with the organization that may be activated to provide communications on behalf of the served agencies and clients requesting our voluntary assistance.

Vision:

Harney County ARES pledges a commitment to preparedness and service in protection of public health, safety and welfare by encouraging innovative leadership and individual responsibility which enhances the reliability and excellence of amateur radio emergency communications. We motivate amateur radio operators to excel in all facets of emergency communications and recognize those who exemplify our ARES philosophy.

Values:

Harney County ARES members reflect the following qualities and personal values:

We are responsible and accountable,
We demonstrate integrity and initiative,
We are truthful and respectful in relation with other members and those that we serve,
We are, above all, trustworthy,
We strive to become well-integrated members of an action team,
We strive to maintain personal growth throughout all activities, and
We are competent to perform our assigned duties and responsibilities.

Welcome to Harney County ARES

Who We Are...

Hams at work The Harney County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (HC-ARES) is a voluntary organization of licensed amateur radio operators, who have registered their capabilities and equipment for providing emergency communications as a public service to the community. The purpose of the ARES is to furnish communications in the event of natural disaster, when regular communications fail or are inadequate. Sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ARES functions at the local level to meet local communications needs.

The ARES has a long history of public service going back to its formal inception in 1935. Since that time, the ARES has responded countless times to communications emergencies.

Experience has proven that radio amateurs respond more capably in time of emergency when practice has been conducted in an organized group. There is no substitute for experience gained before the need arises.

The ARES in each locality operates under the direction of the Emergency Coordinator (EC), whose function is to direct the activities of the ARES to maintain a state of readiness.

RACES, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, is administered by local, county and state emergency management agencies, and supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the United States government, is a part of the Amateur Radio Service that provides radio communications for Hams eating civil-preparedness purposes only, during periods of local, regional or national civil emergencies. These emergencies are not limited to war-related activities, but can include natural disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes.

As defined in the rules, RACES is a radio-communication service, conducted by volunteer licensed amateurs, designed to provide emergency communications to local or state civil-preparedness agencies. It is important to note that RACES operation is authorized by emergency management officials only, and this operation is strictly limited to official civil-preparedness activity in the event of an emergency-communications situation.

All Hams are invited to join ARES/RACES

If you are a licensed amateur radio operator with a desire to help your community, you are invited to contact the Harney County ARES Emergency Coordinator/RACES Radio Officer, Vernon L. Estes, W7VLE, at w7vle@hc-ares.org or (541) 573-7882 for information.

Leadership:

Vernon L. Estes - W7VLE ~ Emergency Coordinator / RACES Officer
Thomas Sharp - K7COW ~ Assistant Emergency Coordinator / Operations & MARS
Walter Cooper - WA7VGR ~ Assistant Emergency Coordinator / HF Coordination
Steve Ryder - WA7WKH ~ Assistant Emergency Coordinator / VHF-UHF Coordination
Al Foulke - KE7IZH ~ Assistant Emergency Coordinator / Administration
Jack E. Trotter - AC7SJ ~ Assistant Emergency Coordinator / ICS Specialist
Eric Guthrie - KE7SEA ~ Public Information Officer