The Ohio Section Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is divided into 10 Districts. Greene County ARES (GCARES) is in District 3. GCARES is headed by the county Emergency Coordinator (EC) who reports to the District 3 EC who then reports to the Ohio Section EC. The GCARES EC appoints Assistant Emergency Coordinators (AEC’s) to manage functions and geographical areas of GCARES more effectively. GCARES has an AEC for each Greene County township (and the communities within) who is the direct contact for the respective local government agencies. GCARES also has AEC positions for Administration, Training, Technical Functions, and a Public Information Officer, PIO.
The AEC’s and the EC constitute the GCARES Planning Committee which meets periodically to review and update the GCARES Emergency Operations Plan, and to plan and evaluate ARES activities, projects, and drills to keep the GCARES group active, well-trained, and prepared to respond.
GCARES members include personnel associated with the Bellbrook Amateur Radio Club (BARC), the Upper Valley Amateur Radio Club (UVARC–Fairborn), the Xenia Weather Amateur Radio Net (XWARN), the WPAFB amateur radio group, the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS), and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), plus other individual Greene County hams.
GCARES has recently completed Memoranda of Understanding with the Bellbrook Amateur Radio Club, the Upper Valley Amateur Radio Club (Fairborn), the Xenia Weather Amateur Radio Net, and the American Red Cross Dayton Area Chapter (and its Greene County Service Centers). MOUs with other served agencies are also being developed.
GCARES maintains a list of registered members who are issued ID Cards. Orientation Training Sessions update new and renewing members on the latest GCARES policies and procedures, Emergency Operations Plan, and the Frequency Plan. Please go to the Membership link for more information about joining GCARES.