HCARES Leadership Roles and Responsibilities

AEC OPERATIONS

Responsible for specific, pre-determined operational assignments during drills or actual emergency situations. Examples include: Net Control Station or Net Liaison for a specific ARES net; Manage operation of a specified ARES VHF or HF digital BBS or MBO, or point-to-point link; Operate station at a specified Emergency Management office, Red Cross shelter or other served agency operations point.

AEC ADMINISTRATION

Responsible for specific, pre-determined administration tasks as assigned in the initial appointment commitment by the presiding ARES official. Examples include: Recruitment of ARES members; liaison with Public Information Officer to coordinate public information to media; ARES registration data base management; equipment inventory; training; reporting; and post event analysis.

AEC LIAISON

Responsible for specific, pre-determined liaison responsibilities as assigned by the presiding EC. Examples include: Maintaining contact with assigned served agencies; Maintaining liaison with specified NTS nets; Maintaining liaison with ARES officials in adjacent jurisdictions; Liaison with mutual assistance or “jump” teams

AEC LOGISTICS

Responsible for specific, pre-determined logistical functions as assigned. Examples include: Transportation; supplies management and procurement (food, fuel, water etc.); Equipment maintenance and procurement-radios, computers, generators, batteries, antennas. (who has it?, what is it?, where is it? Can we get it?)

AEC MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT

Responsible for serving as an assistant manager to the EC based on specific functional assignments or geographical areas of jurisdiction.

AEC CONSULTING

Responsible for consulting to ARES officials in specific area of expertise. OES appointees may be assigned to pre-disaster, post-disaster, and recovery functions. These functions must be specified in the OES’s appointment commitment plan. The OES appointee is expected to participate in planning meetings, and post-event evaluations. Following each drill or actual event, the EC and the OES appointee should review and update the OES assignment as required. The OES appointee must keep a detailed log of events during drills and actual events in his/her sphere of responsibility to facilitate this review. Continuation of this appointment is at the discretion of the appointing official, based upon the OES appointee’s fulfillment of the tasks he/she has agreed to perform. Each ARRL Field Organization appointee receives Field Forum, the ARRL- appointee’s newsletter. Note: The recruitment of new hams and ARES members is an integral part of every appointee. Appointee’s should take every opportunity to recruit a new ham or member to foster growth of the organization and of our ability to serve the public.

AEC – OFFICIAL EMERGENCY STATION (OES)

The requirements and qualifications for the position include but are not limited to the following: Full ARRL membership; experience as an ARRL registrant; regular participation in the local ARES organization including drills and tests; participation in emergency nets and actual emergency situations; regular reporting of activities. The OES appointee is appointed by the SEC or SM at the request of the EC to carry out specific functions and assignments designated by the appropriate EC, at the time of the OES appointment, will mutually develop a detailed, operational function/assignment and commitment for the new appointee. Together they will develop a responsibility plan for the individual OES appointee that best makes use of the individuals skills and abilities. During drills and actual emergency situations, the OES appointee will be expected to implement his/her function with professionalism and minimal supervision. Functions assigned may include, but are not limited to all of the major areas of responsibility noted above. The OES must have backup power capabilities to sustain station for minimum of 72 hours, i.e. Genset or solar/batteries combo. Should have optimum antennae and station Equipment. Must present excellent signal to coverage area.

AEC - Public Information Officer

The Public Information Officer establishes and maintains a list of media contacts in the local area; strives to establish and maintain personal contacts with appropriate representatives of those media (e.g., editors, news directors, science reporters, etc.); becomes a contact for the local media and assures that editors/reporters who need information about Amateur Radio know where to find it; and keeps informed of activities by local hams and identifies and publicizes those that are newsworthy or carry human interest appeal. (This is usually done through news releases or suggestions for interviews or feature stories).

AEC – Community Liaison

The Community Liaison(s), as designated by the EC, will have responsibility for a geographic location within Hillsborough County.  Their primary role will be to develop relationships with local served agencies, pursue memorandums of understanding and other agreements when in the best interest of ARES and assist with recruiting licensed amateur with their respective communities.

AEC - Net Management

Recruit and train a sufficient number of operators capable of sustaining 24/7 voice net control operations, make best use of amateur infrastructure to conduct effective voice net operations, evaluate network traffic and make adjustments to traffic flow as necessary, enforce net discipline, train operators in proper message handling, and provide status reports and resource needs to the Emergency Coordinator.

AEC - CERT Liaison

Interface with the various CERT groups in Hillsborough County through meetings, email, correspondence, phone calls, and radio nets; promote emergency communications, amateur radio; promote ARES membership; encourage CERT groups to be active in public service, and weekly nets, if licensed; and provide regular reports about CERT activity, as it relates to emergency communications to the EC.

AEC - Technical Coordinator (Digital)

Interface with a technical pool of amateurs that can troubleshoot, install, and repair digital amateur infrastructure; plan for the use of digital modes at strategic communication points; leverage current infrastructure, and encourage the development of new infrastructure to provide emergency communications; provide training on the use of digital modes advise of equipment needs; and provide regular status reports concerning the availability of digital amateur infrastructure.

AEC – Training

To provide and direct training to the Hillsborough County ARES staff.  This can include simulated and real-time deployments and educational sessions.  The AEC – Training will also work with the Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC) of training to keep up to date with training recommendations and availability within, and outside, the Section.

Relevant Section Roles

Official Observer (OO)

updated July 13, 2011