Spokane County EmComm

A general summary of the Spokane County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the Auxiliary Communication System (ACS) with helps for qualifying.

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)

Consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). These volunteers serve in community events as well as providing ground truth observances for the National Weather Service and Spokane County Emergency Management.

Auxiliary Communication System (ACS)

Consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment and undergone a background check, with their local county Emergency Management, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. These volunteers can operate in sensitive areas such as emergency operations centers, incident command posts, hospitals and shelters.

You can obtain the ARES Task Book as a Word file or a Fillable PDF (Click on the link). The ACS Task Book is a Word file (Click on the link).
You are encouraged to print the task books and put them in a three-ring binder. As you complete each requirement, note the date, get the sign off and save any documentation in the binder, preferably just after the pages for the level.