Becoming An ARES/RACES Member

  1. ARES Membership
    2.

    The only requirement for membership in ARES is a desire to serve and holding any current Amateur Radio license. To become a member, you must fill out the Venture County ARES Membership Application form and return it to your local EC. Your EC can provide you with this form. All members will receive a membership card.

    You can belong to ARES without being a RACES member. Some amateur radio operators choose to belong only to ARES. For example, you can belong to ARES without being a United States citizen. In contrast, U.S. citizenship is a requirement for RACES.

    ARES members are encouraged to attend training classes, participate in training activities, and register as a RACES communicator.

  2. RACES Membership

The steps to become a RACES member are outlined below:

    1. Inform your local Area EC that you would like to become a RACES member.
    2. Register in ARES by obtaining an ARES Registration form from your EC, complete the form, and return it to your EC. (In Ventura County, all RACES members are also required to belong to ARES.)
    3. Obtain a Ventura County Disaster Service Worker Registration form from your EC, complete the form, and return that also to your EC. (Typically your EC will sit down with you, provide you the forms, and help you fill them out. ECs are always looking for new members and would like you to become a member of his or her ARES/RACES team.)
    4. Your local EC will send in your completed Ventura County Disaster Service Worker Registration form to the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services (OES).
    5. OES will send you a background check questionnaire that you must complete and return to OES.
    6. You will be called into the OES office in the Ventura County Government Center to be finger printed by OES.
    7. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department will run a background check on you.
    8. Upon acceptance as a RACES member, OES will issue you a RACES Disaster Service Work identification card that will be delivered to you by your local EC.

This seemingly complex procedure, including the background check, is necessary because, as a RACES member, you may frequently be called upon to provide emergency communication services in very sensitive environments. You will be given access to areas where other amateur radio operators, including ARES members, are not allowed to go. You will be granted access to these areas because OES needs you and you are someone that they can trust to handle your assigned duties in an appropriate manner.

You must renew as a RACES member every two years. Renewal is subject to review and recommendation by your local EC for continuing service.