The figure below shows the organizational structure for the Ventura District.

2.4.1   District Emergency Coordinator (DEC)

The ARES District Emergency Coordinator is appointed by the Santa Barbara SEC to supervise the efforts of the local Emergency Coordinators within the Ventura District. The DEC must be a full ARRL member with at least a Technician class license. In Ventura County, the DEC is also the RACES Radio Officer.

The following duties shall be performed by the DEC and/or personnel assisting the DEC.

1. Coordinate the training, organization, and emergency participation of Emergency Coordinators (EC’s) in the district.
2. Make local decisions in the absence of the SEC, or through coordination with the SEC, concerning the allotment of available communicators and equipment during an emergency.
3. Coordinate the interrelationship between local emergency plans and between communications networks within the District.
4. Act as a backup for the local areas without an EC and assist in maintaining contact with governmental and other agencies within the District.
5. Provide direction in the routing and handling of emergency communications of either a formal or tactical nature, with specific emphasis being placed on Health and Welfare (H&W) traffic.
6. Recommend EC appointments to the SEC.
7. Coordinate the documenting and reporting of ARES activities in the District.
8. Act as a model emergency communicator as evidenced by dedication to purpose, reliability, and understanding of emergency communications.
9. Be conversant in National Traffic System (NTS) routing and procedures. Establish an emergency traffic plan and an operational liaison with local and Section NTS nets, particularly for handling Welfare traffic in an emergency situation.
10. Have an understanding of the locale and role of all vital governmental and volunteer agencies that could be involved in an emergency.
11. Hold regularly scheduled meetings of all ARES leadership (ECs, AECs, etc.) within the District.
12. Establish an emergency communications plan for the communities and agencies that will effectively utilize ARES members to cover the needs for tactical and formal welfare message traffic within the District. Establish a viable working relationship with all Federal, State, County, and private agencies operating within the District, which might need the services of ARES in emergencies.
13. Establish working relationships and mutual assistance agreements with adjacent ARES districts.
14. Establish District communications networks and periodically test those networks by conducting realistic drills and community service events.
15. Establish and maintain a database of all ARES members within the District.
16. In times of emergency, evaluate the communications needs of the District and assign available ARES personnel to respond quickly to those needs. The DEC will assume authority and responsibility for emergency response and performance by personnel under his/her jurisdiction.
17. Appoint Assistant Emergency Coordinators (AECs) for specific duties within the District.

 

2.4.2   Deputy District Emergency Coordinator (Deputy DEC)

The Deputy DEC shall assist the DEC in the responsibilities described above, and during the absence of the DEC, or in the event the DEC is unable to serve, shall have all of the duties and responsibilities of the DEC. The SEC (at the recommendation of the DEC) appoints the Deputy DEC as an Emergency Coordinator (EC) with Ventura County specified as the area of jurisdiction. The Deputy DEC must be a full ARRL member with at least a Technician class license.

 

2.4.3  District Assistant Emergency Coordinator (District AEC)

District AECs are appointed by the DEC for specialized tasks and are not in the chain of command. These AECs are appointed on an as-needed basis. A District AEC must be a full ARRL member with at least a Technician class license. District AEC positions may include:

1. Adjacent District Liaison: Establishes a working relationship with the adjacent ARES Districts (Santa Barbara District and Northwest District of Los Angeles Section).
2. Training Officer: Plans, arranges, and prepares training for ARES personnel. Works with local ECs in planning training activities. Coordinates with Red Cross, RACES and other agencies relating to training activities.
3. Database Coordinator: Maintains current records of all ARES personnel in the District. Works with staffing officer during incidents.
4. Records: Prepares and maintains minutes of all ARES District meetings. Maintains copies of incident reports and news publications about ARES.
5. Public Information Officer (PIO): Develops and maintains personal contact with local news media. Seeks our, develops and distributes articles about ARES within the District. Promotes public and Amateur Radio awareness of ARRL and ARES.
6. Net Control Coordinator (NCC): Recruits, trains, schedules and/or coordinates net control operators for the District net. Develops net procedures and advises DEC on net operations.
7. Specialty Team Leader: Organizes, recruits, trains, schedules, and coordinates communicators for the assigned specialty team. Develops team procedures and advises the DEC on team operations.

 

2.4.4  Local Area Emergency Coordinator (EC)

The ARES Emergency Coordinator (EC) is responsible for conducting and coordinating ARES activities, including emergency communications, on the local community level. Working with the DEC, the EC prepares for and engages in management of communications needs in disasters. The EC must be a full ARRL member with at least a Technician class license. The following duties, while the responsibility of the local area EC, may be performed by ARES personnel assisting the EC.

1. Promote and enhance the activities of ARES as a voluntary, non-commercial communications service for the benefit of the public.
2. Manage and coordinate the training, organization, and emergency participation of interested amateurs working in support of the local communities, and agencies.
3. Establish an emergency communications plan for the communities and agencies within the assigned local area.
4. Establish a working relationship with all private agencies and city governments in the assigned local area.
5. Establish local communications networks run on a regular basis, and periodically test those networks by conducting realistic drills.
6. In times of disaster, evaluate the communications needs of the area and respond quickly to those needs. The EC will assume authority and responsibility for emergency response and performance by ARES personnel under his/her jurisdiction.
7. Do all that is possible to further the favorable image of Amateur Radio by dedication to purpose and a thorough understanding of the mission of Amateur Radio.
8. Attend the district meetings and pass information to the local members.
9. Recruit and train local Amateur Radio operators in ARES practices and procedures.
10. Hold regularly scheduled meetings of all ARES members within the local area. The DEC and representatives of adjacent ARES local areas should be invited to these meetings. The purpose of these meeting is for coordination of local emergency communications plans, training, and exchange of ideas relative to ARES.
11. Establish and maintain records of all ARES members within the local area of the District. Provide this information to the District database coordinator.
12. Appoint local area Assistant Emergency Coordinators (AECs) for specific duties within the local area of the District. Recommend amateurs for District and/or Section appointments.

It is important to provide an Emergency Coordinator (EC) that posses the knowledge and training necessary to fulfill the requirements of the position. In order to do this, each candidate for Area EC shall serve as an Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) for a minimum of one year prior to becoming an EC. This can be accomplished at the Area or County level. It is preferred that the potential ECs server under an existing Area EC. However, if there is none, the EC candidate will assume the EC responsibilities with the title of AEC. If, after the year’s term, the candidate meets all the requirements listed below and is deemed capable by the DEC, he/she will be recommended for appointment to EC by the Section Emergency Coordinator.

Requirements for EC candidates during the trial period are the following:

• Must maintain membership in ARRL
• Must be registered as an ARES member
• Attend the District meetings
• Participate in at least one training activity
• Attend Incident Command System (ICS) training
• Register with RACES
• Demonstrate leadership skills and initiative

 

2.4.5  Local Area Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC)

The local area AEC is appointed by the area EC to assist that EC in the responsibilities described above. The AEC may be appointed for specific duties or as a general assistant to the EC. In the absence of the EC an AEC may be appointed by the DEC to fulfill the duties of the EC.

 

2.4.6   General ARES Membership

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

ARES members are encouraged to attend training classes, participate in training activities, register as a RACES communicator, and obtain a Red Cross identification card.

 

3.   RACES Organization

 

3.1   General

The RACES organization in Ventura County provides essential communications during periods of National, State, or local emergency or upon request from the appropriate government authority. RACES is mobilized when there has been a government declaration of a state of emergency. Additionally, the RACES organization allows for operation under the FCC RACES regulations in the event of a Presidential Declaration of an Emergency.

 

3.2   Office of Emergency Services

The Ventura County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is responsible for RACES activation. The main task for RACES is to provide communication links from the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to each of the cities in the county, and to provide links to the State OES if necessary. The County OES may also designate additional communication links to various facilities such as hospitals and sheriff stations as deemed necessary.

 

3.3   RACES Membership Requirements

All amateurs that participate in RACES must be enrolled as Disaster Service Workers in the Communications Class in accordance with Section 3100 (et seq.) of the California Government code, and complete a Loyalty Oath/Affirmation. In addition the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department will run a background check on all RACES applicants. This background check is necessary because RACES members are frequently called upon to provide emergency communication services in very sensitive environments. All RACES personnel are issued identification cards by the County OES.

Membership is acquired from the local Area EC through his/her endorsement of the application form prior to arranging for appointment with Disaster Worker Services for processing and being issued a Disaster Service Worker identification card. Renewals are subject to EC review and recommendation for continuing service.

 

3.4   RACES Radio Officer (RO)

The RACES Radio Officer is appointed by the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services (OES) and is responsible for managing the RACES members during a RACES activation. OES has found that using a single management team for both RACES and ARES is very effective for Ventura County. There are several reasons for this. ARES has the better management structure and is always in affect, permitting the continuous recruitment of members, emergency preparation, and training to occur . In contrast, the RACES management structure is in affect only during a RACES activation. Consequently the ARES District Emergency Coordinator (DEC) is selected by OES as the RACES Radio Officer.

The RACE organizational structure also defines Assistant RACES Radio Officers to fill positions such as administration, facilities, computers, packet, traffic coordinators, and training. These functions, like that of the Radio Officer, are filled by the corresponding ARES positions.