South Texas District 14 ARES Field operations manual
The purpose of the field operation manual is to ensure that every ARES member has the necessary resources when they are deployed. The manual consists of the following documents and should be kept in an 8 ½” x 11″ three ring notebook. The list is broken up into several groups by relative importance. It is up to each ARES member to determine for themselves just what they need to include in their copy. At a minimum, every member should print out the South Texas Communication Plan, the District 14 Communication plan and their unit communication plan.
It is advisable to have an adequate number of the ARRL Radiogram, the ICS-213 as well as some writing paper, pens, and pencils.
Primary Content (Communication Plans)
- Amateur Radio license (a photo copy is acceptable)
- STX Communication plan
- District 14 Communications Plan
- Unit communications plan
ARRL forms and additional information
How much of the following information that should be included is up to the individual member. The ARRL documents are available to download from the ARRL web-site
- List of contacts, EC’s, AEC’s, your DEC, including all their phone numbers and email addresses.
- Photocopy of user manuals for ALL radio equipment that you might bring.
- ARRL Radiogram
- ARRL ARES Field Manual
- ARRL Public Service Com Manual
- ARRL FSD-3 Numbered Radio Gram
- ARRL FSD-218 Routine messages
- ARRL FSD-220 Operation Aids
- ARRL FSD-255 Reference information
FEMA forms we use
Notice FEMA is constantly reorganizing their web-site. Please use your favorite search engine and it should quickly find it for you. It is not necessary for every member to have all the forms with them. However when deployed at a minimum you will need a suitable number of ARRL Radiograms, ICS-213’s, a pad of writing paper, and pens and/or pencils. The most current version of these forms can be found on the FEMA web-site.
- ICS – 201 Incident Briefing Form
- ICS – 202 Incident Objectives Form
- ICS – 203 Organizational Assignment List
- ICS – 204 Assignment List
- ICS – 205 Incident Radio Communications Plan
- ICS – 207 Organizational Chart
- ICS – 211 Check In List
- ICS – 213 General Message Form
- ICS – 214 Unit Log
- ICS – 216 Radio Requirements Worksheet
Go kits
Everyone should have a go-kit, aka ready kit. In reality everyone should have two go-kits. One would be for your personal items, the second would be for you communications gear.