<p>The 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. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.arrl.org/ares#">Where Will Volunteers be Needed?-</a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Public Service Events</strong>:
<ul>
<li>Walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, parades, festivals, and community events.</li>
<li>Time commitment is typically defined in advance.</li>
<li>Equipment is minimal; often you will only be asked to bring a hand-held radio.</li>
<li>Responsibilities may include supporting the communications needs of the community agency such as crowd control efforts, first aid stations, parking, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Localized Disaster</strong>:
<ul>
<li>Flooding, tornados, or any substantial weather event, where it might not disrupt major areas of communications, but there is still a need for communications to be set up.</li>
<li>Search, rescue, and traffic needs during the local disaster.</li>
<li>Time commitment is less than a major disaster.</li>
<li>Typically the volunteer would be part of an organization. The organization would have a pre-planned list of expectations and roles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Major Disaster</strong>:
<ul>
<li>Wide-spread weather events, such as hurricane, tornados, snow storms, earthquakes.</li>
<li>A longer time commitment several weeks to a few months.</li>
<li>Volunteers need to prepare their families for their absences.</li>
<li>In addition to personal Go Kits, volunteers may also need to bring their long-term Deployment Kits.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
