District 5 ARES is Updating its Membership Program to better suit the needs of the Emergency Management community
District 5 ARES is making changes to the volunteer group’s membership and training requirements starting January 1, 2026. The new program defines four qualification levels of formal membership within the all-volunteer auxiliary communications support group.
- Candidate
- Home-based Emergency Communications (EmComm) Operator
- Deployable EmComm Operator
- Advanced EmComm Operator
These changes bring District 5 ARES into alignment with county and state emergency management strategic objectives here in Washington State.
In addition to the four qualification levels, District 5 ARES is implementing an Endorsement program that recognizes ARES Member’s special qualifications in technical and emergency management topics.
Endorsements are analogous to merit badges in scouting. Members can begin earning Endorsements when they achieve the Home-based EmComm Level. There are five initial endorsements with more to follow in the pipeline. Endorsements are discussed below.
New members enter at the Candidate level
The Candidate level is the entry point for joining District 5 ARES and is designed to enable new members to become active with ARES while completing the required training for the Home-based EmComm Operator level. The requirements for the Candidate level are simple:
- A completed application
- Signed Code of Conduct Agreement Within thirty days of starting this process.
- Valid Amateur Radio License
- Commitment to participate in at least 50% of weekly District and Team nets, and 50% of monthly meetings / trainings per calendar quarter.
It should take Candidates three (3) months to complete required training for the next level.
The Home-based EmComm Operator is an essential role within the District 5 ARES organization
Home-based EmComm Operators are the foundation that enable District 5 ARES to fulfill its mission.
Local communities benefit when radio operators in the community are trained with a basic understanding of emergency management and are ready to provide a communications lifeline.
The requirements for this level include training, demonstrating basic skills, possessing a minimal amount of required equipment, and regular participation in ARES NETs and meetings.
Training:
- District 5 ARES Orientation – covers the who, what, when, where, and why of our organization
- IS-100 Introduction to Incident Management System course – Free online independent study course offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Operator Proficiencies:
- Demonstrate how to operate hand-held and mobile/portable radios
- Regular participation in ARES radio NETs.
- Demonstrate ability to create, send, receive, and log voice traffic
- Demonstrate ability to conduct an ARES Net by serving as Net Control once a quarter.
Required Equipment
- VHF/UHF radio system capable of reliably communicating on District 5 and the operator’s home Team repeater and simplex frequencies (PACE channels) listed on the current ICS-217A-D5.
- VHF/UHF radio system with a minimum of 100 memories.
Regular Participation in ARES NETs and Meetings
Members at all levels are required to maintain regular participation in ARES activities (e.g. meetings, training courses, exercises). Participating in at least 50% of the weekly nets and monthly meetings every quarter enables members to stay current.
District 5 ARES strongly encourages Home-based EmComm Operators to add the Winlink Endorsement to their home-based certification.
Winlink – ‘email over radio’ – is a critical communications tool for capturing and conveying important information in a digital format. Knowing how to use the Winlink program is vitally important even if you don’t have a PC connected to a radio.
Deployable EmComm Operators are prepared to operate ‘in the field’ and work seamlessly within an incident command structure.
Operating ‘in the field’ doesn’t just mean working under a pop-up tent. It may also mean staffing an auxiliary communications role in an indoor environment like an emergency operations center.
Credentialing
To be considered as ‘deployable’ Washington State law requires volunteers to possess a valid Washington State Emergency Worker Card (EWC) if they leave their home or business in support of an incident. The EWC requires completing four online independent study courses offered by FEMA and passing a background check. The four required courses are:
- IS-100 Introduction to Incident Management System
- IS-200 ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
- IS-700 National Incident Management Framework (NIMS)
- IS-800 National Response Framework (NRF)
Radio Equipment Proficiencies
In addition to completing the requirements for the Home-based EmComm Operator, and possessing an EWC, Deployable EmComm Operators must demonstrate proficiency in the following areas irrespective of the operator’s license class:
- Operating HF radios
- Working in an EOC/ECC/Fixed Site RADIO ROOM
- Operating Field Radios
- Configuring and operating a cross-band VHF/UHF radio
- Setting up and operating District 5 VHF/UHF and HF Go Kits and antennas
Operator Proficiencies
Deployable EmComm Operators will demonstrate their skills and proficiencies by serving as a radio operator (RADO) in an EOC/ECC, shelter, hospital, or fire station during an exercise.
Deployable EmComm Operators may also demonstrate their skills by serving as a Radio Officer (RO) – manager of RADOs – at the request of ARES leadership.
Achieve at Least One of the following Endorsements
- Winlink
- Communications Technician
If you enjoy operating POTA and SOTA, you’re well prepared for achieving this membership level.
Advanced EmComm Operators lead District 5 ARES
The Advanced EmComm Operator role emphasizes leadership in auxiliary communications operations in an emergency management environment. In addition to completing the requirements for the Home-based and Deployable EmComm Operators, earning the Advance EmComm Operators level has the following requirements.
Additional training requirements include:
- IS-29 Public Information Officer Awareness
- IS-35 Safety Orientation
- IS-230 Fundamentals of Emergency Management
- IS-241 Decision Making and Problem Solving
- ICS-300 Intermediate ICS for Expanding Events
- ICS-400 Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff
Advanced EmComm Operators further demonstrate their skills by achieving at least two of the following endorsements:
- Winlink
- Exercise and Drill
- Communication Technician
- Leadership
- Digital Operations
Detailed descriptions and the requirements for earning each of these endorsements are covered in the District 5 ARES Skills Endorsement Handbook. (Available HERE-link.)
Additional endorsement options will be added in the future. District 5 ARES members are strongly encouraged to begin working on achieving endorsements once they complete the requirements for the Home-based EmComm Operator level.
New Membership Program Raises the Bar for Auxiliary Communication Support in Pierce County, WA.
The world of Emergency Management is changing. The new membership program provides the structure ARES needs to respond to challenges brought about by these changes.
The good news is that these changes create opportunities for ARES members to expand their participation in the auxiliary communications discipline if they desire.
Our task as an organization and as individuals is to prepare with purpose, commitment and to the best of our abilities while having fun along the way.
Please join us on this journey. Follow the checklist in the Call to Action section below to get started.
Call to Action
Whether you’ve been involved in ARES for years, have just started participating in the last few months, or are interested in joining the District 5 ARES organization, there are three (3) things you need to do to maintain/establish your ‘membership’ with District 5 ARES:
- Verify your personal information by completing the updated membership application form. We want to ensure we have accurate information including a current email address, phone number that accepts text messages, and a physical home address. It is imperative this information be kept up to date. The application form is available here.
- Read, understand, and sign our Code of Conduct Agreement .
- Track your net check-ins, meeting attendance, and participation in ARES activities every calendar quarter. Typically, there are 13 weeks in a quarter. Participating in at least 50% of the District and Team nets will maintain your membership in good standing. By taking responsibility for tracking your own participation, you’ll keep our Net Control Stations, ECs, and ARES Leadership on their toes. (HiHi)
The deadline for current members to update your personal information and signing the Code of Conduct Agreement has been extended to Monday, April 6, 2026. For the new candidate members, you will have thirty days after joining our team to complete the required training for the next level and sign the Code of Conduct Agreement.