ARES Task Book

I'm going to boil down the information posted at the ARRL ARES page into something a little more digestible.

The task book is pretty self-explanatory, but there are a few things to note:

• There are tasks marked with a R for Required tasks.
• There are tasks marked with a O for Optional tasks.
• There are tasks marked with a E for Encouraged tasks.

The Skill Levels have been updated in 2024:

• Basic - Entry level into ARES®, includes skills learned when obtaining an Amateur Radio license and basic coursework.
• Intermediate - Set of skills desired by ARES® obtained through coursework and training.
• Advanced - Increased skill set that initiates a pathway to leadership positions and assignments.

Contact your local EC (Emergency Coordinator).

If you don't know who your EC is, head to Georgia ARES and search for your county. Reach out and let them know you are interested in ARES. In my experience, they are the most patient folks that I have met in the hobby.

Download the ARES Task Book.

ARES Task Book - July 2024 Edition

Start your online training courses

You will have to take a few online courses. This is outlined in your Task Book.

The required courses for ARES Basic Level are:

• IS-100 (IS-100.c) Introduction to the Incident Command System
• IS-700 (IS-700.b) National Incident Management System
• Basic Emcomm course

The required courses for ARES Intermediate Level are:

• ICS-200 (IS-200.c) Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
• IS-800.D National Response Framework, An Introduction
• Intermediate EmComm course

Even though Skywarn Training is now optional, it's a lot of fun and easy to complete.

• SkyWarn Spotter Basic Training