| ARES - Linn County, Iowa |
Mission Statement
The mission of Linn County ARES is to facilitate the participation of Linn County Amateur Radio operators to provide supplemental communications for public service agencies responding to disasters affecting Linn County.
Does this mean we only participate in "Disasters"?
No. We also support safety related communications for local walk-a-thons, parades, and other public service events. This is a valuable training ground for our ultimate mission, which is communications assistance in the event of a disaster or other emergency.
Our intent is to work with local Emergency Management, Red Cross, and other Public Service agencies to establish the infrastructure, plans, and procedures to best utilize the capabilities of the total Amateur Radio population of Linn County to support a potential emergency situation. We do this by working with these agencies to establish these plans and procedures, and to coordinate/communicate these plans with local Amateur Radio Operators via existing Amateur Radio organizations within Linn County.
Is this yet another club?
No. We do not wish to compete with other local organizations. We enjoy a very close working relationship with CVARC and other local Amateur Radio clubs in the county. They provide the regular meetings with the local Amateur population and the financial support necessary to accomplish our goals.
Does this mean we do not support specialized teams?
Absolutely not. We encourage the development of teams of Amateurs that are willing to train and volunteer for special assignments such as Disaster Assessment, Medical Assistance, Radiological Support, Area Search, and other functions that require specialized training. The goal of our organization is to support all these activities while, at the same time, not eliminating the casual Amateur Radio operator who also has valuable skills that can be utilized in an emergency.