April 24, 2025 :
When I became Section Manager on April 1, I directed that all ARES activity be paused until we could get organized. I hope this didn’t upset anyone or impact any activities. The coordination of ARES and local clubs is now better and I wish to re-engage ARES under Clint’s direction. Please email me if you have any questions.
Lets Talk About ARES
We all need to understand that by joining ARES you are indicating your willingness to support EmComm through the ARRL. The league encourages ARES membership and activities as it supports the FCC’s mandate that amateur radio provide emergency communications. Consider ARES an overlay to local club’s emergency preparedness activities. My expectation is that locally, ARES operates in harmony with the local club. Activities, such as Wx nets, may be conducted using the club EmComm organizational structure or ARES organizational structure. There is no precedence of one over the other. Regardless of the number of organizational hats, there are only so many volunteer bodies.
Clint Miller, KØGR, from Ames is the new Section Emergency Coordinator. He has been licensed since 2001, serving as the Emergency Coordinator for Story County since 2009, the Iowa Deputy RACES Officer since 2020, and as a Story County Amateur Radio Club board member since 2009, currently as President. Clint has participated in countless ARES public service events and several communication exercises with the Iowa National Guard. He has completed many FEMA courses and is an Iowa Credentialed COML and COMT. He has also served on the Technology Committee of the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications Systems Board.
Clint has developed a skilled and active ARES group in Story County that has earned the respect of the local Emergency Management Agency, asking him and and several of his team serve in the ESF2 Communications role in the Story County Emergency Operations Center. They have earned this respect and responsibility by always being professional, trained communicators and technical specialists first, and amateur radio operators second.
Due to the previous SEC not turning over the email system we used to communicate with ARES members, Clint has established a new service for any ARES members to join and receive information about the Section ARES program.
Click –> https://groups.io/g/IA-ARES to request membership in this group:
Clint is also working to plan a Statewide ARES Leadership Meeting for this summer, stand by for more details. In the meantime, you can reach him directly via email at ares.ia.sec@gmail.com