The former Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC) series of three levels of emergency communications courses has been reconfigured into two new courses: An introductory course for radio amateurs who want to volunteer to provide services for public service and emergency communications, and a course for leaders and managers who are responsible for training and coordinating response efforts. The course descriptions for both of these courses that make up the ARRL’s ARES® training program can be found in the ARRL Online Course Catalog. Links to register for each course are included in the course descriptions.

Introduction to Emergency Communication

The Introduction to Emergency Communication course (#EC-001) is an update of the former Level 1 course. It is designed to provide basic knowledge and tools for any ham who wants to serve as a Public Service volunteer. It also provides an opportunity for non-hams who rely on communications in emergency situations to learn about Amateur Radio and its unique role in emergencies.

The course is offered online using the Moodle online learning platform. When you register for the course, you will need to demonstrate completion of two FEMA course pre-requisites: Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS-100 [IS-100.b]) and National Incident Management System (IS-700). The Introduction to Emergency Communication course has six sections with 29 lesson topics. It includes required student activities along with a 35 question final assessment. Participants should plan on completing the course in approximately 45 hours over a nine week period. You will have access to the course platform at any time of day during this nine week period, so you may work according to your own schedule. This is a mentored course. You will be assigned to correspond with an experienced radio amateur who will be your resource for any questions you have about the course content.

The fee for this course is $50 for ARRL members and $85 for non-members and those who register for “Guest” membership on the ARRL website.

Public Service and Emergency Communications Management for Radio Amateurs

The Public Service and Emergency Communications Management for Radio Amateurs course (#EC-016) is designed for Amateur Radio operators who will be in leadership and managerial roles, organizing other volunteers to support public service activities and communications emergencies. In this course, participants will learn how radio amateurs prepare and organize to support local community events and, when working in coordination with governmental and other emergency response organizations, how to deploy their services to provide communications when needed in an emergency.

This course is available online on the ARRL website to all League members. The course can be accessed without a fee or enrollment directly through the ARRL website. To view the course, you must be logged into the ARRL website as a member, or as a “Guest” member. This is a self-study course that you may complete at your own pace.

To enroll for the final assessment for this course and to receive a course completion certificate, documentation of completion of course pre-requisites (you’ll find the list in the course description) and a $35 fee is necessary. Depending upon your role and responsibilities, consult your Section Emergency Coordinator or Section Manager to determine if course completion with the final assessment is recommended.