ARES/RACES



IW Alert logo
The Western Tidewater Radio Association supports ARES and RACES Emergency Communications support for the Virginia District 5 counties of Isle of Wight, Southampton and Surry, also referred to as the Western Tidewater area of  District 5.  WTRA membership is not required to participate in ARES and RACES and all amateurs are welcome. The District is managed by a District Emergency Coordinator (DEC). The District Leadership provides support and coordination for the area teams which are managed by an Assistant District Emergency Coordinator (ADEC).  Each locality team is managed by an Emergency Coordinator (EC), who works with the Emergency Manager of the respective locality.  The EC works with ARES/RACES volunteers to obtain the necessary training and he/she coordinates the activities of the team. Teams may have one or more Assistant Emergency Coordinators (AECs) to assist the EC in managing the team and ensuring continuity in the event the EC is not available for a request for service.  See the District 5 page for contact information in the various jurisdictions.


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ARES-RACES of Virginia Logo
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) is a program formed and operated by the American Radio Relay League. It has a formally defined, hierarchical structure and is ultimately managed in each ARRL section by the Section Manager.  The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service is a service, much like the Amateur Radio Service itself, defined in the FCC rules and is not a formally constituted organization. In Virginia, the ARES® organization is used to execute the Civil Defense functions defined in the FCC rules regarding RACES.