The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) has posted its 2016 annual report. The 2016 ARES Annual Report focuses on documenting the value that ARES provides to the nation, states, and localities in collaboration with partners at all levels. The report features basic data drawn from Section Emergency Coordinators’ reports, a breakdown of ARES figures by state and FEMA region, and a challenge for 2017. According to the report, ARES membership in 2016 was 27,754 — up from 17,756 in 2015 — and the Service was active in 42 states and US territories. ARES volunteers responded to 33,136 events last year.

“Sharing information about what ARES provides at all levels is critical to our work overall, as hard numbers provide better detail about our work,” ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, said. “We all need to pitch in to ensure that our contributions are counted, and here at HQ, we will be sure to do our part.”

ARES volunteers will see changes in some reporting forms in 2017; all forms, starting in January 2017, have been updated and renumbered. According to the report, 76% of ARRL sections filed reports for 2016, a significant improvement over past years. The report challenges ARRL Section Emergency Coordinators to raise that number to 85% in 2017.

In addition to the annual ARES report, ARRL Field Services staffers will produce their own monthly report, a link will appear in the ARES E-Letter, showing monthly data for ARES, as well as information about ARRL Headquarters emergency preparedness and Field Service activities.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) has posted its 2016 annual report. The 2016 ARES Annual Report focuses on documenting the value that ARES provides to the nation, states, and localities in collaboration with partners at all levels. The report features basic data drawn from Section Emergency Coordinators’ reports, a breakdown of ARES figures by state and FEMA region, and a challenge for 2017. According to the report, ARES membership in 2016 was 27,754 — up from 17,756 in 2015 — and the Service was active in 42 states and US territories. ARES volunteers responded to 33,136 events last year.

“Sharing information about what ARES provides at all levels is critical to our work overall, as hard numbers provide better detail about our work,” ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, said. “We all need to pitch in to ensure that our contributions are counted, and here at HQ, we will be sure to do our part.”

ARES volunteers will see changes in some reporting forms in 2017; all forms, starting in January 2017, have been updated and renumbered. According to the report, 76% of ARRL sections filed reports for 2016, a significant improvement over past years. The report challenges ARRL Section Emergency Coordinators to raise that number to 85% in 2017.

In addition to the annual ARES report, ARRL Field Services staffers will produce their own monthly report, a link will appear in the ARES E-Letter, showing monthly data for ARES, as well as information about ARRL Headquarters emergency preparedness and Field Service activities.