Get involved: SKYWARN, ARES, RACES & training
Ready to move from listening to serving? Start with training, then join local nets and contact your county Emergency Coordinator.
NWS spotter & weather nets
SKYWARN spotters report severe weather to the National Weather Service. In northeast Tennessee, WX4TN / District 7 coordinates training nets and spotter outreach.
- Take NWS SKYWARN spotter training — NWS spotter training hub (online modules vary by forecast office).
- Join District 7 nets — see East TN emcomm hub and skywarn7.org.
- Practice structured reports with the SKYWARN spotter report tool before you need it in a storm.
- Read East TN SKYWARN District 7 overview on the blog.
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
ARES volunteers train and deploy to support served agencies (EOCs, hospitals, shelters). Organization is county-based under an ARRL Emergency Coordinator.
- Find your EC: ARRL ARES EC directory — search by Tennessee county.
- Attend a local club net — county nets listed on East TN ARES & RACES.
- Complete FEMA courses below (most ECs expect IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, IS-800).
- Run the ARES activation checklist and pack your go-kit.
- Assigned comms tech? Open the COMT hub for net logging and field digital paths.
- Join ARRL ARES and register in ARES Connect if your section uses it.
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
RACES operates when a civil defense or emergency management authority activates amateur stations under 47 CFR § 97.407. Activation is government-directed — not self-deployed.
- Contact your county Emergency Management Agency to learn if RACES is organized locally.
- Use the RACES served-agency checklist when your jurisdiction activates.
- Many operators hold both ARES and RACES credentials — understand which hat you are wearing per incident.
FEMA / DHS emergency courses
These free online courses from FEMA Emergency Management Institute are the standard baseline for emcomm volunteers nationwide. Save PDF certificates; your EC may ask for course completion IDs.
| Course | Topic | Link |
|---|---|---|
| IS-100.c | Introduction to ICS | EMI course page |
| IS-200.c | ICS for single resources & initial action | EMI course page |
| IS-700.b | National Incident Management System (NIMS) | EMI course page |
| IS-800.d | National Response Framework | EMI course page |
| IS-315.A | Amateur radio supplemental (CERT context) | EMI course page |
| IS-2200 | Basic Emergency Operations Center functions | EMI course page |
ARRL training overview: ARRL public service courses. Apply ICS on the air with deployment workflow and incident workspace.