Sumter County ARES

October 2026

 

Question 21

Is Sumter County ARES an IRS tax-exempt organization?

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Question 22

Please identify the names of SCARES members who currently fill the Support Staff positions of Technology Specialist, Hospital Liaison, and NTS Liaison.

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Question 23

In the current ARES Emergency Communicator Individual Task Book (Version 3.0, July 2024), under the “Education” section for Level-1, what are the three (R) required elements that must be completed?

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Question 24

Can a SCARES member who is unwilling or who can no longer meet membership standards be removed from the membership rolls by the Emergency Coordinator?

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Question 25

Can a licensed amateur radio operator who lives in Citrus County be a member of Sumter County ARES?

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September 2026

 

Question 16

What ARRL Section is Sumter County in?

Answer:  Northern Florida Section (NFL)​

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Question 17

What is the position title of the highest ranking ARRL representative in each ARRL Section?

Answer:  Section Manager.  SCARES Manual, Chapter 1.1.b.

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Question 18

Effective April 1, 2024, all SCARES members are expected to check into at least (1) Sumter County ARES VHF Net or participate in at least one Sumter County ARES membership meeting each calendar ______________ .

​Answer:  Quarter  SCARES Manual, Chapter 3.16.

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Question 19

In the ARES Emergency Communicator Individual Task Book, what does the letter “R” mean beside any particular task?

​Answer:  That task is Required, SCARES Manual, Chapter 3.21

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Question 20

After January 2024, a newly accepted member into Sumter County ARES will be added to the membership roster as an “Intern Member”.  How many months does the Intern Member have to provide proof that he or she has completed the “Required” tasks in the ARES Emergency Communicator Individual Task Book Level-1 (Basic)?

Answer:  6 months, SCARES Manual, Chapter 2.7.d.

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August 2026

 

Question 11

During a “Directed Net” in which you are NOT the net control station (NCS), what is the correct procedure to follow if you want to contact another station directly?

Answer:  “If you need to contact another station directly, first ask permission from NCS to make that direct contact.  When you are finished with your direct contact, return the Net to the Net Control Operator”.  SCARES Manual, Page 28

 

Question 12

When a Logistics Net is activated on the 147.030 MHz repeater, and a piece of Health and Welfare traffic needs to be passed, what frequency / repeater is to be used to actually pass that traffic between the sending and receiving station according to the ICS-205 for Sumter County?

Answer:  443.225 TVAR Repeater.  ICS-205

 

Question 13

According to the SCARES Emergency Operations plan, as a general rule, a minimal deployment kit should include provisions for how many hours?

Answer:  72 Hours, SCARES Manual, Page 24

 

Question 14

During an ARES Alert Level 2, on what frequency / repeater will SCARES members receive deployment instructions?

Answer:  147.030 K4HOG Repeater, SCARES Manual, Page 32

 

Question 15

What is the ARRL suggested procedure, according to the SCARES Emergency Operations Plan, if you need to interrupt a “Directed Net” because you have emergency or priority traffic?

Answer:  Transmit “Break-Break”, SCARES Manual, Page 28.

 

 

July 2026

​Below is another set of 5 questions to test your EmComm knowledge.  All answers can be found in the Emergency Operations chapter found on the ALERTS tab on the www.sumterares.org/alert webpage.  

 

Question 6

At what ARES Alert Level are SCARES members required to remain in contact with the ARES Incident Commander (AIC) to inform him or her of their availability for deployment?

Answer:  Level-2, Emergency Operations Plan, 2.

 

Question 7

What is/are the primary responsibilities of the ARES Incident Commander when SCARES is activated for an emergency condition?

Answer:  “…the primary responsibility of the AIC is to ensure that all critical posts and/or assignments that are requested by the EM or other served agency to be staffed by ARES personnel are adequately staffed and operating effectively, and that reliable communications is established between the EOC and those locations.”  Emergency Operations Plan Page, 5.a.

 

Question 8

Any one of three conditions must exist before the SCARES Emergency Coordinator will declare an ARES Alert Level-2.  Please name one.

Answer:  “…will be declared for Sumter County ARES by its EC or AEC under any of the following conditions: (a) When specific ARES duty posts / field assignments in Sumter County are to be staffed and made operational; or (b) When requests are received from the NFL Section or any other County under mutual aid; or (c) When requests are made by the Sumter County Emergency Manager, or other organizations approved by the EC or AEC.”  Emergency Operations Plan, 2.

 

Question 9

When using "tactical callsigns", when must you transmit your FCC assigned call sign?

Answer:  Using a “tactical call sign” is permitted by FCC rules providing that each station transmits their FCC assigned call sign at the end of their conversation and at 10- minute intervals throughout that conversation.  Emergency Operations Plan, 6.g.

 

Question 10

Under normal conditions when the Sumter County EOC is activated, who is primarily responsible for sending official messages between the Sumter County EOC and the Florida State EOC using amateur radio?

Answer:  “When the Sumter County Emergency Operations Center is activated, all official messages between the Sumter County EOC, Florida State EOC, and EOCs of other counties is the sole responsibility of the Communications Unit of each EOC regardless of the method of transmission. No SCARES member may transmit or send any official message to the State EOC or EOC of another county, regardless of form, unless requested to do so by the Communications Unit in the Sumter County EOC, or unless the EOC is unable to do so for any reason, i.e. lack of staffing, building or equipment damage, etc.”  Emergency Operations Plan, 6.h.

 

 

June 2026

​All the answers can be found in the ALERT tab of the Sumter County ARES website, www.sumterares.org/alert.

 

Question 1

During an EmComm deployment, when is it necessary to send an ICS-213 message?

​Answer:  "...when a message needs to be sent AND that member (or location) is expecting a response..."

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Question 2

What form is used to send a Health and Welfare message through the National Traffic System?

​Answer:  ARRL Radiogram

 

Question 3

What repeater / frequency is used as an Operational / Administrative Net by the EOC?

​Answer:  KS4EOC repeater on 146.925 MHz

 

Question 4

What repeater / frequency is used as a Logistics net by Sumter County ARES?

​Answer:  K4HOG repeater on 147.030 MHz

 

Question 5

What simplex frequency is used for Sumter County EmComm?

​Answer:  147.585 MHz