Amateur Radio and Served Agency Integration: A Compendium of
Documented Practices

Purpose

This document compiles documented facts, programs, organizational
structures, training frameworks, and case examples from amateur radio
groups that have successfully built and maintained relationships with
served agencies. The focus is on knowledge-based capabilities, expanded
roles beyond traditional HF voice, and models where hams provide value
as communications generalists rather than solely as operators of amateur
radio equipment.

1. The Evolving Framework: From ARES/RACES to
AUXCOMM

1.1 The Traditional Model and Its Limitations

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) has existed since 1935
under the ARRL, while the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES)
was codified in FCC Part 97.407 in 1952. For decades, the operating
model was straightforward: amateur radio operators provide backup
communications on amateur frequencies when commercial infrastructure
fails.

ARRL’s own assessment, reflected in the 2019 ARES Plan adoption and
its July 2025 update, acknowledged that this traditional model had
become misaligned with how modern emergency management operates. The
ARRL’s Public Service Enhancement Working Group (PSEWG), which spent
over three years developing the updated ARES Plan, was formed
specifically because of concerns about bringing ARES into alignment with
NIMS/ICS and creating consistent training standards. North Carolina’s
experience was particularly instructive: in 2010, state ARES leadership
was informed by North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) that amateur
radio would comply with ICS or be dropped from the state’s Emergency
Operations Plan.

1.2 The AUXCOMM Paradigm Shift

In 2009, the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
(CISA) developed the AUXCOMM (Auxiliary Communications) concept with
assistance from amateur radio subject matter experts. The concept’s
stated purpose was to educate amateur radio operators to work and train
with public safety personnel, understand the value of NIMS/ICS, and
understand the role of the Communications Unit Leader (COML).

AUXCOMM is explicitly not limited to amateur radio. CISA defines it
as an all-inclusive term describing organizations and personnel that
provide communications support to emergency management, public safety,
and other government agencies — including amateur radio, military radio
(MARS), citizens band, GMRS, and other services.

The AUXCOMM course, designated TRG-AUXCOMM, is a classroom-based
training consisting of lecture, discussion, and tabletop exercises
focused on interoperable communications and how volunteer communicators
operate within the Incident Command System. As stated by the Northern
New York ARRL section: “It is not a radio course. It is assumed that the
amateur radio operator already knows the technical stuff and general
communications procedures.”

As of CISA’s published information, the AUXCOMM course has been
taught over 105 times with more than 1,300 amateur radio operators
trained nationally.

1.3 ICS Communications Unit Integration

The 2023 NIMS Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Functional Guidance officially modified the ICS Communications Unit
(COMU) structure to include the Auxiliary Communicator (AUXC) position,
placed under the Incident Communications Center Manager (INCM). This
formalized amateur radio’s place in the incident command structure.

The COMU structure includes several positions relevant to amateur
radio operators:

• COML (Communications Unit Leader): Manages
  incident communications, supervises and trains personnel, develops the
  Incident Radio Communications Plan (ICS 205). Five-day training
  course.

• COMT (Communications Technician): Supports the
  COML in developing the Communications Plan; handles radio/system
  coverage, radio programming, interference mitigation, and equipment
  deployment.

• INCM (Incident Communications Center Manager):
  Manages an ICC; supervises dispatcher and radio operator
  positions.

• AUXC (Auxiliary Communicator): Installs
  auxiliary communications equipment, tests components, operates voice and
  data systems, establishes areas of operation, and coordinates with
  operational personnel.

• THSP (Technical Specialist): Allows
  incorporation of personnel not formally certified in a specific NIMS/ICS
  position — may include radio technicians, telephone specialists, gateway
  specialists, data/IT specialists, and cache radio specialists.

The COMT position is specifically noted by the NNY ARRL as one “that
may be of interest to volunteer amateur radio operators with advanced
technical knowledge and experience.”

2. State-Level Models of Successful Integration

2.1 Colorado: Legislative Mandate and State-Level AuxComm
Unit

Colorado represents the most formally structured integration of
amateur radio into state emergency management. In 2016, Colorado House
Bill 16-1040 created the Auxiliary Emergency Communications Unit within
the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM). This
law implemented recommendations from a 2012 FCC report to Congress
regarding amateur radio’s role in disasters.

Key findings from the Colorado General Assembly:

• “Having a uniformly trained and credentialed unit of
  communication volunteers available for disaster response will materially
  assist emergency preparedness and disaster response efforts across the
  state.”

• “In recent years amateur radio operators have been called upon by
  state and local governments to act as communication experts across a
  broader range of duties and responsibilities that extend beyond
  traditional amateur radio communication.”

• “While maintaining their traditional roles as amateur radio
  operators, many of these volunteers assist with the establishment and
  maintenance of communication facilities, assist with programming public
  safety radios during emergencies, and act as radio operators on public
  safety channels.”

• “During the past year, amateur radio operators have performed
  tens of thousands of hours of devoted service.”

The Colorado AuxComm unit operates as a volunteer unit of DHSEM. It
is by law the official RACES organization for the state. Colorado ARES
makes up the management team of Colorado AUXCOMM, with an MOU between
Colorado ARES and DHSEM.

Notably, the Colorado AuxComm unit operates radios on public safety
(Part 90) frequencies in addition to traditional amateur radio
frequencies. Members must pass criminal background checks and complete
training courses including FEMA ICS courses, Colorado Interoperability
Training modules, and OPSEC Awareness.

A practical demonstration of expanded capabilities occurred when Rio
Blanco County Sheriff Anthony Mazzola reached out to the AuxComm
division for communications support during Rally America events in
Rangely, where no amateur radio repeater infrastructure existed. The
AuxComm team brought in radio operators and public safety radios to
cover the event.

2.2 North Carolina: AUXCOMM as Primary Emergency
Communications Asset

North Carolina has adopted AUXCOMM as a formal replacement for
traditional ARES/RACES within its emergency communications structure.
NCEM designates AUXCOMM not as auxiliary but as a “Primary Emergency
Communications asset.”

Key documented facts about the NC AUXCOMM program:

• Over 900 North Carolina amateur radio operators have completed
  and documented the same ICS courses taken by fire, police, and EMS
  personnel.

• Approximately 200 NC operators have completed the 20-hour
  classroom-based AUXCOMM course.

• In September 2019, North Carolina became the first state to adopt
  the Homeland Security AUXCOMM Position Task Book.

• NC adopted a state supplement requiring credentialed AUXCOMM
  operators to demonstrate skills in: use of the statewide VIPER 800 MHz
  trunked radio system, using Winlink on SHARES channels to pass traffic
  to the State EOC, and using WebEOC resource and incident management
  software.

• AUXCOMM is integrated into Emergency Support Function 2 (ESF-2)
  alongside 911, cellular, wireline, and broadband providers.

• AUXCOMM is activated during each state-level standup of the State
  Emergency Response Team.

• Groups without ICS training are not activated during declared
  disasters.

NC AUXCOMM operators may be tasked with: operating amateur radio
stations at shelters, command posts, and the EOC; acting as radio
operators for key personnel; operating radios on the state VIPER system;
and assisting Emergency Management and Incident Management Team
personnel.

2.3 Nevada: AuxComm as Primary Communications
Asset

Nevada adopted AuxComm as a primary emergency communications asset
under the state Office of Emergency Management. The Nevada AuxComm
program provides auxiliary communications resiliency to public safety
entities and provides training to amateur radio operators, CERT
personnel, and others. Members operate within NIMS/ICS, participate in
SKYWARN, and provide basic and advanced emergency communications.

3. National-Level Agreements and Partnerships

3.1 ARRL Memoranda of Understanding

ARRL maintains formal MOUs with multiple national organizations:

• American Red Cross: Cooperative agreement since
  1940, renewed April 2021. Local ECs work with Red Cross chapter offices;
  amateurs are regularly deployed on missions with Red Cross personnel and
  provide shelter communications.

• National Weather Service: Agreement since 1986.
  Hams comprise the majority of SKYWARN volunteers (estimated
  350,000–400,000 trained severe weather spotters).

• Salvation Army: MOU revised 2018. The Salvation
  Army is particularly active in the recovery stage of disasters and has
  communications needs often filled by ARRL volunteers. The Salvation Army
  Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) is a dedicated amateur radio
  network supporting Salvation Army operations.

• FEMA/DHS: In May 2023, ARRL announced an updated
  Memorandum of Agreement with DHS/FEMA to enhance cooperation for
  emergency preparedness. ARRL has been elected to serve on SAFECOM, a
  group of national thought leaders within the emergency communications
  and response space that sets standards at every level. SAFECOM is
  managed by CISA.

• APCO International: The Association of
  Public-Safety Communications Officials-International maintains a
  relationship with ARRL.

• Civil Air Patrol: ARRL and CAP share common
  goals of serving the public through efficient use of radio
  communications.

• NVOAD: ARRL is a member-organization of the
  National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. ARRL staff meets
  with partner organization representatives at the annual NVOAD meeting in
  Washington.

3.2 The SHARES Connection

The SHAred RESources (SHARES) High Frequency Program is a federal
government contingency communications system operated by DHS. SHARES
provides an additional means for users with national security and
emergency preparedness missions to communicate when landline and
cellular communications are unavailable.

SHARES is not open directly to individual amateur radio operators,
but many organizations utilize amateurs as the primary operators because
of their radio knowledge and skills. Hams may communicate with SHARES
stations on the 60-meter interoperability channels. Winlink provides a
parallel radio email system for SHARES, and the NC AUXCOMM program
specifically requires credentialed operators to demonstrate proficiency
passing traffic on SHARES channels via Winlink to the State EOC.

4. Training and Credentialing Frameworks

4.1 ARRL ARES Three-Tier Training Structure (July 2025 ARES
Plan)

The July 2025 ARES Plan established a national standard for
qualification with three progressive levels:

Basic Level:

• FEMA IS-100 (Introduction to ICS), IS-200 (ICS for Single
  Resources), IS-700 (Introduction to NIMS), IS-800 (National Response
  Framework)

• ARRL ARES Basic EmComm course

• ARES Position Task Book Level 1

• Entry level for non-leadership roles and those new to emergency
  communications

Intermediate Level:

• All Basic requirements plus ARRL Intermediate course

• ARES Position Task Book Level 2

• Full ARRL membership required

• Recommended: training opportunities through partner
  agencies

Advanced Level:

• ARRL Advanced EmComm course

• FEMA Professional Development Series: IS-230, IS-240, IS-241,
  IS-242, IS-244

• IS-288 (The Role of Voluntary Organizations in Emergency
  Management)

• ARES Position Task Book Level 3

• Encouraged: FEMA ICS-300 and ICS-400 (when available
  locally)

• Full ARRL membership required

• Required for leadership positions (EC, AEC, DEC, SEC)

Specialized Level:

• ARES Mutual Aid Team (ARESMAT) operations or on-site disaster
  support may require additional self-sufficiency training

The Plan explicitly notes that served agencies have “mandated and
structured training programs where all participants receive the same
training” and that ARES needed to align with this expectation.

4.2 CISA/DHS AUXCOMM Training Pipeline

The AUXCOMM credentialing path represents a parallel (and in some
states, primary) pathway:

Prerequisites (all free online):

• FEMA IS-100.c, IS-200.c, IS-700.b, IS-800.d

AUXCOMM Course (TRG-AUXCOMM):

• 20-hour classroom-based course taught by DHS-credentialed
  instructors

• Covers interoperable communications within ICS

• Lecture, discussion, and tabletop exercises

• Not a radio course — assumes existing radio competency

AUXCOMM Position Task Book:

• Minimum tasks required for state-level certification as an
  auxiliary communicator

• Tasks must be completed during a minimum of 2 different
  exercises, events, or incidents

• Requires signatures from at least 2 different evaluators

Advanced ICS Positions (for those pursuing deeper
integration):

• COMT (Communications Technician) course

• COML (Communications Unit Leader) — 5-day, 25+ hour
  course

• INCM (Incident Communications Center Manager)

4.3 State-Specific Training Supplements

States with active AUXCOMM programs add requirements beyond the
national baseline:

North Carolina supplements require demonstrated skills
in:

• Operation of the statewide VIPER 800 MHz trunked radio
  system

• Winlink operations on SHARES channels

• WebEOC resource and incident management software

Colorado supplements require:

• Colorado Interoperability Training Modules 1, 2, and 3

• OPSEC Awareness course

• Criminal background check

• General class license or higher (Technician must upgrade within
  one year)

4.4 Tiered Local Training Models

Several local groups have independently developed progressive
training structures. The Williamson County (TN) ARS EmComm program
documents four levels:

• Level 1: Entry-level assistants who observe and
  learn — equipment setup/teardown, logging

• Level 2: Receive and transmit information via
  UHF/VHF and HF; mentor Level 1 members; Winlink training and
  demonstrated proficiency with drop kits

• Level 3: Supervise field teams, develop radio
  coverage schedules, monitor safety, serve as on-site liaison with served
  agency; familiar with ICS; site visits to county EOC, Red Cross, and
  hospital radio operations; net control training

• Level 4: Report directly to the Emergency
  Coordinator; act in place of EC when needed

5. Documented Knowledge Capabilities and Value
Propositions

5.1 The ARES Plan Mission Statement — “Beyond
Radio”

The July 2025 ARES Plan mission statement explicitly describes value
beyond radio operation: ARES strives to provide “communications
expertise, situational awareness and capabilities of professional
communicators.” The Plan describes amateur radio operators as possessing
“unique skills” including the ability to set up field stations, deploy
portable antennas, and use “non-conventional means of getting a message
through when other systems are overloaded or have failed.”

5.2 Expanded Capabilities Documented in Legislation and
Policy

Colorado’s HB 16-1040 documented three categories of expanded
capability that state legislators identified:

1. Establishment and maintenance of communication
   facilities — not limited to amateur radio equipment

2. Programming public safety radios during
   emergencies — operating on public safety (Part 90)
   frequencies

3. Acting as radio operators on public safety
   channels — direct operational integration with served agency
   communications systems

5.3 Digital Messaging and Forms Handling

Winlink has become a primary tool for bridging amateur radio
capabilities with served agency requirements. Documented capabilities
include:

• ICS Forms Processing: Winlink Express contains a
  library of standard ICS forms (ICS-213 General Message, ICS-213RR
  Resource Request, ICS-214 Activity Log) that can be filled out
  electronically, transmitted via radio, and delivered to conventional
  email addresses in a format readable by non-hams.

• Hospital Status Reporting: Winlink includes
  Hospital Data Reporting Forms to track and share hospital capabilities
  with other facilities in disaster areas. Hawaii ARES has documented
  training exercises specifically for this form.

• Shelter Reporting: EmComm Training Organization
  drills have demonstrated large-scale forms processing — one exercise
  generated over 500 messages with form data, nearly 200 ICS-213s, and
  almost 100 shelter reports and staff assignment forms, all transmitted
  via radio with no internet, power, or cell service.

• Cross-Service Interoperability: Winlink operates
  parallel systems for amateur radio, DHS SHARES, MARS, and NGOs
  (including the American Red Cross and Austrian International Red Cross).
  A ham using Winlink on amateur frequencies can email a user on the
  SHARES system.

• GIS Mapping: Recent Winlink exercises have
  incorporated GIS mapping features, with operators using information from
  multiple forms to produce situational awareness maps.

5.4 Situational Awareness as a Distinct
Capability

The ARES Plan specifically identifies “situational awareness” as part
of the ARES mission alongside communications expertise. In practice,
this manifests as:

• SKYWARN ground-truth weather reports supplementing NWS radar and
  satellite data

• Road condition and infrastructure damage reporting during
  disasters (documented extensively during Hurricane Helene)

• Welfare check coordination for isolated populations

• Liaison between aid organizations operating on different
  communication networks

5.5 Multi-Discipline Cooperation

The July 2025 ARES Plan formally encourages working with non-amateur
groups. ARES members and groups are directed to work with Community
Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and other Voluntary Organizations Active
in Disaster (VOAD). The Plan notes that GMRS repeaters “may fill gaps in
areas where a ham repeater may not have adequate coverage” and
encourages seeking out any community radio groups that could provide
assets when needed.

6. Hurricane Helene (2024): A Case Study in Integrated
Response

Hurricane Helene’s impact on Western North Carolina in
September–October 2024 provides the most recent large-scale
documentation of amateur radio integration with served agencies.

6.1 Documented Facts

• Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida as a Category 4 storm on
  September 26, 2024, with 140 mph sustained winds — the strongest
  hurricane on record to hit Florida’s Big Bend.

• The Asheville, NC area experienced what officials classified as a
  1,000-year rainfall event.

• Over 200 people were killed; homes and entire towns were swept
  away; widespread devastation damaged the power grid and roads.

• For several days, radio communications were the only means of
  passing information in many areas. One family in the affected area
  reported that ham radio was their only reliable link to the outside
  world for over a week.

• ARES members were embedded in emergency operations centers across
  Florida during the storm.

• In North Carolina, all official emergency radio communications
  operated through NC AUXCOMM.

• NC Division of Emergency Management confirmed that amateur radio
  operators were working “side by side with first responder communications
  personnel all over Western North Carolina.”

• Winlink was used significantly in the recovery. ARRL’s Director
  of Emergency Management noted that the 2023 FCC removal of symbol rate
  restrictions allowed Winlink to be deployed immediately without
  requiring an FCC waiver.

• Amateur radio operators coordinated welfare checks, relayed road
  closure information, facilitated connections between aid organizations
  and underserved areas, and provided communications for aviation relief
  organizations ferrying supplies via donated general aviation
  aircraft.

• The N2GE (Mount Mitchell) repeater transitioned from primary
  information gathering and wellness checks to serving as a liaison
  between aid groups and those needing assistance.

• One operator documented distributing handheld radios to
  unlicensed community members during the emergency (permitted under FCC
  rules during communications emergencies), establishing a
  neighborhood-level communications network.

6.2 The Horry County, SC Model

The Horry County ARES group, led by an operator who is also head of
Communications for the Myrtle Beach Fire Department, demonstrated
dual-role integration. At the 2025 PrepareAthon event at Coastal
Carolina University, their setup included HF and VHF amateur radios
alongside the MBFD Communications van, which carries amateur 2-meter
equipment, radios for the PALS 800 MHz system, and a portable 800 MHz
repeater for disaster deployment — a concrete example of amateur and
public safety communications infrastructure operating as a unified
capability.

7. International Health Service: A Non-Emergency Integration
Model

The International Health Service (IHS) provides a documented example
of amateur radio integration into a served organization outside of
domestic disaster response. IHS runs twice-yearly medical missions to
the Moskito Coast and mountain/island regions of Honduras, deploying
10–15 clinic and surgery teams.

Many remote villages served have no indigenous electricity, no cell
service, no internet, and no running water. Each team deploys with an
experienced amateur radio operator using Winlink (primarily PACTOR-3) to
provide the sole communications link. Messages include medical
consultations with specialists, patient transfer arrangements,
coordination with IHS staff, and health and welfare messages from team
members to families.

IHS has actively recruited Winlink-experienced amateur radio
operators for these missions, describing it as an opportunity to
“experience and learn emcomm techniques with real purpose.”

8. The Hospital Communications Gap

Hospital emergency communications represent a specific integration
point where amateur radio has documented value. ARRL’s certification
curriculum (EC-001) specifically notes that if a local hospital’s PBX
phone system fails, ARES can respond and provide essential radio
communications within the hospital complex — a scenario where even
cellular phones would be overwhelmed by call volume.

Winlink’s Hospital Data Reporting Form allows facilities to track and
share bed capacity, resource needs, and patient status with other
hospitals and emergency management during extended operations. Wake
County (NC) AUXCOMM documents amateur radio stations installed at their
county EOC with the explicit capability of communicating with the State
EOC and coordinating hospital-related traffic.

9. Formal ICS Position Pathways for Amateur Radio
Operators

Amateur radio operators with appropriate training can fill the
following documented ICS positions:

Position	Abbreviation	Role	Training Required
Auxiliary Communicator	AUXC	Installs/operates auxiliary communications equipment	AUXCOMM course + PTB
Communications Technician	COMT	Radio programming, coverage analysis, equipment deployment	COMT course (multi-day)
Communications Unit Leader	COML	Manages all incident communications	COML course (5 days, 25+ hrs)
Incident Communications Center Manager	INCM	Manages the ICC, supervises dispatchers and radio operators	INCM course
Radio Operator	RADO	Manages radio traffic, telephone processing, data communications	On-the-job with PTB
Technical Specialist	THSP	Catch-all for specialized skills not fitting other positions	Varies by specialty

The THSP position is particularly relevant as it allows incorporation
of amateur radio operators with specialized technical knowledge (e.g.,
radio frequency engineering, antenna systems, digital modes, network
design) without requiring certification in a specific COMU position.

10. The “Knowledge Worker” Dimension

Several documented sources describe amateur radio operators providing
value through knowledge and skills that extend beyond operating a
radio:

• RF Engineering Knowledge: Antenna deployment,
  propagation analysis, interference mitigation, coverage assessment —
  skills gained through licensing study and operational
  experience.

• Radio Programming: Colorado’s legislation
  specifically identified the ability to program public safety radios
  during emergencies as a capability hams bring.

• Interoperability Expertise: Understanding how
  different radio systems (amateur, public safety, GMRS, SHARES, MARS) can
  be bridged or coordinated.

• Digital Systems Integration: Winlink, NBEMS
  (Narrow-Band Emergency Messaging System), APRS (Automatic Packet
  Reporting System), and mesh networking knowledge.

• Ad-Hoc Network Design: The ability to rapidly
  assess a communications gap and design a solution using available
  resources — documented repeatedly in disaster after-action
  reports.

• Self-Sufficiency: Operating independent of
  commercial power and telecommunications infrastructure — solar power,
  battery systems, generator management, portable antenna
  deployment.

• Message Handling Discipline: Formal traffic
  handling procedures, ICS forms processing, logging, and accountability
  for message delivery.

11. Documented Barriers and Gaps

For completeness, the literature also documents persistent
challenges:

• The ARRL’s own ARES Plan acknowledged that “ARES groups across
  the country may not be included when State Emergency Operations Centers
  are activated because ARES groups have not engaged in training or built
  effective partnerships.”

• North Carolina’s documentation states that “due to the limited or
  non-existent training and a lack of an ongoing relationship on the part
  of amateur radio groups with Emergency Management, many emergency
  managers have been reluctant to use ARES volunteers during
  emergencies.”

• The Yavapai County (AZ) ARES group noted that “the expectations
  of the YCOEM people working in the Emergency Operations Center are that
  we understand the latest in radio communication technology (including
  the use of computers) and have the competence to make use of
  it.”

• Grant funding from government organizations requires
  certification of all emergency participants, creating a practical
  incentive for formal credentialing beyond organizational
  preference.

Sources Consulted

• ARRL ARES Plan, July 2025 (arrl.org)

• ARRL Served Agencies and Partners page (arrl.org)

• ARRL “New Plan Aligns ARES with the Needs of Served Agencies,”
  February 2019

• CISA Auxiliary Emergency Communications documentation
  (cisa.gov)

• CISA Communications Unit Training Resources (cisa.gov)

• Colorado HB 16-1040 and Colorado ARES documentation
  (coloradoares.org)

• North Carolina ARRL Section AUXCOMM documentation
  (ncarrl.org)

• Nevada OEM Amateur Radio / AuxComm documentation
  (oem.nv.gov)

• Forsyth County (NC) AuxComm / City of Winston-Salem
  documentation

• Chatham County (NC) AUXCOMM documentation

• Clark County (NV) ARES/RACES documentation

• ARRL Simulated Emergency Test documentation

• ARRL Hurricane Helene response reporting, October 2024

• QRPer.com Hurricane Helene firsthand accounts

• Williamson County (TN) ARS EmComm Focus Group
  documentation

• Yavapai County (AZ) ARES training requirements
  documentation

• Winlink.org documentation and exercise reports

• EmComm Training Organization drill reports
  (emcomm-training.org)

• FCC Topic 13: Amateur Radio Service Support to Public Safety
  Communications

• Northern New York ARRL Section EmComm documentation

• Wikipedia: ARES, RACES, Winlink

• FEMA Region IV RECCWG AuxComm Working Group reports via
  Winlink.org

• ARRL Emergency Communications Training course catalog

• ARRL ARES Standardized Training Task Book documentation

Compiled May 2026. All facts documented from published sources.
No editorial opinion has been added.