Lake Oswego Amateur Radio Emergency Service

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a program sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). It consists of amateur radio operators who volunteer their time, personal equipment and communications skills as a public service when disaster strikes.

Facilitated and supported by the Lake Oswego Fire Department, the formation of the volunteer radio operators group provides the City a backup communication system. This tertiary system will connect the Lake Oswego Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Fire Stations, Police, Public Works, and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) in the field.

In addition, LO ARES communicates with Clackamas County’s EOC, the State’s EOC, hospitals, and others.  The radio group can be activated by City's EOC or self-activate during major emergencies, including floods, windstorms, winter storms, suburban fires, earthquakes, hazardous material spills and terrorism events.

Every licensed amateur is eligible for membership in ARES. The only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a desire to serve.  The organization supports ARRL guidelines for emergency preparedness training.

The LO Fire Department Fire Marshal acts as liaison with the Lake Oswego Amateur Radio Emergency Service.  Currently, Lake Oswego ARES meets monthly on Zoom on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m.  The meetings are open to the public.

Lake Oswego ARES also holds a weekly radio Network (NET) every Sunday from approximately 7:30 to 8 p.m. on the amateur radio frequency 146.500 MHz simplex immediately following the Clackamas County ARES Net that starts at 7 p.m.

For more information:

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeOswegoARES

Email LOARES.WA7LO@gmail.com

LO/ARES Assistant Emergency Coordinator: Mark Thornburg, KF7KXX@arrl.net

LO/ARES Secretary: Cathy Dausman, KD7PFH@arrl.net

Gert Zoutendijk
Lake Oswego Fire Marshal
503-635-0275 Fire Department

gzoutendijk@ci.oswego.or.us

To learn more about Amateur Radio, go to http://www.arrl.org/home