Amateur Radio Emergency Service
SC4ARES (SC4 Amateur Radio Emergency Service) consists of licensed radio amateurs in the South Coast, South County area of San Mateo who have registered with their local ARES leadership volunteering personal time, skill and equipment to serve in the public interest.
Upcoming SC4ARES Events
SC4ARES Membership
ARES® volunteers are prepared to assist in public service events, emergencies and disasters. The first requirement of membership is that they must hold a current amateur radio license and indicate their willingness to serve by registering with their local Emergency Coordinator. ARES members are given a task book in which they track and document their training plan elements as they are completed toward levels of increasing proficiency. Membership in ARRL or a local radio club is not a requirement for ARES membership.
In addition to ARRL standardized training basic level 1 requirements, SC4ARES requires completion of the FEMA IS-100 course (or equivalent) and periodic participation in radio net and training exercises to demonstrate and maintain proficiency. If you are interested, visit our registration page.
Recent SC4ARES Activations
January 15, 2023: The La Honda Fire Department Operations Center was activated for a short period of time due to power and communication outages in the area.
January 8-10, 2023: The La Honda Fire Department Operations Center was activated due to a severe winter storm. Once again, the TEP at Pescadero High School was opened.
January 4-5, 2023: The La Honda Fire Department Operations Center was activated due to a severe winter storm. A TEP (Temporary Evacuation Point) was also staffed at the Pescadero High School.
December 31, 2022-January 1, 2023: The La Honda Fire Department Operations Center was activated due to a severe winter storm.
November 20, 2022: SC4ARES operators assisted the County and CERT members in the distribution of water to areas that were affected by a broken water line.
November, 2021: SC4ARES volunteers staffed the La Honda Fire Department Operations Center for 48 hours during potential evacuations in the same areas due to the threat of debris flows. This included a mobile relay station at Whitehouse Canyon, staffed for 24 hours.
January, 2021: SC4ARES teams assisted law enforcement and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) with distributing evacuation orders to residents in Whitehouse Canyon, Dearborn, Gazos Creek and parts of Loma Mar due to the danger of debris flows in the burn scarred area during an atmospheric river event.
August 18-28, 2020: Twenty-seven SC4ARES volunteers participated in the staffing of the La Honda Fire Department Operations Center during the CZU lightning complex fires. They provided essential communications with the Chief, the firefighters, the Emergency Operation Center and with residents 24 hours a day for a total of 220 hours (612 volunteer hours).
"ARES®” and “Amateur Radio Emergency Service®” are registered servicemarks of the American Radio Relay League, Incorporated and are used by permission.