WHAT IS ARES? 
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES. The only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a sincere desire to serve. Because ARES is an amateur service, only amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership.
WHAT IS RACES? 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires every state and local government to develop an Emergency Operating Plan (EOP) to cope with man-made and natural disasters
RACES -- Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services and pronounced "Ray-seize" -- provides amateur radio emergency communications support for these OEMs. Created in 1952 primarily to serve in civil defense emergencies, RACES provides essential communications and warning links to supplement State and local government communication resources during emergencies. FEMA sponsors the formation of RACES units for each OEM by providing planning guidance, technical assistance, and funding.
RACES activities are conducted by volunteer amateurs using their primary station licenses (or special RACES station licenses, but these are being phased out). RACES operations in the amateur radio service are governed by the Federal Communication Commission's ( FCC) Rules and Regulations 47 CFR Part 97.407. Of important note is that, in the event that the President invokes the War Emergency powers, all amateur radio operations would be silenced, EXCEPT for amateurs officially enrolled and operating as RACES stations, who would be limited to certain frequencies.
August 29 - Sept. 5, 2008 Hurricane Gustav
Allen Parish ARES / RACES Group was for the First Time in the Parish History was activated for and During, & After Hurricane Gustav. Allen Parish was hit with Hurricane force winds greater than 73 mph, the Allen Parish EOC is located in the North end of parish in Oakdale, Louisiana. Ham Radio operator was asked to manned Radios for the EOC not only Amateur radios but public works and answer phone calls that came into the EOC. For 6 days the EOC was activated I had to call in some help from the ADEC of Dist. #5 Alan Levine (wa5lqz), He act very quickly through the Chain of Command, he had two operators from Houston, Texas and one operator from Calasieu Parish that was sent to me. AS the EC I use the men at the EOC and different locations thur out the parish helping with communications, Being over the red cross here in Allen Parish we begin staging trucks at different location to feed the people. I had good help doing this, the men was well trained and nice to work with, done a great job. After one day of this i seen i could release the two men from Houston, Texas, I contiune to use with the other men until Friday when Fire Chief Moore (IC) release me and my men from the duty's, the EOC was offical Close at 1500hrs on Sept 5, 2008
National Hurricane Center Director: Hams Give 'Valuable' Reports:
Director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) Bill Read, KB5FYA, praised Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando earlier this month http://www.voipwx.net/local/Bill_Read_on_Ham_Radio_Hurricane_Conference2008.wmv. "Ham radio has always played a critical role in emergencies," Read said. "What goes out when you have a high wind event or major flooding is the communications system, so you lose even cell phones, landline phones, commercial radio and TV. In those cases, ham radio operators that can put up emergency transmitters and antennas in the wake of a storm can give us reports that are valuable. They also help in the search and rescue efforts in the aftermath." The NHC has a dedicated amateur station on-site -- WX4NHC -- and has worked closely with hams for decades.
Amateur Radio Volunteers Filling Many Communication Gaps in Gulf Region
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 9, 2005--Amateur Radio operators from states along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere in the US continue to volunteer their skills and expertise as the Hurricane Katrina relief effort heads into its third week. ARRL Section Managers (SMs) and Section Emergency Coordinators (SECs) across and around the affected region have been teleconferencing daily to keep their efforts on the same page. In the field, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and other volunteers are assisting as needed to support communication for relief agencies as well as for state and local government and even the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Louisiana SEC Gary Stratton, K5GLS, reports that earlier this week Amateur Radio was the only means for state officials at the state emergency operations center (EOC) in Baton Rouge to communicate with the so-called "Florida parishes" above Lake Pontchartrain.
"We have had praise from one end of Louisiana to the other about Amateur Radio operators," Stratton said. "There was a communication to the EOC in Baton Rouge from FEMA that said, 'Ham radio is our prime communications with you, and they should get anything they need,' so FEMA recognizes the importance of ham radio." ( Read The Full Story )
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