Please consider volunteering to be a PCACS Member. We recruit members to meet the needs of the local city and county facilities for whom we provide communicators. There are some nice privileges for being a Pinellas County Volunteer.

Qualifications

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Preferably licensed either as an Amateur Radio Operator or a MARS Operator. However, non-licensed civilians are also encouraged to join. We will help you obtain your Amateur Radio license if desired.
• Become A Pinellas County Volunteer and Complete the Pinellas County Volunteer Orientation Class in person or online.
• Be prepared to support our Primary Served Agency – Pinellas County Emergency Management as Backup Communicators, Shelter Radio Operators, Primary EOC, Alternate EOC Locations and assignments to fulfill our mission as Auxiliary Communications Services / Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ACS/ARES).
• Complete IC-700 within 3 months of joining PC ACS (see also additional training opportunities listed in item 5 below)

To join please

1. Contact one of the staff to let us know you are interested.
2. Fill out the Pinellas County Volunteer in Pinellas (VIP) Application. In the field “Choice topics of volunteer interest“, check the box for EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. In the field “Is there any expertise or special experience you would like to offer“, enter AMATEUR RADIO.
3. Once you have submitted the application, you will be contacted to continue the process. If you desire, while waiting to be contacted you can take the online Pinellas VIP orientation courses.
4. Amateur Radio operators will need to register for the Pinellas Co. ACS/ARES using the aresdb database. Make sure to choose “Pinellas Co ACS/ARES (WCF)” as your group registration. Please don’t pick other groups. This causes issues for the Emergency Coordinators in both Pinellas and other counties. In an emergency you can only be in one place. If mutual aid is requested of Pinellas everyone in the group will be asked if they are willing to respond.
5. Apply for membership in the Groups.io email group for Pinellas County ACS. This is a moderated group, so it may take up to 24 hours for a new membership request to be approved.
6. Take the PCACS required training (and hopefully the optional training as well!)