Ottawa County ARES

Amateur Radio Emergency Service – Ottawa County, Ohio

About Ottawa County ARES

Ottawa County ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) is a group of trained and licensed amateur radio operators who volunteer their time and equipment to support emergency and public‑service communications across Ottawa County, Ohio.

When traditional communication systems are damaged, overloaded, or unavailable, ARES operators help provide a vital link between agencies, shelters, and the public.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide reliable, flexible, and resilient communications in support of:

Local emergency management and public safety agencies
Disaster response and recovery operations
Severe weather operations, including SKYWARN storm spotting
Public‑service events and community activities

Leadership

Emergency Coordinator (EC): W8CEN – James Garber
Contact Email: W8ECN@arrl.net

Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC): WI0H – Molly Mazur
Contact Email: mollymazur@icloud.com

AEC & Skywarn Coordinator: KE8WAY - Ryan Merrow
Contact Email: rmerrow83@gmail.com

Training & Participation

Ottawa County ARES members participate in regular nets, exercises, and public‑service events to maintain readiness. Training may include message handling, ICS forms, net control operations, portable and field operations, and storm spotting procedures in coordination with the National Weather Service SKYWARN program.

Current Spotter Information

Spotter Information Statement

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.