Membership in MCACS is open to any person 14 years of age or older who lives, works, or studies in Montgomery County, and who supports the MCACS mission. Persons who do not live, work, or study in the County may be admitted as members at the discretion of the MCACS Board of Directors. Membership is also open to businesses and organizations that support the MCACS mission.
The following classes of membership are defined:
- Associate Membership will be granted to any person who declares an interest in furthering the goals of the organization and completes a membership application.
- Full Membership will be granted to Associate Members who complete training requirements as specified in Section 7 of this document.
- Organizational Membership will be granted to businesses and organizations who intend to contribute technical resources or expertise consistent with the MCACS mission.
- Honorary Membership may be granted from time to time by the MCACS board to honor of a significant achievement.
Prospective members shall submit an application for membership and fulfill the requirements for a specified class of membership.
The mechanism for applying to be a member of MCACS is by registering via the MCACS website, http://mcacs.net. A member of the Membership Committee will review the application for completeness and accuracy, contact the applicant to resolve any questions, and grant Associate Membership status.
Following registration, candidates for Full and Organizational Membership shall submit evidence that the relevant requirements have been fulfilled to the Membership Committee via email, membership@mcacs.net. A member of the Membership Committee will review the evidence for suitability, contact the applicant to resolve any questions, and forward a recommendation to the Board. Upon acceptance by the Board, the applicant will be granted membership status in the appropriate class.
Membership in MCACS is further defined by Affiliations and Capability Endorsements.
Affiliations are a list of memberships in special interest groups within MCACS and/or allied organizations. Examples of affiliations include:
| MC ACS Affiliations | External Affiliations |
|---|---|
| Engineering Team | Red Cross |
| EOC Strike Team | Neighboring Jurisdiction ACS |
| Field Operations Task Force | NWS Skywarn Program |
Capability Endorsements identify the member as being qualified to perform in a particular role. Prerequisites for capability endorsements will be established by the Board. Examples of Capability Endorsements include:
- Authorized driver of fleet vehicles
- Winlink Operator [1]
- Net Control Operator
- Communications Officer
- xxx Task Force Leader
- xxx Strike Team Leader
[1] Winlink is a specialized data communications mode that makes possible wide-area computer networks utilizing HF, VHF, or UHF radio links to augment traditional Internet/intranet capability.
Associate Members are welcome to participate in MCACS meetings on a non-voting basis, and may register to attend MCACS training activities for which they have achieved the specified prerequisites and paid any applicable fees.
Full Members shall have the same privileges as Associate Members, and in addition have the right to vote in MCACS meetings and serve as board members and officers.
Organizational Members shall have the same privileges as Full Members. In order to exercise those privileges, the organization must designate (in writing) a representative and one or two alternates to act on behalf of the organization. If the organization’s representative also qualifies as an individual for Full Membership, that person may cast a personal vote in addition to the organization’s vote at MCACS meetings. However, when an Organizational Member is elected to a position on the Board, the organization’s representative shall act on behalf of the Organization in all matters before the Board.
Honorary Members shall have the same privileges as Full Members.
Members are expected to participate in MCACS activities and support the MCACS mission to the extent that their circumstances and resources allow.
Members are expected to provide complete and truthful information when registering, and shall maintain current information regarding their contact information, resources, affiliations, and capabilities. We must have this information in order to match qualified individuals with identified needs during times of disaster. The MCACS Board will take reasonable precautions to protect your information from inappropriate access and/or misuse. If you have concerns about the privacy of your information, please contact the membership committee via email, membership@mcacs.net.
Members are expected to periodically monitor the MCACS website and read emails from MC ACS to stay abreast of new new information. ARES® members are also expected to participate in weekly on-the-air nets whenever possible.
Members (other than officers carrying out their assigned duties) shall refrain at all times from speaking publicly on behalf of MCACS.
Members, officers, and directors of MCACS are required to abide by the policies of the organization, including but not limited to policies on conflict of interest and non-discrimination.
When any MCACS member is deployed to serve in an operational or technical role in an emergency or disaster situation, you deploy not as an MCACS member, but in whatever assigned role that you have accepted. Under the terms of your deployment, you answer to your unit leader or other assigned supervisor within the Incident Command System (ICS) management structure, and identify yourself in your assigned role. You should not represent yourself, either directly or indirectly, as speaking for MCACS, your served agency or organization, or any other authority, unless your assigned duties authorize you to do so.
Certain basic training elements have been established as universal prerequisites for Full Membership. In addition, from time to time MCACS members may be offered opportunities to take advanced training in emergency management and technical topics relevant to our mission. For details, please refer to the training section of the website.
Membership in Montgomery County ARES is managed by the leadership of that organization separately from MCACS membership. However, if you indicate a desire to join ARES when filling out your MCACS member profile, the Emergency Coordinator will contact you. You may also contact the ARES Emergency Coordinator directly via the Contact Information section of this website.
For your convenience, the latest version of the Montgomery County ARES Disaster Radio Operator Position Task Book can be found in the Useful Links section of the website or directly downloaded here.