ARPSC is the Amateur Radio Public Service Corps and in Michigan encompasses RACES, ARES and Skywarn.

RACES is activated in any event that the government sees a need for additional communications needs.  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for the regulation of RACES operations.  Each RACES group is administrated by a local, county, or state civil defense agency responsible for disaster services.  This civil defense agency is typically an emergency services or emergency management organization sometimes within another agency such as police or fire.   In Allegan County, RACES is administered by the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department Office of Emergency Management.

ARES is the Amateur Radio Emergency Services.  ARES events can be any event where a communications need exists of a non-commercial nature or where all other means of communications are or have been exhausted.  (See FCC rules Part 97 for clarification).  Annually ARES groups assist organizations around the state in events such as parades, non-profit organization events and local government functions/exercises which provide training for ham radio operators.  ARES is administered by the American Radio Relay League, ARRL.

Skywarn is a service provided in cooperation with the National Weather Service where trained weather spotters report severe weather conditions to the NWS office as they occur.   This data is used by the NWS to provide better forecasting of severe weather and possible warnings if necessary.