The Almonte Amateur Radio Club (AARC) comprises federally licenced radio communicators, residents of Mississippi Mills and Lanark County community, whose interest in Amateur Radio has two main objectives; firstly, as a hobby, to promote radio knowledge, cooperation between members and the conducting of activities to advance the general interest and welfare of Amateur Radio in the community, and, secondly, the desire to serve the community by making available, on a volunteer basis, their skills, equipment and time for public service events, and in particular when requested by municipal officials and support agencies (i.e Red Cross) during declared emergencies.
Within the AARC is a sub- group identified as the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES) whose specific purpose is to fulfill the second objective of the AARC. This ARES group comprises members who are trained to respond to declared emergencies by providing radio
communications utilizing the Emergency Amateur Radio Station situated in the Almonte General Hospital, the radio repeater systems and the deployment of individual member(s) and their equipment as needed and directed by the Mississippi Mills Emergency Control Group and the support agencies we serve. As an example,
during the 1998 ice storm, local radio amateurs provided and set up equipment at community centres and shelters in remote
regions of the County to facilitate communications in areas where power and telephone services were disrupted.