The National Incident Command System (NIMS) defines the need for a Position Task Book, which "identifies the competencies, behaviors, and tasks that personnel should demonstrate to become qualified for a defined incident management and support position."  NIMS allows individual individual Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AJH) to create this qualification standard based upon the needs of their own organization or jurisdiction. 

ARRL has built the "ARES Standardized Training Plan Task Book" upon this system, and granted individual ARES teams the flexibility to modify or supplement the Task Book with additional, more specific, or locally relevant requirements to meet their training needs.  

The Lancaster County, PA ARES Task Book encompasses all fundamental tasks outlined in ARRL's published Task Book, augmented by additional requirements deemed crucial by our ARES Team Leaders to cultivate highly skilled and mission-ready ARES Operators. 

1. The Number One rule of the Task Book is:  EACH ARES TEAM MEMBER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN TASKBOOK!!!! This includes bringing it to any ARES functions or meetings, keeping track of tasks as they are performed, and seeking out qualified persons to sign off on tasks.

2. Tasks may be signed off only by ARES team members who are part of the Lancaster County ARES Team chain of leadership (EC and AECs), or by those in ARRL Field positions under which Lancaster ARES falls (DEC, SEC and SM).  In all cases, the person signing off on a task must hold a higher ARES qualification Level than the task being signed, except that Level III may sign off other Level III tasks.

3. Final approval for any Level must come from the Lancaster ARES Emergency Coordinator, unless he/she designates another person to do so.

4. Members must make sure that those approving completion of tasks sign and date in the appropriate location for the task, as well as the Signature Log at end of the Task Book.  Only one entry is necessary for any single date in which tasks are approved.  Approvals on subsequent dates require a new Signature Log entry.

5. Previously earned ARES Levels and qualifications earned outside Lancaster County ARES will always be considered valid.  However, it is highly encouraged that Members download and complete the latest Lancaster County ARES Task Book for the training standard most applicable to our jurisdiction.