If you do a internet search - you will find that ARES did nets on 20 meters, 40 meters and 80 meters.

The local ARES also did nets on 2 meters.

The problem with ARES is that they don't do much when there is not a storm and most of the people who belongs to ARES is old and they do not want to do much to help people besides talk on the radio.

Unless there is a viable group of ARES members that can be deployed on a moments notice - they are of no use to anyone when the call goes out.

And with the general mindset - most Amateur Radio Operators - at least a majority of them only has a Technician Class License, hence they cannot participate in ARES activities.

Most VE's gives the Technician Class License exam and then hangs the new ham out to dry.
The new ham - usually is cheap and only buys a cheap walkie talkie and then they wonder why no one wants to talk to them, or why their walkie talkie is no good in a disaster when they cannot talk to the local repeater - because it is either gone, or the power doesn't work and the batteries went dead or the generator does not work.

What we need to do is impress upon the clubs more activities which involves the new hams and trying to get them to upgrade to general class and trying to get them to purchase HF radios and resonant antenna's...

That is the other beef - if all you have is a G5RV and the net is up on 80 meters - you can't talk to anyone.
I hear the same innane comments all the time about how I have a antenna tuner and it can tune my antenna up so I can talk on other bands with my G5RV.

The problem is - it is not resonant - hence it doesn't listen very well.
Unless the other peoples signals are booming into your receive - the G5RV does no good on other bands... Even the MFJ 949 manual warns the user about trying to use the G5RV on 40 or 10 meters.... But no one listens - because of the CB'r attitude..

Maybe this is why no one knows anything about ARES in your local area.

In western Pennsylvania there was two nets,, one was digital and the other was phone on 80 meters..
When the one operator got tired of running the net - he just quit AB3ER was his call sign.
Some people moved down to 40 meters...

The problem is - in New York City - there is not a lot of room for someone to put up a 80 meter dipole to operate and they still have some phone and some cell phone service and people are not crying for help.

The ARES would be deployed via the American Red Cross, along with others using the SATERN net and the Salvation army..