I tried to get involved in ARES/RACES twice in two differnt counties. Both times, I basically got pushed aside by the ruling clique. :(
I've seen similar problems within RACES in San Diego. Animal Rescue Reserve is also pretty clique oriented. ARES was more open. My wife was the liason officer between the San Diego Sheriff's Dept and RACES/ARES in San Diego. She set up the equipment in the emergency services vans. Obviously, someone else is doing that task since we relocated to Idaho.