Amateur Radio is an immensely important and valuable emergency management resource. There are Amateur Radio operators, popularly known as Ham Radio operators or simply Hams, in every county of the United States. There are countless examples of Hams providing essential communications during disasters, when all other lines of communications have failed.
Becoming an Amateur Radio operator is not as simple as buying a two-way radio and turning it on. All Hams are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. Licenses are issued to individuals who, through rigorous testing, have demonstrated their knowledge and expertise in radio theory and procedure.
The use of special frequencies, including 2-meter repeaters which are most widely used by ARES/RACES groups, is regulated and standardized using protocols established by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). In every corner of the nation, Hams participate in local clubs which own and operate these repeaters that enhance and extend radio communications.
For local and state emergency management coordinators, the presence of trained Amateur Radio operators using their high-quality radio gear is nothing short of a Godsend. Surprisingly, though, Hams have not been implemented into planning and preparedness in many communities. This is oversight is often due to a lack of understanding or confusion with Citizen Band radio operators and their national organization, REACT.
The nationally organized emergency management applications of amateur radio include the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, or ARES (pronounced AIR-ease), and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, or RACES (pronounced RAY-seize). RACES is an activity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It was orignially established to enable an official network during national security crises. As planned then, only Hams trained and enrolled in RACES would be permitted to operate during such disasters. With the end of the Cold War, the role of RACES has evolved, emphasizing all-hazard measures. Any local or state emergency management agency can establish a RACES organization of local Hams.
ARES is set up as part of the ARRL. ARES organizations operate in support of state and local emergency management. ARES teams participate in severe weather observation (Skywarn), search and rescue operations, support of major public events and just about any situation where reliable communications links are needed to replace or augment normal emergency communications systems. In some areas, ARES and RACES are combined.
The American Red Cross has relied heavily upon Amateur Radio for years. The ARC has found Hams to be extremely helpful in support of its human welfare mission.
Experienced emergency management professionals know that everyday communications links (e.g. land & cellular telephones, public service radios) may not exist during major emergencies. Almost certainly, Hams will be up and ready to serve. As one individual put it, "HAM" stands for "Helping All Mankind".
73,
J.R. Adams - Delmont, PA - [email protected]
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
Official Emergency Station, Westmoreland
Co. PA
Webmaster - ARES/RACES
Index: http://www.qsl.net/n3xgr/
Owner - ARES/RACES Reflector: [email protected]
Wow. It's been quite a while,
but I'm back. I'm using Netscape Communicator software so hopefully
working on this page won't be such a tedious process from now on.
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with no subject, and "subscribe ares-races (PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HERE,
BUT WITHOUT PARENTHESES)" in the main body of the message. Keep in
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NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
National RACES Page
Skywarn
SERVED AGENCIES
American Red Cross
Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
National Weather Service (NWS)
LOCAL UNITS
Bold indicates a state-wide presence.
ARIZONA
Mesa Emergency Group
ARKANSAS
RESPOND of Arkansas
CALIFORNIA
California's Auxiliary Communications
Service
Alameda
County (California) Sheriff's Communications Team
Hayward ARES/RACES
North San Diego ARES
NPSARC Public
Service Activities (Monterey Co. Calif)
Oakland ARES
Orange County
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
San Diego County
RACES
San Lorenzo Valley ARES
Santa Barbara Section
ARES/RACES
Santa Clara
County ARES/RACES
South County Amateur
Radio Emergency Service
Stanford Amateur
Radio Emergency Service
Ventura ARES
Watsonville ARES
COLORADO
Colorado Amateur Radio Emergency
Service
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
FLORIDA
Alachua County
RACES
Collier
County ARES/RACES
Duval County ARES
Eastern Panhandle
District ARES Mini-Page
Northern Florida
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
Okaloosa County ARES Page
Osceola County
ARES/RACES Mini-Page
Pasco County RACES
Pinellas County ARES/RACES
Sarasota County ARES
Seminole County
ARES/RACES
Southern
Floride Section ARES
Swanee District ARES
Volusia County ARES
Western Panhandle District
ARES
GEORGIA
Georgia ARES/Skywarn
Information Page
Fayette County ARES
HAWAII
Oahu RACES
IDAHO
Idaho Disaster Services
Communications Web Page
Southwest
Idaho RACES
ILLINOIS
DuPage County
ARES (DARCOMM)
INDIANA
Hamilton County ARES
IOWA
ARES of Linn County, Iowa
KANSAS
Great Bend
ARES/RACES
LOUISIANA
ARES of Lousiana
MAINE
Androscoggin County
RACES
Penobscot County
ARES
MARYLAND
Montgomery County
RACES
MASSACHUSETTS
Eastern Massachusetts ARES,
RACES and Skywarn
Western Massachusetts ARES
MICHIGAN
Grand Traverse
County RACES
Kalamazoo Amateur Radio Emergency
Service
Keneenaw/Houghton
ARES
Ottawa County ARES
Utica Shelby Emergency
Communications Association
MINNESOTA
Blufflands Emergency
Communications Response Team
Faribault ARERT
NEW JERSEY
Middletown,
NJ Office of Emergency Management RACES
Rahway Office of Emergency
Management ARES/RACES
NEW YORK
Islip ARES
Nassau County ARES
New York City ARES
New York City RACES
Putnam Emergency and Amateur
Radio League
Westchester County ARES/RACES
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina ARES
Alexander County ARES/RACES
Alamance County ARES
Caldwell County
ARES
Franklin County ARES
Gaston County
ARES
OHIO
Shelby County ARES
OREGON
Oregon District
0 ARES/RACES Unit
PENNSYLVANIA
Bucks County ARES
Cambria
County ARES/RACES
Chester County ARES/RACES
Erie County
ARES/Skywarn
Jefferson County RACES
Monroe County ARES
Westmoreland
County ARES
York County ARES/RACES
TENNESSEE
Middle East Tennessee Emergency
Radio Service
TEXAS
Dallas
County RACES Home Page
Irving ARES/RACES
Potter and Randall County ARES
UTAH
Southern
Utah RACES
Utah County ARES
VIRGINIA
State of Virginia ARES
Hopewell/Prince
George ARES
Norfolk ARES
Snohomish County ARES
Suffolk County ARES/RACES
Page
WASHINGTON
ARES Northwest Division
Seattle
Auxiliary Communications Service
WEST VIRGINIA
Mineral County
ARES/RACES
WISCONSIN
Dane County ARES
La Crosse County
ARES
Ozaukee County ARES/RACES
OTHER SITES OF INTEREST TO ARES/RACES MEMBERS
10 Ways to Optimize
Your Effectiveness in Public Service Events
EMCOMM RACES Bulletins
Hospital Disaster
Support Communications Systems of Orange County, CA
Files
from the ARRL Archives
SITES OF LOCAL INTEREST, RECIPROCAL LINKS OR OTHER STUFF
AC6V's DX Reference
Page
Al
& Jane's Ham Radio Links
Amateur Radio Elmers
Resource Directory
Amateur Radio WWW
Bookmark File
Amateur Television in
Pittsburgh
Artsci's Repeater Database
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Foothills Amateur Radio Club
(Greensburg, PA)
Greater Pittsburgh
(PA) VHF Society
Ham Radio Online Magazine
MapQuest!
N3NTJ's Home Page
North American Center for Emergency
Communications
North Hills (PA) Amateur
Radio Club
New User
Tips for VHF-UHF Operation (a must read for 2-meter operators)
NX5V's Home Page
River
Gauge Readings for Ohio River Basin Statons
South Hills (PA) Amateur
Radio Club
STAT MedEvac's
Home Page
Target Linked Repeater System
(PA)
TRIButaries Internet Services
University of Pittsburgh Amateur
Radio Club W3YI
Western
Pennsylvania Frequencies
Western Pennsylvania
Repeater Council (EXCELLENT SITE WITH WPA REPEATER DIRECTORIES)
Westmoreland County Department
of Public Safety
Westmoreland
County Frequencies
Wonderful World
of Burt Fisher
WTAE'S Action Cam on Pittsburgh
Yaesu FT-50R
Information Page
