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Amateur Radio During and After Disasters
Amateur Radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks locally for governmental and emergency officials, as well as non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the disaster. Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be active after disasters that damage regular lines of communications due to power outages and destruction of telephone, cellular and other infrastructure-dependent systems.
Amateur Radio Operators Help Local Officials
Many radio amateurs are active as communications volunteers with local public safety organizations. In addition, in some disasters, radio frequencies are not coordinated among relief officials and Amateur Radio operators step in to coordinate communication when radio towers and other elements in the communications infrastructure are damaged.
Major Amateur Radio Emergency Organizations
Amateur Radio operators have informal and formal groups
to coordinate communication during emergencies. At the
local level, hams may participate in local emergency organizations,
or organize local "traffic nets."At the state level, hams
are often involved with state emergency management operations.
In addition, hams operate at the national level through
the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), which
is coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES), which is coordinated through the American Radio
Relay League and its field volunteers.
Amateur Radio Is Recognized as a Resource by National
Relief Organizations
Many national organizations have formal agreements with
the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and other Amateur
Radio groups including:
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