Emergency Management Menu

Radio – ARES and RACES

A disaster, such as an earthquake, may disrupt, overload, or extensively damage normal communications systems. Emergency communications systems will be utilized in a disaster to disseminate instructions to the public for the protection of lives and property and provide a path for the exchange of critical information between decision-making officials for the coordination of local, state and federal disaster response and recovery actions.

Emergency communications resources, which are managed by DEM, are designed to augment normal communications resources during times of need. Radio equipment is available on all major public safety, fire, and public works frequencies with additional capabilities on government and military frequencies on short-wave (long distance), that provides back-up to Denver, Washington D.C., and other locations. DEM’s resources are hardened to withstand the effects of lightning, wind, and earthquake and are connected to emergency power systems.

Volunteer radio operators that DEM has access to are trained and exercised on a regular basis by the full-time staff. More than 1,000 radio operators, located throughout Utah, are provided frequent training.

Two amateur radio organizations that provide volunteer radio operators in time of emergency are RACES and ARES.

RACES

ARES

Ham Radio Web Sites

Utah Amateur Radio Clubs and Related Sites

Other Ham Radio Clubs

Amateur Radio Related Sites

FCC and Callsign Related Sights

Others