A few months ago, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency conducted a survey for all local community emergency management directors across the Commonwealth. The survey was specifically about the use of amateur radio and RACES locally within their community, whether they have an appointed RACES Officer, and if not, if they would like to find one.
The Radio Amateurs Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is a radio service using amateur stations for emergency management communications during periods of local, regional or national emergencies. RACES is defined in law in Part 97.407 of the FCC rules. In the event the U.S. President ever needed to silence the regular Amateur Radio Service by invoking the War Powers Act of 1941, only RACES appointed stations could continue to operate and assist their appointed served agencies. Requirements for RACES varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but will include possession of a FCC amateur radio license.
As a result of this survey, the list of communities below are interested in locating an amateur radio operator to serve as their RACES Officer. If you are interested in any of these appointments, please inquire with that community’s emergency management director. It is also highly recommended to discuss the matter with MEMA Regional RACES Officer which services that local community’s county. We might be able to recommend you based on whatever previous amateur radio EmComm or other public service you’ve done that we’re aware of. We may also be able to give you additional insight into the role in that community.
The MEMA Regional RACES Officers are:
Region 1: Terry Stader KA8SCP
Region 2: Mike Leger N1YLQ
Region 3: Frank Morrisino K1LMY
Region 4: Gil Hayes WK1H
Communities looking for RACES Officers:
- MEMA Region 1 (Suffolk, Middlesex and Essex Counties)
- Belmont
- Manchester-by-the-Sea
- Nahant
- North Reading
- Revere
- MEMA Region 2 (Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Counties)
- Barnstable
- Chilmark
- East Bridgewater
- Edgartown
- Marshfield
- Rochester
- Somerset
- Yarmouth
- MEMA Region 3 (Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Berkshire Counties)
- Chesterfield
- Colrain
- Huntington
- Russell
- Sandisfield
- South Hadley
- Stockbridge
- Washington
- West Springfield
- MEMA Region 4 (Worcester County)
- Ashburnham
- Fitchburg
- Grafton
- Royalston
- Sterling
- Sturbridge
- Sutton
- West Boylston
- West Brookfield