WHO ADMINISTERS THE UNIT?
This question is usually asked in regards to an ACS-type unit. The answer is, that the government that authorizes and uses the unit is its administrator. A city administers its unit; so does a county or a parish, and so does a state. A myth that has circulated in the Amateur radio community is that FEMA administers the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), but that is incorrect. FEMA has no control over the RACES unless a RACES unit applies for matching funds for equipment for the RACES program, in which case certain procedures must be followed in the application itself. FEMA is never the  administrator. The jurisdiction that authorizes and uses the unit is its administrator.
 

WHO "ACTIVATES" THE UNIT?
The unit that administers it activates their ACS or RACES, i.e., the local city, town, parish, county or state government. Activation can be the involvement of one or more unit participants. Typically a paid staff person is named in the communications unit plan as the one authorized to activate. When there is rapport and trust with the unit volunteer leader, that person is delegated the responsibility.

Each government emergency communications unit is autonomous to that government without a hierarchical structure to any other level of government; therefore the administering government is the ONLY one that can activate it. No action by FEMA or the State is required for a local jurisdiction to activate or involve its unit, unless there is a specific requirement to that effect in a particular state law.
 

IS A DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY REQUIRED FOR ACTIVATION?
No, unless local law requires it, it is not necessary that there be a declaration of an emergency or disaster before the emergency communications unit can be used, even if it is the RACES. Any local government -- State, city or county, etc. -- can activate its ACS/RACES personnel, with, or without the declaration of an emergency.
 

WHY ACTIVATE THE UNIT AT ALL?
Failure to activate an otherwise useful unit as a potential resource can easily cause the enrollee's to lose interest because they perceive lack of activation as lack of concern for a unit. Such responders can bring many varied skills to the aid of an agency in times of need.

Activation, or a degree of use, can be the involvement of as few as one person or the entire unit. This is usually done by the agency appointed ACS Coordinator with prior or at the point-of-need agency permission, or by others as defined in the jurisdiction plan. Government communications systems seldom fail gracefully or in a manner that gives any warning. If and when it does it is usually catastrophic. Then it is too late to mobilize the emergency communications resources in a timely and effective manner.
 

CAN'T WE JUST CALL IT UP WHEN NEEDED?
Sounds good, but what is "need" and when does "need" occur? These are vital questions  that are easily overlooked by government paid staff harried with too many "hats" to wear in their jobs.

Unit responders can bring many varied skills to the aid of an agency. Such skills can range from computer assistance to staff support, as well as Public Safety communications systems; none of which may be "radio operations" as such, although that too can be vitally needed at times. Since "need" can be difficult to determine before it arises, the prudent manager has an on-going unit whose leader is activated the same time as any paid staff person. Anytime!!
 

WHAT ABOUT THE FCC "ONE HOUR" RULE? [FCC Regulations 97.407(E)(4)]
Subpart E - Providing Emergency Communications, section 97.407 (E) reads: "All communications transmitted in RACES must be specifically authorized by the civil defense organization for the area served. Only civil defense communications of the following types may be transmitted:

(4) "Communications for RACES training drills and tests necessary to ensure the establishment and maintenance of orderly and efficient operation of the RACES as ordered by the responsible civil defense organization served. Such drills and tests may not exceed a total time of 1 hour per week. With the approval of the chief officer for emergency planning in the applicable State, Commonwealth, District or territory, however, such tests and drills may be conducted for a period not to exceed 72 hours no more than twice in any calendar year."

Nets and exercises that are NOT identified as "RACES" are EXEMPT from this rule.
 

WHAT IS A "RACES STATION"?
A RACES station is an Amateur radio station LICENSED to a civil defense organization that obtained such a license during the years when the FCC was issuing that class. An Amateur operating under any other license in the RACES is NOT a RACES station, by FCC definition.
 

DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVE AN ACS/RACES OR AMATEUR EMERGENCY UNIT?
No, and there is no Federal Government RACES. However, for different purposes, FEMA has mobile communications units that might communicate with Amateur radio stations, but generally their operations are confined to the government frequencies.
 

WHAT IS A RESPONDER?
A Responder means those paid and volunteer people whose primary duty is to report for duty when required or requested. It may be a frequent, if not daily, activity. Most ACS and RACES participants are considered to be responders. Where one responds is not important, as the assignment may be the office, Emergency Operations Center, duty station or some other place. Some unit participants may not be a responder because they serve as consultants, maintenance, advisory, relay station or other non-response role. A responder is trained, equipped and physically prepared for the response role to be performed. Response is controlled by the administering agency.
 

WHAT IS MUTUAL AID?
Mutual aid is neighbor (government to government) helping neighbor when there is a need for additional resources, people, equipment, etc. For fire fighting it includes fire responders and their equipment. For law enforcement it includes people and equipment for law enforcement. For communications it includes people and equipment for any type of communication, be it cellular phone, computer, fax, microwave, radio, telephone, satellite, television or whatever. It includes any effort to support these and related systems.
 

HOW IS MUTUAL AID REQUESTED FOR COMMUNICATIONS?
The authorized local government official contacts the counterpart in another jurisdiction and asks for help. In some states there may be areas or regions where the state office of emergency management or emergency services has offices that serve as that point of contact. The California Office of Emergency Services Mutual Aid Regions are an
example.
 

DO WE REQUEST VOLUNTEERS OVER OUR LOCAL AMATEUR RADIO REPEATER?
Not unless you have cleared that procedure with the local government first. And, certainly not, if you are aware of the problems: such as liability, dual registration, procedural error, and frustrated responders. To broadcast a general request over the radio can cause responders to act without the knowledge of their agency, or lead to uninsured injury. In a case where a responder was seriously injured, the jurisdiction to which he responded refused to cover the injuries as the involvement was outside of official channels. All requests for help (a form of mutual aid) MUST go through the local government channels if the volunteers are to support that type of need. Nothing is more frustrating than for responders to arrive at the designated place and find that they are not wanted or needed. When proper procedures are followed the chances of that are minimized, and the various forms of protection (workers compensation, liability, etc.) are better covered. Specific authorized alerts over the air may be appropriate where the authority and knowledge exists, and local legal procedures are followed.
 

TO HAVE AN ACS/RACES UNIT, ALL WE NEED IS AN ACS OFFICER?
That's a start, but there's more to it than that.

The Civil Defense or Emergency Services Director, or designee, appoints the ACS Officer. Then it's the responsibility of that person to appoint (as a rule) assistants and/or alternates which should be subject to the agency's approval.

Initially the ACS Officer thinks in terms of communications, but as the relationship between the emergency management agency and the ACS Officer deepens, the astute ACS Officer finds ways of assisting in the fields of administration, management, and sometimes even in that of affecting the long and short range policies. That same astute person develops 'communications aides' to assist the local government with computer support, cellular and telephone assistance, fax and copier backup operations, and any other task even remotely connected with emergency response.

Agency support of the ACS Officer is vital to the unit's success, so provide the same tools that would be provided for competent professional paid staff, including pager, business cards, ID and access to the required facilities, such as the EOC.

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN AN ACS OR RACES UNIT?
To find a unit in which to participate, contact your city, county or state emergency management agency and ask if they have such a unit and how to contact their ACS Coordinator.

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Updated:  RFS-20001119