A paragraph that appears in the new RACES plan format is paraphrased directly from the FCC Rules and Regulations. It states:
| "RACES resources are considered a facility available to all government services as required. Specific channels are not assigned exclusively to any one service." |
We bring this up because we hear, albeit infrequently, that a RACES unit reportedly serves only one department in its jurisdiction. A RACES organization can be created only by the authority of a jurisdiction's civil defense or emergency management director. That director may, in turn, delegate the day-to-day management of the RACES to a department head within the same jurisdiction.
By the same token, city civil defense or emergency management officials may, by agreement, have the county organization serve the needs of all jurisdictions therein. We encourage this management approach wherever possible. It can make management and utilization of a limited resource more effective.
A county RACES cannot, for example, simply serve one county department. This is a violation of the FCC Rules and defeats the intent of the RACES. If a county CD or emergency services administrator has delegated the RACES program to, say, the sheriff, the RACES program must serve equally the needs of all county departments --- not just the sheriff. If it fails to do so it cannot be called the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. It may also run the risk of close scrutiny for the possible use of Amateur Radio for business purposes.
---Stanly E. Harter, Auxiliary Communications Service Coordinator (kh6gbx@wa6nwe.#nocal.ca.usa.na) - (916)262-1603
By the same token, city civil defense or emergency management officials may, by agreement, have the county organization serve the needs of all jurisdictions therein. We encourage this management approach wherever possible. It can make management and utilization of a limited resource more effective.
A county RACES cannot, for example, simply serve one county department. This is a violation of the FCC Rules and defeats the intent of the RACES. If a county CD or emergency services administrator has delegated the RACES program to, say, the sheriff, the RACES program must serve equally the needs of all county departments --- not just the sheriff. If it fails to do so it cannot be called the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. It may also run the risk of close scrutiny for the possible use of Amateur Radio for business purposes.
---Stanly E. Harter, Auxiliary Communications Service Coordinator (kh6gbx@wa6nwe.#nocal.ca.usa.na) - (916)262-1603
RSS Feed
