This is a confusing term and, at least in part, is a hold-over term from days long gone when the State Radio Officer had a very definite meaning.
Today, in some states, a State Radio Officer is paid staff, in others it's an unpaid position of a volunteer professional, and in others there is no such position.
Where the position of State Radio Officer is that of a volunteer, it is usually as the chief officer of a volunteer service, such as the RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) or Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS.)
In California the State Radio Officer is an unpaid position of the ACS. Possibly a better title or description of the position in this state is as the State ACS Officer and Assistant Communi- cations Coordinator.
For ACS and/or RACES responsibilities, the position requires skills in management, interpersonal relationships, public relations, liaison and techniques of communications.
Further responsibilities (at least in California) include:
- Maintain and assist in development of State, Region and county ACS or RACES Plans.
- Staff and operate the regular nets, actual incidents and exercises. Train shift supervisors and operators for 24-hour operations.
- Coordinate ACS mutual aid resources to support incident operations in the field. Develop necessary communications modes to support the mission.
- Write, edit, publish and transmit the weekly BULLETINS.
- Delegate duties and workload without losing responsibility
- Recruit and assign assistants.
- Develop and maintain resources lists.
- Submit budget requests to update and replace equipment, supplies, service and travel to support the ACS program.
- Coordinate and cooperate with OES Region Communications Coordinators in areas of responsibility including Regional ACS programs.
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