WHAT IS RACES? Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.

RACES is an Amateur Radio Service administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It’s sole purpose is to provide radio communications support during officially declared local, regional and or national emergencies to local, state or federal emergency agencies.

The types of emergencies include, but not limited to:

• War related activities
• Acts of terrorism
• Man made disasters
• Natural disasters

RACES operations is specifically authorized by the FCC to provide emergency communications support to federal, state or local Emergency Management Agencies upon their request.

From the Cambria County Amateur Radio Plan: October, 1995 page 2-1.