Marin County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service RACES/ACS Auxiliary Communications Service

Mission Statement

To install, operate, and maintain reliable, continuous supplemental and emergency backup communications in support of the Marin Operational Area needs.

Goals

• To provide emergency communications as needed and as requested in the event of a disaster.
• To maintain readiness to provide communications in the event of a failure of emergency communications systems.
• To support emergency services in gathering information about potential hazards to life and property.
• To support emergency services in disseminating information to the public.
• To improve skills, knowledge, and abilities of RACES/ACS members through trainings, seminars, and information.

The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), is organized under FEMA and operates according to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, and is a volunteer organization of licensed amateur radio operators who donate time, energy, skills, and use of personal equipment for public service.

The Marin Operational Area RACES group is also affiliated with the State of California Office of Emergency Services Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS)

Amateur radio plays a vital role in emergency communications during disasters. It is, therefore, essential for an amateur radio communications system to exist that can support and back up the needs of disaster services.

In Marin County RACES/ACS is part of the Marin County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services which is responsible for public safety in the Marin Operational Area as defined by the California Office of Emergency Services. RACES/ACS members may provide communications support using amateur radio, cellular and regular phones, computers, e-mail, facsimile, Internet, microwave, public service radio (police, fire, law enforcement), satellite, television, and video-conferencing systems; as well as field and in-office support of personnel. In order to maintain the highest possible level of staff and equipment readiness.

RACES/ACS support for all Marin Operational Area government services and agencies is by request and remains, at all times, under the Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services.

Marin County Sheriff’s
Office of Emergency Services

Marin County Civic Center
3501 Civic Center Drive, Room #266
San Rafael, CA 94903
Phone: (415) 499-6584
Fax: (415) 499-7250

oes@co.marin.ca.us

Marin RACES/ACS Officers

Rich Newton KD6ZZL

Chief RACES Officer

Dave Hodgson, KG6TCJ

Deputy Chief RACES Officer/Training Officer

Local Area Leaders

West Marin

Dick Flint K6JOQ

Paul Phelps KF6RXB

North Marin

Jerry Foster WA6BXV

.

Central Marin

Horst Dannecker KA6BHZ

Eric Rosenquist KG6WOU

Southern Marin

Mike Larner K6RVL

Tom Jordan KG6TCM

The Marin Amateur Radio Society maintains a memorandum of understanding with the County of Marin Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services for use of the Club’s repeater networks in times of need. All Club members need to abide by this agreement and not use the repeaters during declared events. Please also be courteous during RACES/ACS training drills and weekly nets.

Weekly RACES/ACS Nets

RACES/ACS NET	Tuesday PM	19:30hrs	FM	147.330 +	PL’s Big Rock 203.5 Mt Tam 179.9 Mt Barnabe 167.9 Tiburon 192.8
		19:15hrs	FM	Local Areas	Simplex net Check in
			FM	147.420	West Marin
			FM	147.570	North Marin
			FM	147.510	Central Marin
			FM	147.555	Southern Marin
In the event that the 147.330 machine is down or unusable, the backup plan is to use the146.700 + PL 179.9 repeater on Mt. Tamalpais.

Links

Marin County RACES website

National RACES website

Official Message Forms: Word Document

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