San José RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) is a supportive emergency communications group for the city of San José. We are all volunteers who have gone through training and use our own equipment to help others.
RACES, sponsored by City of San José’s Office of Emergency Services, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides additional communications channels to the City organization in times of declared emergency. Communications support for public services events of a non-emergency nature are also provided by our amateur radio operators.
RACES is a public service provided by a reserve (volunteer) communications group within government agencies in times of extraordinary need. During periods of RACES activation, certified unpaid personnel are called upon to perform many tasks for the government agencies they serve. Although the exact nature of each activation will be different, the common thread is communications.
FEMA provides planning guidance and technical assistance for establishing a RACES organization at the state and local government level.