Volunteers with the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) groups are both comprised of dedicated, licensed radio operators (affectionately known as Ham operators).  Theses individuals typically have their own specialized equipment, which is capable of running communications during a disaster, often times when traditional communications of failed.  The Jefferson County EMA (and others) rely on these ham operators to support us and our partners before, during and after a disaster has struck.  To learn more about these groups, visit:

Alabama ARES (http://www.alabama-ares.org/)

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