In times of crisis and natural disasters, Amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline and other conventional means of communications fail. Recent examples include the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan, the 2003 North America blackout and Hurricane Katrina in September, 2005, where amateur radio was used to coordinate disaster relief activities when other systems failed. A natural disaster is the consequence or effect of a hazardous event, occurring when human activities and natural phenomenon (a physical event, such as a volcanic eruption, earthquake, landslide etc. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and conform with our NPOV policy, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The World Trade Center in New York City (sometimes informally referred to as the WTC) was a complex of seven buildings designed by Japanese-American architect Minoru Yamasaki and leased by Larry Silverstein from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey around a central plaza, near the south... Manhattan Borough,highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... The 2003 North America blackout was a massive power outage which occurred throughout parts of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada on Thursday, August 14, 2003. ... Hurricane Katrina was the eleventh named tropical storm, fifth hurricane, third major hurricane, and first Category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. ...

On September 2, 2004, ham radio was used to inform weather forecasters with information on Hurricane Frances live from the Bahamas. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake and resulting tsunami across the Indian Ocean wiped out all communications with the Andaman Islands, except for a DX-pedition that provided as a means to coordinate relief efforts. September 2 is the 245th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (246th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... B C D E F G H I 10 J K L M N O Categories: | | | | | ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami hits Thailand The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, was an undersea earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC (07:58:53 local time) on December 26, 2004. ... Satellite photo of the Andaman Islands The Andaman Islands are a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal, and are part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory of India. ... A DX-pedition normally is an expedition to an exotic place. ...

The largest disaster response by U.S. amateur radio operators was during Hurricane Katrina which first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane just north of Miami, Florida on August 25, 2005. More than a thousand ham operators from all over the U.S. converged on the Gulf Coast in an effort to provide emergency communications assistance.

Incorporation

Amateurs are often professionally involved in areas which complement their hobby, such as electronics, information technology, emergency services, or aviation. This often sees hams as being at the forefront of the development of 'STSP' (Short Term Special Purpose) repeater systems and other complex radio linking systems able to easily be inserted by trampers or aircraft into a search area. Being able to provide VHF or UHF radio into an emergency or disaster area means that teams on the ground can use relatively common and portable handheld radios to liaise with base, or with other agencies. VHF-based communications supported by crossbanding or STSP repeaters are gradually replacing portable HF systems because of their flexibility, and the relative portability of their antenna and power systems.

Organization

Canada

In Canada, ARES, Amateur Radio Emergency Service, is sponsored by RAC, Radio Amateurs of Canada, often other less formal networks of volunteer radio operators are also used and organized by the local emergency response agencies in conjunction with local ham radio operators. The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Logo In the United States Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a corps of trained amateur radio operator volunteers organized to assist in public service and emergency communications; it is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League. ... Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), known in French as Radio Amateurs du Canada, is a Canadian association of amateur radio operators. ...

New Zealand

In New Zealand the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) provides the AREC - Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (formerly Amateur Radio Emergency Corps) in the role. They won the New Zealand National Search and Rescue award in 2001 for their long commitment to Search and Rescue in NZ.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, RAYNET, the Radio Amateur Emergency Network, and the RSGB, provide the organisational backbone of their amateur radio emergency communications groups.

United States of America

In the United States, there are two methods of organizing amateur radio emergency communications. The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), sponsored by the ARRL, and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), usually organized by municipal or county governments. RACES authorization comes from Part 97.407 of the FCC regulations. ARES and RACES involvement within the same district are often intertwined, with many RACES organizations requiring membership and service in that district's ARES organization as well. Radio clubs independent of the ARRL and ARES also participate in emergency communications activities in some areas. The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Logo In the United States Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a corps of trained amateur radio operator volunteers organized to assist in public service and emergency communications; it is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League. ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) was founded in May 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim. ... RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) is provided for in Part 97 of the FCC rules and regulations governing amateur radio in the United States. ...

Emergency communications and disaster assistance is usually done in conjunction with volunteer disaster relief organizations such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, local Government emergency management agencies, as well as volunteer fire departments and ambulance corps. The ARRL has a memorandum of understanding with both the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. A WWII-era poster encouraged American women to volunteer for the Red Cross as part of the war effort. ... The Salvation Army is a Protestant evangelical Christian denomination and, more famously, a charity and social services organization, with international headquarters at 101 Queen Victoria Street, London. ...