08/19/2025
Ham radio has been in disasters longer than most FEMA acronyms. It’s saved lives, bridged communications gaps, and gotten the message through when everything else fell apart. But like any old relationship—it’s… complicated.
Why It Works:
Runs when everything else faceplants – No cell service, no internet, no problem. Give them a battery, a roll of wire, and a tree, and they’ll be on the air before the EOC coffee is made.
Power out? No problem – From portable generators to solar battery systems, hams have emergency power figured out. They even practice it every year during the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day—because playing radio in a park with no power is their idea of fun.
More than just voice – Hams can send email over HF radio when your cell phone has fewer bars than a dry county.
Why It’s Complicated:
Personality friction – Some hams think they’re God’s gift to disaster comms. Some emergency managers believe volunteers are a liability with a callsign. Can they work together? Depends—both need to accept they’re more effective as a team than as rival tribes with radios.
Mixed access – In some Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs), hams get their own radio room and are responsible for staffing shelters. In others, they’re locked out because the EM “doesn’t see the need,” or because a couple of bad hams in the past turned “helping” into “hurting” and torched the bridge for everyone else.
Overconfidence in “unbreakable” systems – Some emergency managers swear their comms will never fail. They’ve got backups for their backups—generators, sat phones, “redundant” everything. Amateur radio? “That’s cute, but we have real technology.” Then Mother Nature sneezes, a backhoe operator takes out the fiber, and suddenly that “redundant” plan is taking an unplanned vacation. Meanwhile, the ham with wire in a tree is suddenly the most popular person in the EOC.
Where ARES® Fits In:
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) — part of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) — is the translator between “ham speak” and “EM speak.” They train with agencies, know ICS, show up when requested, and already know the drill. They’ve worked through the personality clashes and still get the job done.
Bottom Line:
Ham radio isn’t a magic bullet. It’s more like that seasoned old operator with a go-kit who shows up when the lights go out, sets up in the corner, and starts passing traffic before you complete that first SITREP. Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) is the teammate who gets them to the right place, on time, with the right tools—without starting an argument in the EOC.
Hams in Emergency Management – Rules of the Road:
Serve the agency, not the other way around.
Know the plan before the disaster.
Train like you deploy.
Be professional.
Don’t burn bridges.
Stay mission-focused.
— Craig – KK4INZ
