Camden County Amateur Radio Emergency Services also known as Camden County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services is a part of Camden County Office of Emergency Management.

We are Amateur Radio Operators (Ham Radio) federally licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.  Once licensed, we agree to assist Local, State and Federal agencies in disaster preparedness, disaster response and recovery.  Amateur Radio Operators have access to thousands of radio frequencies across a large spectrum to communicate anywhere in world from our local neighboorhoods to across the Atlantic Ocean to the far remote reaches of the world where no phone service or internet exist.  We serve local, county, state and federal offices of Emergency Management as well as the National Weather Service and Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. 

People often wonder how relevant Amateur Radio is since the advent of the internet or smart cell phone technology.  Well Amateur Radio Operators were the first to discover and create many of todays technologies.

How exactly does Amateur Radio play a critical part in Disaster Response and Recovery ?  Well many Amateur Radio Operators live in the very effected communites in which disasters occur.  They provide first hand intellegence on what is happening at that very moment.  Using their own radio equipment and antenna's, they can set a station up with in minutes anywhere and with out use of the internet, phone, cable or other expensive infrastructure.  They can operate off the grid as well, meaning that they can use a car battery, solar power or generator to operate their station.  Many times in a post disaster situation, public safety radio systems become disabled because of being directly effected from a storm.  With loss of electric, phone and cell phones Amateur Radio Operators can quickly respond and operate out of their vehicles or campers, sometimes even a tent with an antenna made out of wire or other home made device allowing them to talk locally or internationally. 

Amateur Radio Operators have been a critical part of New Jersey response to Hurricane Sandy, The Derecho event in Atlantic County when high winds brought down trees, power lines and public safety towers disabling the Atlantic County area for weeks.  Operators have also participated in many Nationwide disasters such as the Colorado Floods, Fires, Joplin MO Tornado, Hurricane Katrina to name a few. 

Amateur Radio Operators are proud to serve "When All Else Fails".

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