RACES is an organization of Federally licensed amateur radio operators who volunteer to provide radio communications for state and local governments during times of emergency. Created in 1952 primarily to serve in civil defense emergencies, RACES provides essential communications and warning links to supplement State and Local government agencies during emergencies.

RACES is a special part of the amateur radio service sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is conducted by amateur radio operators using their primary station licenses,  RACES club license or by existing RACES stations.

RACES is operated under the direct control of the Emergency Management Director, as authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide or supplement communications during emergencies where normal communication systems have sustained damage. It may be used in a wide variety of situations, including Natural Disasters; Technological Disasters; Nuclear Accidents; Nuclear Attack; Terrorist Incidents; and Bomb Threats.

RACES is authorized by section 606 of the communications Act of 1934 as amended by part 97.407 of the Federal communications Commission. In the event that the President invokes the War Emergency Powers Act, amateur radio

operators not Designated as a RACES station would be silenced. Stations operating in RACES would only be allowed to transmit at the direction of the appointing government.

The RACES organization in Massachusetts is organized to four regions along the geographic boundaries used by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Each region RACES Radio officer is responsible for developing and providing methods for the cities and towns in their region to communicate with their neighbors and to state government through the MEMA Region Headquarters.

The Massachusetts RACES organization holds regular monthly drills on the first Monday of every month except when the first Monday is a legal holiday. In that case, the monthly drills are conducted on the second Monday of the month. During these monthly drills, messages are passed for the local emergency managers on emergency management issues and training. In the event of an emergency activation of RACES net operations, the nets will be on the same frequencies as the monthly drills.

The Massachusetts State RACES hotline is 508-820-1428. This is located at MEMA Headquarters in Framingham. When nobody is at this station, messages will be forwarded to voicemail, and returned as soon as possible.