ATTENTION: Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) will be changed to an ARRL affiliated Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) for Sarasota County. Sarasota County continues to support the importance of ham radio in their organization. There will be no change in our commitment to Sarasota County.
MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW IN THE COMING DAYS! IF YOU ARE AN EXISTING ACS MEMBER PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE OFTEN FOR LATEST WEBSITE UPDATES. WE WILL ALSO REACH OUT TO YOU SHORTLY.
The Sarasota County Auxiliary Communications Service. Inc. (ACS) is a volunteer program created to provide communications support for Sarasota County Emergency Management. This backup and supplemental communications support can include operations on any authorized equipment or frequencies, but ACS primarily uses Amateur Radio frequencies in conducting its operations. Other ACS duties include emergency planning, social media and community outreach, amateur radio and CERT class instruction/promotion, equipment installation and maintenance and other assignments from Emergency Management. The organization follows the ACS Guidelines established by Sarasota County Emergency Management.
The ACS Radio Officer, who is appointed by Sarasota County Emergency Management, heads up the ACS program, which makes possible the effective management and utilization of area amateur radio resources in support of disaster response and recovery. Typically, the Radio Officer is also the ARRL West Central Florida Section’s Emergency Coordinator for Sarasota County. ACS is under the direction of the Sarasota County Public Safety Communications organization.
Who Makes Up The ACS?
The ACS is primarily made up of licensed, Sarasota County Amateur Radio operators dedicated to volunteering their time, equipment, and skills for emergency communications needs. This reserve of volunteers, working as one organization, provides communications for Sarasota County Emergency Management. Anyone, regardless of club or other Amateur Radio affiliations, with a sincere interest and desire to help the community with its emergency communication needs, is invited to become a part of the Sarasota County Auxiliary Communications Service. ACS members have National Incident Management System (NIMS) certifications and Emergency Communications training.
What Services Does ACS Provide?
Sarasota County ACS operates as a combined Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) organization. The primary ACS objective is to provide backup or supplemental communications for Emergency Management during emergencies or disaster situations. This may consist of deploying members to the Emergency Operations Center, Special Needs or General Population Shelters, Hospitals, Points of Distribution, Reception Centers, etc..