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ETECS Simplified Radio Instructions

ETECS "is organized and established as a non-profit charitable, educational and scientific organization of members to:
- promote the hobby of amateur radio;
- to educate and evaluate an area amateur radio network to provide  electronic communications in the event of area disasters or other emergencies;
- establish a mobile communications vehicle for area emergency  communications;
- augment area emergency communications when regular communications fail or  are inadequate;
- support all area law enforcement, fire and emergency management agencies  with supplemental communications;
- encourage cooperation between various area agencies; and
- participate in the National Weather Service's SKYWARN early warning  system and weather spotting."
Additionally, ETECS supports and provides the primary communications for the Smith County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
ETECS operates under the FCC station call W5ETX, Don McNallen, W5EI is the trustee of the station.
ETECS operates and is recognized under the State of Texas "Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service" (RACES) and the American Radio Relay League's "Amateur Radio Emergency Service" (ARES).
ETECS through the ARES association has Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with various federal and state agencies such as the American Red Cross, the National Weather Service, the Associated Public Safety Communications Officers, Inc., the National Communications System.

Mission Statement: The mission of East Texas Emergency Communication Service, Inc. is to support all area law enforcement, fire, medical, and emergency management agencies with supplemental communications when normal systems fail are become inadequate.

Date Non-Profit was formed:

The volunteer members of ETECS augment emergency communications for Smith County law enforcement, fire personnel, and emergency management agencies when regular communications fail or are inadequate.  ETECS supports and provides the primary communications for the Smith County Chapter of the American Red Cross and participates in the National Weather Service’s SKYWARN early warning system and weather spotting.  The organization operates under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is recognized by the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management RACES program and the American Radio Relay League’s Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).

In recent years, the group has been involved in supporting and coordinating communications for the space shuttle recovery efforts and severe weather situations, including hurricane sheltering operations for hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Independent Study Courses    Recommended courses for ARES and RACES are:

IS-22 Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness

IS-100 Introduction to the Incident Command System

IS-200 Basic Incident Command System

IS-317 Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams

IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction

IS-800 National Response Plan (NRP), An Introduction

All FEMA independent study courses are free, and college credit and retirement points for military reservists may be available.

See the FEMA web site for details.