RACES stands for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, and is a protocol created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under FCC Part 97, Section 407. The Caroline County Department of Emergency Services selects and trains licensed volunteers to serve as auxiliary communications in the event of a disaster or large-scale emergency.

To become an active Caroline County RACES Operator, you must:

• Be a US Citizen
• Hold a valid FCC Amateur Radio license (any class)
• Complete an application
• Undergo a background check
• Complete all required training and participate in the requisite number of annual drills