Auxiliary Communications Service

The Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) is a program created to supplement government emergency communications with professional, unpaid volunteer staff. ACS is not an amateur radio club. It is part of local government and operates under the authority of the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management.

About ACS

ACS supports any and all government public service communications systems in the event of failure, overload or other problems that might jeopardize their usefulness. The volunteers provide emergency communications between the county and its jurisdictions, county and city governments and neighboring county governments.

ACS may provide communications support using amateur radio, cellular and regular phones, computers, e-mail, facsimile, Internet, microwave, public service radio (police, fire, law enforcement), satellite, television, and video-conference systems; as well as field and in-office support of personnel, in order to maintain the highest possible level of staff and equipment readiness.

The Department of Emergency Management relies on 125 ACS volunteers to supplement the County’s emergency communications capabilities in the event of a disaster. These volunteers are registered Disaster Service Workers who provide a variety of professional skills including administrative, technical and operational for emergency communications between local and state agencies. These ACS licensed operators conduct a weekly county-wide radio check-in and participate in disaster preparedness exercises.