Humboldt Auxiliary Communications Team

A man talks into a portable radio

What is the Humboldt County Auxiliary Communications Team?

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services’ Auxiliary Communications Team, or AuxComm Team, is a volunteer team of local amateur radio operators who can be activated during an emergency incident where normal methods of communication are disrupted. During and after disasters, amateur radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks to assist local governmental and emergency officials, as well as non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the disaster. 


  1. About the Team
  2. Membership Requirements

Mission

The mission of the Humboldt County Auxiliary Communications (AUXCOMM) is to provide communications support to the County of Humboldt with affiliated Disaster Service Worker Volunteers (DSWV) experienced in auxiliary communications under the direction and authority of the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services.

Responsibilities

In an event causing or threating to inhibit communications, AUXCOMM volunteers maybe called to assist in relaying communications from Humboldt County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to field operations. Radio is not reliant on repeaters or other infrastructure to pass radio traffic.

In addition to providing communications between the County EOC and field operations, AUXCOMM volunteers may be called upon to provide the following services:

  • Be deployed to an Incident Command Post(s) (ICP) or Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) partner to perform communication duties that would link between the public and the EOC.
  • Engage in voice, digital, or morse code to provide communications between the County EOC and COAD partners, including but not limited to agencies outside the County, as required.
  • Be deployed to assist other DSWV’s deployed during an emergency incident or event to provide communications between teams and to the EOC.
  • Be deployed throughout the County to provide situational awareness.
  • Non-emergency activities such as communications support for public events and partner agency assistance.