Everything you need to know about Disaster Volunteer — ham radio operators and trained volunteers helping in disasters.
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Disaster Volunteer is a network of licensed amateur radio (ham) operators, joined by trained volunteers from churches, CERT teams and relief groups, that helps coordinate emergency response and family reunification during disasters. When cell towers go down and the internet fails, hams can still collect and share information using radio, Bluetooth, and local networks — eventually syncing everything to Disaster Volunteer servers when any internet connection becomes available. (It was called HRECS, the Ham Radio Emergency Communication System, until November 2026.)
Ready to join the network?
Licensed ham operators can pre-register now. Agencies and the public can also create accounts.