Amateur radio emergency communications is fun, challenging, and exciting! It’s a great way to get involved in the community, meet new people, learn good communications practices, and work with like-minded hams. Amateur radio operators have proven to be a vital resource in disasters, especially at the local level. Also, simply buying a radio and putting it in your go-bag makes you ill-prepared to communicate in an emergency. Good radio practices are learned and must be practiced in order to maintain a functional level of proficiency – especially during a disaster when emotions and stress are high!