Step #1 - Get in Touch With Us
Our RACES Team is always available to answer your questions about Amateur (Ham) Radio operations and how to get started. The best ways you can get in touch with us is to use our contact page here.
We also attend many of the city and community events and demonstrate emergency radio communications. Look for our red booth.
You can also make arrangements to visit us at one of our Team meetings. We meet on the second Wednesday of each odd numbered month (January, March, May, July, September, and November) usually at the Seal Beach Police Department (911 Seal Beach Blvd, in Seal Beach) at 7:00 p.m. Since we meet at the police station, you will need to be let into the building. Please let us know you plan to attend in advance of the meeting by calling 562.799.4100 x1145.
Step #2 - Get an Operators License
The first step to becoming a member of the Seal Beach – Los Alamitos RACES Team is to have a current Amateur Radio License from the FCC.
These licenses are good for 10 years and can easily be renewed. At this time, there is no cost for an Amateur Radio License.
Find out more about getting your Amateur Radio License here.
If you already have your license, you are all set and can more onto Step #3.
Step #3 - Complete Online Courses
Our RACE Team is in place to provide emergency communications for the Seal Beach and Los Alamitos police departments in times of emergency. During these periods the department(s) have activated their Emergency Operations Center or EOC. It is important for our Team members to understanding how an EOC operates and its command structure so we can do our jobs.
FEMA offers two online courses that will introduce you to the incident command system (links below open in a new window).
IS-100c, “Introduction to the Incident Command System”
IS-700b, “National Incident Management System (NIMS), an Introduction.”
These on-line classes are free and will take 3 to 5 hours to complete. Once you have taken the course, and passed the on-line test, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion.
Please save these Certificates and submit them with your Application.
Step #4 - Complete Your Application
The Seal Beach – Los Alamitos RACES Team is part of the police department’s emergency services group. As such there is a required application and background check process.
Please complete this application, print it out and sign it.
To complete the application process, please give your application packet (the signed application, signed release and the certificates of completion for the FEMA courses) to a RACES Team member, submit it to:
Emergency Services Coordinator
Seal Beach Police Department
911 Seal Beach Blvd
Seal Beach, CA 90740
