SUNY Canton EMS Joins County-Wide Emergency Communications Simulation

SUNY Canton EMS students will be participating in a St. Lawrence County-wide communications outage emergency simulation on Oct. 4.

Working alongside local amateur radio groups, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), approximately 20 students will be setting up communications to dispatch emergency services should the need arise, according to Director of Student Affairs Technology Richard Thayer, who oversees the EMS squad.

“In the event of a county-wide communication failure, our collaboration with RACES/ARES will allow us to maintain operations, ensuring the safety of the SUNY Canton community and enabling us to dispatch necessary resources,” Thayer said. “We’d like to demonstrate that we have backups in place to keep the campus safe.”

Thayer added that both groups are using the exercise to recruit others who may be interested in providing the service. Students who are interested in joining SUNY Canton EMS can apply online.

The volunteer operators from RACES and ARES will be deployed in strategic locations throughout the county, where they will serve as a vital link for relaying information and coordinating emergency response for any resources that may be needed. The groups consist of licensed operators who dedicate their skills and equipment to providing essential backup communications during emergencies and disasters.

At SUNY Canton, RACES and ARES will operate from Lot 6 using a vehicle and portable antenna to support communications. The EMS students will conduct a tabletop drill in Dana Hall, testing their ability to respond to scenarios like a simulated car accident or medical emergency.

RACES is a federal service that operates under the direction of local civil defense and emergency management agencies. ARES is a national organization that works in coordination with local authorities.