The Smith County Amateur Radio Emergency Services held its first annual Go Kit Challenge this past Saturday at the Smith County Ag Center at the Fairgrounds. During the challenge participants had to demonstrate their “Go Kits”—essential equipment that HAM operators can mobilize within one hour of being notified of a need to assist EMS officials or the public in an emergency. These kits are designed to operate independently of traditional communication infrastructures, such as cellular networks, fiber optics, copper wiring, the internet, or even the power grid. Participants were not provided any advanced warning of the challenge, but had to be able to establish communication utilizing just the equipment they brought. No power or other such normal services were provided, mimicking an actual event and ensuring reliable communication in times of crisis based on their preparedness
Many of these dedicated HAM operators collaborate with local and regional organizations, providing backup communication services when emergencies arise. The Smith County Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) provides such service to Smith County as they play a crucial role in supporting local hospitals, ensuring that their long-range communication equipment remains operational during critical times in addition to having portable equipment ready if called upon by Smith County EMS or EMA.
As public service sectors increasingly rely on digitally encoded, trunked, and linked systems which are often dependent on internet connectivity, HAM Radio serves as a reliable backup support in a disaster situation. 
