ARES has provided essential supplemental emergency communications innumerable times throughout the league 's history . In 1989 , hundreds of amateurs responded to the Loma Preita earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area putting in over 3000 volunteer hours in the first week . In 2005 , ARES , with hundreds of volunteer amateur radio operators , provided key communications assistance to recovery organizations and officials coordinating Hurricane Katrina disaster relief
Loma Preita earthquake
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
American Radio Relay League