The American Red Cross Amateur Radio Club (ARC Squared) was established to support the efforts of American Red Cross Volunteers using Ham Radio communications. We are affiliated the West Essex Amateur Radio Club (WEARC). ARC Squared holds hybrid meetings on the last Monday of the month, meeting in person at the American Red Cross Office, located at 209 Fairfield Rd, Fairfield, NJ 07004, as well as online via Zoom.
The Origins of ARC Squared Radio Club
In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina was heading for the Gulf Coast, the Red Cross pre-deployed volunteers to Louisiana. When the hurricane hit, it destroyed all communications in the area.
A few hours after the storm passed, an amateur radio club from Kentucky showed up and started setting up antennas and the Red Cross, in Louisiana, now had communications with the outside world.
A Red Cross volunteer from New Jersey talked to these Hams and was so impressed, he came home and with other Red Crossers looked to start a Red Cross radio club, so we could have the capability to communicate when everything fails.
One of these Red Crossers was a member of the West Essex Amateur Radio Club (WEARC). Several Red Crossers then earned their licenses, and the Red Cross gave the club a room in the Fairfield, NJ office.
The club received the club call sign of NJ2RC.
The name comes from the American Red Cross Amateur Radio Club or ARCARC or ARC2.