The volunteer members of ETECS augment emergency communications for Smith County law enforcement, fire personnel, and emergency management agencies when regular communications fail or are inadequate. ETECS supports and provides the primary communications for the Smith County Chapter of the American Red Cross and participates in the National Weather Service’s SKYWARN early warning system and weather spotting. The organization operates under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is recognized by the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management RACES program and the American Radio Relay League’s Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).

In recent years, the group has been involved in supporting and coordinating communications for the space shuttle recovery efforts and severe weather situations, including hurricane sheltering operations for hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

- promote the hobby of amateur radio;
- to educate and evaluate an area amateur radio network to provide electronic communications in the event of area disasters or other emergencies;
- establish a mobile communications vehicle for area emergency communications;
- augment area emergency communications when regular communications fail or are inadequate;
- support all area law enforcement, fire and emergency management agencies with supplemental communications;
- encourage cooperation between various area agencies; and
- participate in the National Weather Service’s SKYWARN early warning system and weather spotting.”
Additionally, ETECS supports and provides the primary communications for the Smith County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
ETECS operates under the FCC station call W5ETX, John Newman, N9JN is the trustee of the station.
ETECS operates and is recognized under the State of Texas “Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service” (RACES) and the American Radio Relay League’s “Amateur Radio Emergency Service” (ARES).
ETECS through the ARES association has Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with various federal and state agencies such as the American Red Cross, the National Weather Service, the Associated Public Safety Communications Officers, Inc., the National Communications System.