The EDC Amateur Radio Club has installed a GMRS repeater radio and antenna overlooking our Council area. The antenna has been positioned, after much trial and error, at a location that allows it to be reached by residents in our communities using small, inexpensive, handheld GMRS radios.

The significance of this installation is very important.  In the event of an emergency, such as a wildfire, other forms of communication, like dial phones, cell phones, internet connections can be disabled.  In addition, PG&E may cut the power off. That is what happened in the Paradise Fire. But in our Fire Safe Council we have an alternative -- GMRS radios. Small, battery operated, inexpensive and now connected by a repeater station that gives all of our little radios the power to communicate across our Council area.

The EDC Amateur Radio Club installed the repeater station at no cost to our communities. The Radio Club did this and is offering our council members many other services because one of their missions is to aid rescue and communication efforts in the event of an emergency. Our Fire Safe Council works cooperatively with organizations that have similar mission goals to ours.

But the repeater station will only help us in the event of a wildfire or other emergency if YOU have a GMRS radio and know how to operate it. To meet that need, the Radio Club obtains used, high quality, commercial GMRS radios that it sells to our residents at cost, usually between $55 and $70. They also advise our residents on selecing and purchasing new, standard quality GMRS radios at a cost between $30-$60. And finally, the Radio Club members will program our radios and give us instructions for their use.

And if that were not enough, the Radio Club and volunteers from our Council, have cooperated to establish a weekly time for a radio check in which each member has a chance to use their radio and become familiar with its operation.

If you want to be part of this outstanding example of community cooperation, Contact Us.