Rural Emergency Network

This is a potential new Citizen Corps program.

The Rural Emergency Network program creates a method for communication between incident management and residents in outlying areas during an emergency / disaster. This program establishes structured relayed communication that may utilize tools such as phones or two-way radios.

Less populated areas and small communities may have response from First Responders during a widespread emergency / disaster delayed by many hours or days. Establishing an organized method for communication allows for information exchange, including a rapid relay of critical information such as status and needs from those residents and situation updates that may impact them. This allows for more effective resource management, particularly for public safety, public health, and related logistics.

Divide the outlying areas into small areas that are identified as “networks” using terrain and existing road systems for logical boundaries. Within each network, have smaller clusters of population organized to communicate with each other and potentially help each other. Preplan emergency communications to relay out of area as needed.

Program oversight is performed by a county agency/authority to ensure collaboration with the emergengy operation center as needed. The vast majority of personnel and staffing for this program relies on existing trained volunteers.

The key communications resource is local Amateur Radio. CERT and Medical Reserve Corps are also potential resources for program participation or activation during an incident. Local / mutual aid Search and Rescue (SAR) can be effectively utilized as initial field assets as needed, trained and equipped to respond in most terrain and weather conditions.