When all other communication systems fail, El Dorado County’s amateur radio groups step in (California)

Compounding the concern around explosive wildfires in rural California, modern communications infrastructure has proven vulnerable in times of natural disasters.

“It’s that fear of not having a cellphone to communicate in the case of an emergency, like it happened at the Camp Fire,” said El Dorado County resident Sherry Hawk, who is also the director of the Gold Ridge Forest Fire Safe Council. 

The El Dorado County Amateur Radio Club came up with a new idea for an old communications technology — a neighborhood radio watch.   

“It’s not a replacement for 911 or CODE RED or any of the other emergency services. It’s a backup communication system when all other systems fail,” said Alan Thompson, the club’s public information officer.  

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