Having
a built-in GPS is a handy feature. No more, “I can hear you, but where are
you?” Your radio will point toward your companion’s radio.Questions and Answers About the DC Emergency Radio Network
An FAQ
www.dcradio.org
The DCERN Listserv
Back to main DCERN page
The DC Emergency Radio Network answers the question:
How are you going to call for help when nothing else works?
What is the DC Emergency Radio Network?
DCERN is part of a nation wide movement to encourage all Americans to have FRS (Family Radio Service) or GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios. These radios are inexpensive, easy to use, and don't rely on any centralized network. In an emergency, tune your FRS or GMRS radio to channel 1.
Why was DCERN set up?
DCERN is an outgrowth of neighborhood email lists. These lists have become vital tools, not only for day-to-day neighborhood information, but for emergency notices, and we thought it would be prudent to have a backup way for neighbors to communicate.
It’s the nature of emergencies that you can’t anticipate what may happen or what you’ll need. But it’s a good bet that communications will play a major role in any neighborhood or city-wide emergency. Emergencies such terrorist attacks, power failures (all too common), cell phone system outages -- those are the kind of instances when DCERN would be called into action.
What happened in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina --the complete destruction of all means of communication-- shows how unexpectedly and quickly communications can fail.
You can download the DCERN flyer, which can be freely distributed. The DC Emergency Radio Network is part of NationalSOS.
What is FRS? Is FRS radio like CB radio? Why does DCERN use FRS and GMRS radios?
Family Radio Service radios are just that -- portable, battery-operated radios intended for individuals and families. FRS radios are easy to use, inexpensive and don’t require a license. People use FRS radios to stay in touch while on ski slopes, at sports events, at the beach, at amusement parks, on hiking trails -- just about everywhere.
GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios, which have a greater ranger than FRS radios, are often sold side-by-side with FRS radios.
FRS radios have a range of about 1/4 mile in cities; up to 2 miles over water. They are free to use: There’s no per-minute charge, as with cell phones. GMRS radios have a range of 5 miles or more. As a rule o f thumb, you can say that a radio will reach 1 mile for every watt of power.
DCERN uses FRS and GMRS radios for several reasons. First, many neighbors already have them. Second, FRS and GMRS radios are inexpensive and very portable; they’re battery operated. Third, these radios are reliable. Fourth, the FRS/GMRS channel 1, subchannel 0 has become the universal emergency channel.
For more information about FRS and GMRS radios visit: www.gmrsweb.com/gmrsfaqa.html, www.gearreview.com/frsreview98.asp and www.commtechreview.net/frsradio/. The FCC's official FRS website is http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/family/.
Would I need a DCERN radio if cell phones didn't work but land line phones did work?
During an emergency, cell phone networks can fail or become overwhelmed. Cell phone towers have backup batteries that only last a few hours; in a crisis when everyone's trying to use their cell phone, most people's signals won't go through. Land line phones, while more robust than cell phones, obviously won't work when you're outside. Your DCERN radio can provide you with a way to communicate with your family and neighbors if you can't use your cell phone.
In the Washington, DC area emergency responders and government officials will have priority access to cell phone networks, and civilians may not be able to use their phones. In addition, there's a special protocol that's unique to Washington, DC: In the event of a potential terrorist attack the entire area's cell phone system may be shut down to deprive terrorists of the ability to remote detonate a bomb or communicate.
If you need to evacuate your house or go outside during an emergency --perhaps to look for food or water-- take your DCERN radio with you.
If I don’t have an FRS or GMRS radio, where can I get one and what kind should I get?
You can buy FRS radios at Radio Shack, Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Hudson Trail Outfitters and other area stores—and, of course, on Amazon and eBay.
Some people prefer rechargeable radios; some people like radios that use disposable batteries. Which should you get? If you use your FRS or GMRS radio a lot, get one that uses rechargeable batteries. If you don’t use your radio often, or plan to use it just in emergencies, buy a radio that uses disposable batteries. (Most FRS and GMRS radios that use disposable batteries, AA's or AAA's, can also use rechargeable AA and AAA-sized batteries, too.) Rechargeable batteries, whether built into the radio or removable, have a relatively short shelf life—and when you turn on your rechargeable FRS radio that hasn’t been charged in a few weeks, it may be dead.
FRS radios can come with various features, including built-in GPS receivers, NOAA weather radios, call tones, vibrating alerts, digital compasses, and thermometers. These features add to the cost of an FRS radio (and consume power.) Consider your personal needs when shopping for an FRS or GMRS radio.
Having
a built-in GPS is a handy feature. No more, “I can hear you, but where are
you?” Your radio will point toward your companion’s radio.
All FRS radios have privacy channels (also called subchannels or CTCSS codes.) FRS radios generally have 14 different channels (frequencies) and 38 privacy channels. This helps ensure that you can only hear the party you want to talk with. (In an emergency, you want everybody to be on the same frequency, which is why we use channel 1, no subchannel/CTCSS code.) For the technically oriented, channel 1 is 462.5625 MHz. FRS radios are very easy to use and once you have an FRS radio in your hand, you'll be able to see and understand how it works.
In addition to FRS radios, there’s something called a GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radio. FRS and GMRS radios use some of the same frequencies --including channels-- but GMRS radios are more powerful, and have a greater range: perhaps 5 or 10 miles or more. (Figure 1 mile per watt.) But you need an FCC license to operate a GMRS radio. License applications are included with most radios; you don't need to take a test to get a GMRS license. FRS and GMRS radios should be able talk to each other (on channels 1 - 7); however, because GMRS radios are more powerful, if an FRS and GMRS radio are talking to each other, it’s possible that the distance will be such that the FRS user will be able to hear the GMRS operator, but not vice versa. Some GMRS radios lower their power when using FRS channels, such as channel 1.
Which should you get? While GMRS radios give you more transmitting range, GMRS radios are slightly more expensive than FRS radios and you do have to get a license (which costs $75 and covers an entire family for 5 years.) If you use a GMRS radio on the DC Emergency Radio Network, it is likely that people will be able to hear you whom you cannot hear. In addition, it's possible that on some brands of GMRS radios, or combination GMRS/FRS radios, the channel lineup may be different than it is on FRS radios. GMRS radios may give you that added range you want. Either will work well on the DC Emergency Radio Network. If you're still uncertain, buy a GMRS radio.
A P.S. Now that many GMRS radios come with the ability to monitor NOAA weather radio, it makes sense to get a radio with that feature. After all, weather is a major cause of power failures and other emergencies.
I have an DCERN radio. When should I turn it on?
There’s never any harm in turning on your radio in an emergency -- or if you suspect an emergency. One of DCERN’s purposes is to inform. You can just listen, if you prefer: Your neighbors or the police, if they have DCERN radios, may be on the air with news.
Turn your radio on if:
The first rule of surviving an emergency is to get away from the danger. In a crisis you may need to leave your office, your home, you car. Your family may be separated. Plan to have your DCERN radio with you.
When
you turn your radio on, you can announce that you are on the air and listening.
Say, “This is Jane Doe on 16th Street near Harvard Street, NW. I’m
broadcasting on the DC Emergency Radio Network because I heard a loud bang and
my Internet connection went down. Is there anyone else on the air?”
Say what you need to say. Remember -- the purpose of this emergency
network is to share information.
Don’t feel constrained by formality in an emergency, but do confine your communications to things about the emergency: Don’t tie up the frequency with unnecessary chatting.
Leave your radio on during the entire emergency. (Batteries willing -- it pays to have some spare batteries around.) By leaving your radio on, you may hear things from neighbors as the situation changes. Think of DCERN as a place to meet your neighbors in an emergency.
Who will be on the radio during an emergency?
Your neighbors will be on the radio during an emergency. The police may, too. And the local fire department may also be on the air, as well as emergency workers.
One word of warning, though: Don’t rely on the DC Emergency Radio Network to summon the police: It is not meant to be a way to summon emergency services, as 911 is. If you need the police, an ambulance, or the fire department, call 911. But if your phone or cell phone doesn’t work, then by all means, use whatever means of communication you have, including DCERN.
What if I can’t hear anyone?
Just because you can’t hear anyone, doesn’t mean that nobody can hear you. If you have important information to impart, transmit -- somebody may hear.
Get to higher ground: The top floor in your house, or your apartment’s roof. Transmission and reception range increase dramatically with height. In fact, the height of your radio is more important than your radio’s power when it comes to transmission range. You may be able to double the range of your radio by going up one story.
Leave your radio on. Not everyone will be part of an emergency net throughout an emergency. If you can’t hear somebody now, you may be able to in another five minutes.
Make sure you have the privacy channels turned off; if it's on, that will prevent you from hearing others on the emergency radio net. For many models of FRS radios --but not all-- the display will show a large "1" and a smaller "0" when set to channel 1, no privacy channel. Depending on your radio it may look something like this:
10
If you want to use your FRS radio specifically to talk with
a particular neighbor or your
family in an emergency, pick a specific
channel/subchannel in advance and know how to tune your radios to that
channel. You can always go back to channel 1, the emergency channel.
DCERN works like a relay, but not a straight line relay. The emergency channel
may be busy, or quiet, depending on the nature of the emergency and on how many
people in your neck of the woods have FRS radios.
Who runs the radio net during an emergency?
The DC Emergency Radio Network isn’t run by any specific individual or agency, partly because in an emergency we never know who will be around. Because FRS radios are FM, they will capture the strongest signal, so you'll only hear the person who's talking at that moment and who has the most powerful signal at any given moment.
Wait for a pause in communications before talking. It’s possible that you’ll “step” on somebody else’s transmission now and then, but that’s expected. Don’t worry, and if you think that your transmission hasn’t gone through, transmit again.
Sometimes it’s useful to establish communications with somebody else before transmitting specific information. But if you’re not sure if anybody is listening and you have something important to say, say it anyway. Chances are that a neighbor will pick up your transmission.
Okay. I understand all that. But what I don’t understand is exactly how the DC Emergency Radio Network will be run during an emergency.
The short answer is that nobody knows. The nature of emergencies is that they are unpredictable: A tornado and a terrorist attack are two very different events, for example, and may affect Washington, DC in different ways. Nobody expected all forms of communication --the Internet, land line phones and cell phones-- to fail in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. In the Northeast blackout of 2003, nobody expected the cell phone system to collapse after a few hours.
Traditional emergency nets --amateur radio emergency nets for instance-- are run by somebody who assumes the position of net control, and who helps organize the radio traffic. A DCERN emergency radio network isn't run by any one person -- it is run by everyone on the network. The DC Emergency Radio Network is the only emergency communications system that is for ordinary citizens.
Unlike traditional emergency radio nets that use a centralized repeater (control station), DCERN is decentralized, making it robust and nearly invulnerable. Like the Internet itself, if parts of DCERN fail --that is, if some of your neighbors' radios aren't working-- other people will be able to transmit a message. Remove one part of the DC Emergency Radio Network, and the network itself still continues to work.
In an emergency, DCERN will self-activate. In other words, when you hear a boom and the lights go out, turn your radio on.
Channel 1 is very busy and I’m having trouble communicating with my neighbor. I really need to discuss something with him that doesn't have to do with the emergency.
It’s okay to leave channel 1 and have a direct one-to-one conversation with somebody else. In fact, if you want to talk with somebody else about something that does not pertain to the emergency at hand, you should select another frequency to do that.
If you leave the net, there are three things you should keep in mind:
1. If you can, announce that you are temporarily leaving the emergency net to go to channel 2 (or whatever channel). It’s standard procedure for emergency communication nets to let everyone know if you are going to be off the air for a while or are leaving permanently (but only if you have been actively talking on the net.)
2. Make sure that you and the person you want to talk with both arrive at the same new frequency. If you don’t, then return to channel 1 and try to coordinate a new frequency again.
3. Return to channel 1 when you are finished with your off-net conversation.
How can I use my FRS/GMRS radio for emergency and non-emergency communications with my family?
It's a good idea to have a pre-planned channel, other than channel 1, that your family will use in an emergency. In a crisis, the DCERN emergency channel, 1, will be busy. But if your family has pre-selected, say, channel 4/subchannel 8, you'll have a way to communicate. Write the channel/subchannel combination on your radio or on your DCERN wallet card. In fact, the more you use your radio, the more comfortable you'll be in an emergency.
There are 14 FRS channels and 38 privacy channels (also called subchannels or CTCSS frequencies) -- that's a total of 532 discrete channel/subchannel combinations, more enough to give you and your own family a personal channel/subchannel in all but the most crowded environments. On your radio, the channel may appear as a large number and the subchannel as a smaller number: Perhaps something like:
712
This would mean you're on channel 7, subchannel/privacy channel 12.
What these 532 different channel configurations do is they let you talk without being interfered by somebody else on the radio. (The privacy channels do not make your conversation secure.) GMRS radios offer 7 different frequency channels and 38 privacy channels -- a total of 266 different channel configurations. Different brands of radios may have different subchannels (CTCSS frequencies), so it's best to stick with the same brand of radio if you plan on using a privacy/subchannel.
This is all easier to do than to describe.
Why not use your FRS or GMRS radio on your family's channel when you're at the mall, skiing, at the beach, when one of you walks down to the video store, when you're driving somewhere in two cars, to communicate between home and office -- in other words on a regular basis. FRS and GMRS radios are extraordinary easy and fun to use.
A tip for parents: If you can convince you son or daughter, have them keep a DCERN radio at school. It's valuable for emergencies. But there's another use as well: You kids can call you (if they don't have a cell phone or their cell phone's battery is dead), if you leave your radio on your family's personal channel. If there's a widespread emergency all area schools will be locked down -- nobody goes in and nobody goes out. A DCERN radio may be your only way to communicate with your son or daughter at school.
Remember, if cell phone networks fail, land line phones won't do you any good if you're outside. DCERN radios can be used in cars -- they're meant to be portable.
Why would I use an FRS radio and not a cell phone?
You should use both.
But there are times when a handheld two-way radio is better than a cell phone. In an emergency, such as a terrorist attack, odds are that cell phone networks will be jammed and you may not be able to make or receive calls. (On 9/11 cell phone towers and switching centers were destroyed in New York City, too.) In in blackout lasting more than a few hours, many cell towers will stop working. And how are you going to recharge your cell phone during a prolonged power outage? (GMRS radios can run indefinitely with an ample supply of batteries.) If you want to find out what is happening in your neighborhood, an FRS/GMRS/DCERN radio is a better tool than a cell phone, because it connects you instantly with your neighbors. You can’t talk into your cell phone and say, “Can anybody tell me why the power is out?” But if you transmit that question on a DCERN radio, you’re likely to get an answer.
A DCERN radio may help you evaluate whether or not it's safe to go outside. With a DCERN radio you may be able to receive information about what's happening down the block or across town.
Think about how vital your cell phone has become and how difficult it would be to live and work without one. Now think about a 6 hour to six day period without any way to communicate while you're outside. And during that period there's been a terrorist attack, major power outage, hurricane, earthquake, the start of a flu pandemic, flooding, or some other disaster. Being able to communicate while outdoors is essential.
Will using an FRS radio on channel 1 in my neighborhood (Mt. Pleasant, Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, etc.) interfere with other neighborhood emergency communications?
Not only will your using an FRS radio not interfere with other neighborhood communications, but we encourage people around Washington, DC to use FRS channel 1 during an emergency. It’s possible that emergency information can be relayed around the city this way.
You can find more about how other neighborhoods are using the DC Emergency Radio Network through DCERN's email list.
Is there anything I need to do to join DCERN?
No. There's no membership fee or membership roster. All you need to do is tune your FRS/GMRS radio to channel 1 during an emergency. If you would like a free DCERN membership card, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:
Bill Adler/DCERN
Adler & Robin Books, Inc.
Suite 317
3000 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
http://www.adlerrobin.com
http://www.billadler.net
Can I volunteer to help DCERN?
Yes. Among other things, we're looking for volunteers to help encourage more people to get FRS and GMRS radios. We're also looking for volunteers to help local police and fire stations acquire GMRS radios that they can use in emergencies. Please contact us at 202-595-1091 or by email if you can help. You can also sign up online.
I work in a hospital and would like to be able to make us of DCERN volunteers for emergencies. Is this something I can do?
Yes. DCERN can provide a backup means of communication.
How do you know that real information and not rumors will be transmitted through DCERN?
It is possible that rumors rather than facts will permeate DCERN during an emergency. But it's also true that rumors can cross the television airwaves, too -- witness the rumor on 9/11 that the State Department had been bombed. With email lists, it's the same thing: Is that fact or rumor? Many times you don't know if something is correct until you receive confirmation from another source -- and that's the case for the media, email lists and DCERN.
DCERN is not a substitute for normal sources of information, such as television,
radio, the Internet, and email and pager alerts. But during a crisis these
sources may be unavailable for a variety of predictable and unpredictable
reasons; DCERN is meant to be a redundant means of communicating.
One of DCERN's purposes is to communicate information. But DCERN also has as its
purpose to foster a sense of community during a crisis. When we're literally in
the dark, it will be comforting to be able to hear our neighbors' voices.
I’m a police officer/fire fighter/paramedic. Should I be involved in DCERN?
Yes. When there’s an emergency --a terrorist attack, chemical spill, tornado, power outage-- normal modes of communication may fail. DCERN is fail-safe means for people, including residents and emergency responders, to be able to communicate in an urgent situation.
DCERN is not meant to replace 911, cell phones, or official radio communications -- people should use regular emergency communications systems first. But when normal communications falter, DCERN can fill in the gaps.
DC residents will be glad that local police officers, paramedics, firefighters and other officials are on the emergency network during a crisis. And you may find that reports from local residents are helpful, too. Have your FRS/GMRS radio charged and handy. It couldn’t hurt.
What should I be doing with my GMRS radio in the meanwhile?
Always keep your FRS/GMRS radio charged. If your radio also uses AA batteries, a supply of fresh batteries is a good idea. It's helpful to use your radio regularly to "keep in shape." While FRS and GMRS radios are easy to use, the more practice you have, the better. Take a radio with you to the video store to confer with family members about what movie to select; take your radios to the mall, the park, the beach and on bike rides. Use your radios when you're traveling with friends and family in two different cars. Remember, unlike cell phones, you don't pay minute changes with FRS and GMRS radios.
Our neighborhood would like to utilize this emergency communications network even more. Can we use DCERN as a 24/7 emergency radio call system?
Some neighborhoods may elect to monitor FRS channel 1 all the time, in case somebody needs help. That is a perfectly acceptable use for the DC Emergency Radio Network, and is in fact what REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams) suggests.
What other radio communications should I be thinking about?
You
might want to get a
NOAA weather radio.
NOAA weather radios will alert you if there's a severe storm, tornado or other
disaster heading your way.
NOAA weather radios
now can be tuned into specific counties, so that you will only be alerted for
emergencies in your specific area.
There are several free internet-based emergency alert services that can send a message to your email address, cellular telephone or pager in the event of an emergency. One that works well is the Emergency Email and Wireless Network.
To receive announcements about DCERN, you can subscribe to the DCERN email list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dcern.
If you want to take communications to the next level, consider getting an amateur radio license. Like FRS radios, amateur radios are free to use, but you do need to be licensed (and take a test) to use ham radios. A satellite telephone is another option. Satellite phones use satellites in low earth orbit rather than terrestrial towers, as cell phones do. Satellite phones are a bigger and much more expensive to use than cell phones.
What's next?
DCERN is a temporary emergency communications system. It's not meant to replace the Internet, cell phones or land line phones for the long haul-- it's meant to stand in until normal modes of communication can be reestablished. The Stargazer Foundation is planning long-term communication strategies for individuals and organizations. Communications is multi-faceted, and there's no single network or system or technology that will do everything everywhere.
What is the relationship between DCERN and the various neighborhood email lists?
The DC
Emergency Radio Network is an outgrowth of the
Cleveland Park email list. Both are non-profit, community-oriented
organizations. DCERN was started by list founder Bill Adler, who, as an
amateur radio operator and pilot, has considerable experience in radio
communications. He has participated in amateur radio emergency
communications nets.
The Cleveland Park Emergency Radio Network quickly became the DC Emergency Radio Network -- connecting people and neighborhoods in an emergency. Through word-of-mouth, DCERN has spread throughout the Washington, DC metro area, encompassing not only the District, but suburban Maryland and Virginia, too. A number of DC-area email lists, community groups, citizens associations and unaffiliated individuals are participating in the region-wide emergency radio network. The nature of FRS radios makes it possible for information to be relayed throughout Washington, DC and vicinity by FRS radio in an emergency. You do not need to be a member of an email list to use DCERN.
Contact your local neighborhood list moderator or citizens association for more information about your local emergency radio network. Or create your own local DCERN group. One way to spread the word about the DC Emergency Radio Network is through neighborhood block captains. You are welcome to download the DCERN flyer as well as other materials on this website. Members of email lists, neighborhoods and groups from around the Washington, DC area are participating in DCERN, or may be able to provide you with more information, including:
Mt. Pleasant (or Mt. Pleasant, a second email list)
Tenleytown
Adams Morgan
Columbia
Heights (or
Columbia Heights, a second email list)
Brookland
Shepherd
Park
City-wide email list,
themail
Palisades
Citizens' Association
Virginia
Radio Amateur Civil
Emergency Service
Cardozo Shaw Neighborhood
Association
Wheaton and Kensington, Maryland
Penn-Branch Citizens/Civic Association
(Click on the above links to find out more about these neighborhoods. If your neighborhood or group isn't on this list, please let us know.)
There isn’t an emergency radio network in my neighborhood. How do I start one?
You can contact the moderator of your local email list and suggest starting a neighborhood emergency radio network. If you neighborhood does not have an email list, just set up a local DCERN group yourself. Feel free to borrow from this website and distribute the DCERN flyer and DCERN wallet card. You can contact us at 202-585-1091 or by email.
Back to main DCERN page
Join the DCERN listserv
Talk with an artificial intelligence bot
about the DC Emergency Radio Network
DCERN in the news
DCERN: A Robust, Invulnerable
Communications Network
Read David Stephenson's blog about using DCERN in an emergency
Read Marc Fisher's article about DCERN
The Cleveland Park Listserv
How to get
a GMRS license
