DC Emergency Radio Network
Mission Statement
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 that can be used in emergencies. These radios are inexpensive, easy to operate, and don't rely on any centralized network, and can fill in when the Internet, cell phones or landline phones fail. September 11, the northeast blackout of 2003, hurricanes Katrina and Rita -- these show how quickly and thoroughly natural and man-made disasters can utterly destroy regular means of communication. And without communication nothing else works.
DCERN tells people: In an emergency, tune your FRS or GMRS radio to channel 1. Somebody will be there to help you, and you can also provide important information about what you see and know.
DCERN's mission includes these objectives:
1. To encourage everyone who lives in the Washington, DC metropolitan area to have FRS or GMRS radios that they can use in an emergency.
2. To coordinate with local organizations such as police stations, fire houses, hospitals and supermarkets to ensure communications in an emergency.
3. To develop a national network using FRS and GMRS radios so that anyone, anywhere, can use their radio to communicate in an emergency on FRS emergency channel 1. Every family and business should have at least two FRS or GMRS radios.
The DC Emergency Radio Network is partnering with Stargazer, part of the Stargazer Foundation, to develop this robust, national communications network. DCERN is part of NationalSOS.
DC Emergency Radio Network
3000 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
202-595-1091 or 415-373-4340
dcern@email.netmails.net