A RadioSAFE
Wide Area Emergency Radio Broadcast System is a
community’s safety net – a key resiliency asset that can
be called up during a major incident to direct citizens
in evacuation, preservation of life and property and/or
disaster recovery.
The service is licensable by any government entity in
the United States and is permitted to transmit any
emergency information that local authorities deem
necessary to mitigate harm. Are you prepared to use
available broadcast channels to directly inform and
instruct the public in your county during incidents when
other communication and power sources are rendered
inoperable? If not, make your community RadioSAFE.
RadioSAFE
is available in two formats, detailed below and on the
linked planning page. |
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Application Examples |
- Evacuations.
- Incident responses / recoveries.
- Infrastructure failures.
- Loss of power / communications due to
natural or human-initiated disasters.
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Above, RadioSAFE (RSF:500.10X)
signal
coverage of up to 20-mile radius is possible with an emergency
authorization from the FCC.
Variables that
affect coverage are authorized power level,
terrain, ground conductivity and frequency.
Predicted coverage is part of the RadioSAFE
engineering documentation package. |
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Waldo
County's
Electronics Cabinet |
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Maximum Range
RadioSAFE
RSF:500.10X is a special radio station that typically
operates at 10 watts for enhanced 7-10 mile range – until required to ramp up in an
emergency. With the substitution of its high power
transmitter, the system is capable of signal coverage
that blankets an entire county or major city. A signal
radius of 20 miles or more is possible. An emergency
Special Temporary Authority (STA) must be granted by
the Federal Communications Commission to permit
initiation of the RadioSAFE service at
enhanced power – which may be hundreds of watts.
See map, right.
See technical specifications.
Enhanced Range RadioSAFE
RSF:10X operates at 10 watts and
with expanded field intensity limits (per waiver) to
produce a much larger coverage pattern – 7-10-mile
radius – than normally
permitted by FCC rules.
See technical
specifications.
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Information Station Specialists provides the application
documentation for emergency STAs, waivers and
other licensing services required.
Frequencies that are adequate for RadioSAFE operation
are not available universally.
Check with us regarding availability in your area.
RadioSAFE Broadcast Systems operate
on AM channels because of their nearly universal
availability and because AM signals travel a much
greater distance than FM signals at a given wattage. AM
radio signals have long wavelengths that are less likely
to be blocked by terrain and tall buildings. And more
importantly, AM antennas can be installed at relatively
low profiles (50’), making them relatively inexpensive
to install and dramatically less
vulnerable in high wind or geophysical events that can
render tower-based communications inoperable. |
Communication Strategy
In a disaster in which grid power is severed
and mobile devices are not functional, a RadioSAFE
Broadcast System might be the only means of reliably
getting critical information to members of the public, who are
likely to have functioning battery-powered radio
receivers in their vehicles.
RadioSAFE Broadcast Systems have the
capability of staging hundreds of preplanned safety
messages that can be selected locally or remotely at a
moment’s notice and updated minute by minute.
Programming can be performed at the station or remotely
via telco or UHF/VHF transceiver or by LAN/WAN if
optioned. Redundant levels of message control are
provided in the RadioSAFE design.
Emergency officials can employ conventional methods of
promotion, such as websites, media articles, commercial
posters and local signage, on a day-to-day basis to
provide visibility for the service so local populations
have residual awareness of the special emergency
frequency in their specific area. If possible, we
recommend that a RadioSAFE
station operate at 10-watt power 24/7 and that the
public be encouraged to identify it in advance to “set a
button” on vehicle radios so they can quickly find the
channel when needed.
During emergencies,
officials typically alert citizens to the availability
of the RadioSAFE
service via electronic notification / social media,
Portable Changeable Message Signs (PCMS) or flashing
beacon / LED signage installed along highly traveled
roadways. The higher the public’s awareness of the
emergency frequency’s presence, the more likely
word-of-mouth will become a powerful ally when its
content is critical.
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Planning / Pricing
See
Planning a RadioSAFE
System and / or
contact Bill Baker for assistance in planning the best
configuration for your setup. Bill can also provide a formal
quote. See
optional methods of purchasing.
Note: Because FCC processing time is unpredictable, we
recommend that you
request
licensing and other FCC documentation services from us as
soon as you know for sure you will have a station – definitely
no later than when you place your radio equipment order.
As you would expect,
Information Station
Specialists provides a
full menu of technical
services to help you put
and keep ALERT AM system on the
air. We are here to
help, even with professionally
recorded audio messages, so your
broadcasts are ready to
air as soon as your station is turned
on.
Best of all, each system
comes
with
Remote Technical Support
for the life of the
station. |
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