Our broadcast facility was created to make the Everlasting Gospel and Present Truth available to the largest mass-audience possible. Since the inception of the work, this has been done directly and indirectly. Our on-air and on-line programming (details here) presents life-changing Truth 24/7. Several churches in our service area have reported walk-ins after those listeners hearing lost Biblical truths via Radio of Hope! Another sphere of our activity concerns our broadest responsibility to the community as broadcasters. Details follow.
In the event of a natural or man-made disaster information-gathering is vital for broadcasters! Each day, thousands of area residents turn to their radio for information about events that impact their lives and property. Therefore, broadcasters HAVING that information is an absolute necessity!
Since the year 2000, disaster-related destruction to property in the U.S. has been estimated at more than $600 Billion dollars! Much of that was done to communications infrastructure as phone lines and cell towers were not exempt from this carnage. Consequently, forms of communications largely taken for granted were NOT available when needed. Disaster-response by many organizations was changed to disaster-survival instead. Fortunately, some lessons were learned, but more may need to be locally done by those who are considering how to be of service following the next disaster event in the Pacific Northwest.
Observing these facts caused Olympic Media (parent company of Radio of Hope 911) to plan for the uncertainty of information acquisition in the future. It is well known that major seismic activity is in the future of the Pacific Northwest. In a land of trees, summer heat, lightning and occasional high winds earthquakes are not the only major hazard for which to prepare. Consequently, a means of communicating vital information that will STILL work when normal land-line and cellular service is disrupted, is a must! This resulted in the creation and expansion of Oly-Comm, a two-way radio system independent of phone lines, cell towers and commercial electricity! So, how could that impact your local ACS operations? Good question!
The Oly-Comm two-way radio system not only helps to fulfill our Broadcast needs for incoming information, but also has sufficient operational capacity to accommodate operators active in various forms of community service. Attempting to deliver goods or services to significant numbers of disaster-victims or even doing status checks on impacted church members is going to be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, without the means to coordinate and connect information, needs and resources on the move.
Realizing the implications of poor or non-existent communications upon, post-disaster, operations the Western Federation of ACS (WFACS) created the new position of Vice-President of Communications to begin addressing this need. This VP position is now filled by a technically experienced staff member of Olympic Media leading out in development. ACS agencies, hoping to establish or maintain adequate bi-directional information flow within their organizations, are also encouraged to participate within the Oly-Comm framework. Appropriate training and educational materials are under continual development and two-way radio equipment will also be provided as grant-means allow. Individual operators can and have made personal investments in their own equipment (about $200.00) as well. Oly-Comm currently has twenty-five (25) members with no plans to slow down any time soon!
For additional and highly-detailed information about Oly-Comm Tier-Two Operations and how it can support or enhance your ACS operations go here. <<<