When famines occur in the world, the relief supplies usually have "Gift of the USA" printed on them. When hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, fires and earthquakes occur...the American People give! When any need is identified and publicized, people give, whether it be by a Gofundme campaign or directly.
The populations living in Jefferson, Clallam, North Kitsap, Mason and Island Counties deserve the most accurate and timely information they can receive at all times, but especially in times of disaster when phone lines, cell service and even electric power have been disrupted. Most broadcast facilities have good working relationships with their local Department of Emergency Management and Emergency Operations Center, but having all of ones information "eggs" in just one basket is a system that could be made more robust.
Rather than waiting for rescue-from-elsewhere (because "You're-On-Your-Own" is the basic description of any immediate non-local governmental services post-disaster) Olympic Media (operator of KROH 91.1 FM in Port Townsend) has developed (and is expanding) a two-way radio system that operates under disaster conditions. The Oly-Comm radio system allows for, on-the-move, field reporting, by trained volunteers located throughout the region, providing access to the latest information for all media partners in the Oly-Comm network. Complete Oly-Comm information is available on-line at here. When normal goes away, you may be very glad you checked it out!
"Invitations to participate" are being issued to all media outlets in the region as our anticipation is that local radio and print media organizations will recognize the merit of participation and join in this process.
Our current goal is to upgrade/harden our two existing systems and expand communications capability to locations out of the area into both the Metro area and smaller southern locations like Brinnon and Shelton.
We appreciate the regular monthly gifts of our listeners that keep our doors open each day and if you want to do that in a special way on Giving Tuesday, that would be wonderful! However, if you also believe that broadcast and print media facilities ought to have the best information-system possible to share vital details with their listeners and readers, please help us create a strong one for this area. Please donate for that here.