What is the best way for me to get communications for my CERT group?
Don’t reinvent the wheel and KISS. Hopefully the agency sponsoring your group has a committed leader with better- than-average disaster planning experience, excellent knowledge of communication systems, and the ability to manage diverse resources and supervise volunteers to accomplish the mission. Leadership makes all the difference in disaster planning because the biggest mistake any jurisdiction can make is allowing poor leadership to Balkanize critical communications resources. RACES/ARES all need to be the SAME organization- just the same guys with different hats and types of assignments. You do not want separate groups with egos that cannot or will not talk to each other confusing emergency communications by competing with each other! The service providers like Salvation Army, Red Cross, and CERT should benefit primarily from communications service provided by the Amateur Radio Service and that should be organized in concert with the local OEM/OES as part of a local disaster commu
