An Easy Way to Communicate During Emergencies

A popular app called Zello that turns your cell phone into a walkie-talkie has become a trusted tool that allows people, including emergency responders, to communicate with one another. The Burlingame Neighborhood Network (BNN) plans to use this app during the Burlingame Disaster Response Drill on October 3 to enable neighbors to talk with one another during the drill.

To help you learn how to use Zello, Rik Kasuga, a BNN board member who leads communications during BNN’s drills and serves as the city’s CERT Volunteer Program Coordinator, will host monthly BNN Zello Workshops. The next one will be on Thursday, May 28, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Upper Level Meeting Room at the Burlingame Public Library. Before you come, Rik requests that you download the Zello app on your cell phone. More information about how to do that is available here. In addition to your cell phone, please bring your FRS radio, if you have one, for a short refresher about its use during the drill this year.

Once you have become familiar with Zello, you are welcome to join the BNN Zello Net which is held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. You may just want to listen in on the BNN Zello Net Channel, but at the Workshop you will also learn how to participate!

Rik invites you to contact him directly if you would like assistance. He’s at rik@burlingamenetwork.org, 650-464-3726.