Local Radio Station Provides Emergency Broadcast System

Natural disasters can leave homes, neighborhoods and entire cities in disrepair in moments. Often victims are left without any form of communication after devastation hits to learn of aid or the state of loved ones.

To be a voice in times when signals are lost and fear is high, Neighborhood Radio became part of Half Moon Bay’s Emergency Broadcast System earlier this year.

“It was something I thought made a lot of sense,” said Neighborhood Radio Station Manager Jim Henderson. “If someone can turn on a radio it obviously doesn’t require electricity.”

Henderson said the idea to use AM 1710 Neighborhood Radio for the EBS stemmed from simple logic and consideration for the locals of Half Moon Bay.

The community radio station, which launched in 2009, is a lower power station that began with one transmitter covering only a portion of Half Moon Bay.

“Now we’re covering all of Half Moon Bay and beyond,” Henderson said.

Because the station can now broadcast to a wider audience in Half Moon Bay, Henderson said it only makes sense for a radio station dedicated to the local community to use their resources to protect their neighbors.

“Our whole idea is we’re all about the community,” Henderson said. “This is how we want to give back.”

In cases of emergency and power outage, safety officials would have the ability to broadcast messages to the public.

“They would, in real time, give out information directly to the public,” Henderson said.

This information would then be rebroadcasted in an effort to answer questions that would otherwise be posed to the police and fire departments.

As a local of Half Moon Bay, Henderson said he could recount several times when he came home to a stormy night and a power outage wondering when power would be restored and what he should plan for.

Neighborhood Radio will now be able to provide a little light in that dark storm, Henderson said.

According to Henderson, the emergency broadcasts would also ease the workload of officers dealing with serious injuries and demolition.

“If it were really bad they would have their hands full,” he said.

Neighborhood Radio has backup batteries in order to provide broadcast sevices 36 to 48 hours after power is lost, Henderson said.

The community radio station is currently seeking to buy additional batteries to prolong their ability to remain on the air.

A 2010 fundraiser and contributions from the community largely funded the equipment required to operate the Neighborhood Radio EBS.

“We’re very appreciative and thankful for that,” Henderson said.

Though the radio station began operating as part of the EBS three months ago, many Half Moon Bay citizens are not aware of its existence.

“Therein lies the problem,” Henderson said.

Henderson said in the future the city would provide the community with reading material about the new element of the EBS but for now the best way to promote the service is through word of mouth.

One should always be prepared to face a disaster, Henderson said, with food, water and supplies available at a moments notice.

“You can’t wait till the last minute to prepare,” he said.

In times of disaster the community of Half Moon Bay will have to face the storm through careful planning and community efforts, Henderson believes.

“We’re going to have to stand on our own,” Henderson said.