ERRS Guidelines #1

EMERGENCY RESPONSE RADIO SYSTEM
GUIDELINES
U.S. and Canada
8/10/2000

OVERVIEW The Emergency Response Radio System (ERRS) is part of Welfare Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All Church welfare activities are directed by the General Welfare Committee. ERRS is an amateur radio system serving Church leaders during emergencies when local telephone service is not available.

The Emergency Response Radio System has been established to provide a means for priesthood leaders to report on the status of members and property in a disaster-affected area, and to request relief supplies and assistance as needed.

Selected bishops' storehouses in the United States and Canada act as "hub" radio stations, serving welfare regions in their areas. A person is called as a multi-regional emergency communications specialist to operate the station and to organize radio nets for regional emergency communication specialists.

Regional welfare committee chairmen provide leadership in times of multi-stake emergencies. They call and set apart regional emergency communication specialists to provide radio communications during emergencies and to train stake emergency communications specialists.

Stake presidents provide leadership in times of emergencies. They call and set apart stake emergency communications specialists to provide radio communications during emergencies and to coordinate with regional emergency communications specialists in regional radio nets. They may ask bishops to call ward emergency communications specialists.

DUTIES

WELFARE SERVICES EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATOR:

Provides overall direction to ERRS as directed by Welfare Services and the General Welfare Committee
Receives messages and reports on emergencies and prepares reports for the General Welfare Committee
Selects and trains the headquarters emergency communications coordinator
Approves equipment purchases

HEADQUARTERS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR:

Coordinates day-to-day radio operations
Prepares plans and procedures for ERRS
Trains multi-regional emergency communications specialists
Recommends equipment purchases for all Church-owned radio stations
Organizes and directs headquarters to storehouse nets

BISHOPS' STOREHOUSE MANAGER (at selected storehouses):

Directs efforts of the multi-regional emergency communications specialist
Works with the agent Stake President for the calling of multi-regional emergency communications specialist and storehouse radio station operators
Ensures the needs of regional welfare committee chairmen are met
Funds minor expenses associated with ERRS
Reports progress to agent stake operating committee

MULTI-REGIONAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST:

Called as part-time Church-service missionary by the agent stake president for the storehouse
Directed by bishops' storehouse manager
Trained by headquarters emergency communications coordinator
Manages and maintains the storehouse radio station
Trains radio operators for the storehouse station
Ensures readiness of the storehouse radio equipment and regular participation in headquarters nets
Trains regional emergency communications specialists
Organizes and directs storehouse-to-region nets
Manages mobile communications equipment and support
Recommends equipment purchases
Receives technical guidance from the headquarters emergency communications coordinator
Provides rosters of operators and other documentation critical to emergency operation to the headquarters emergency communications coordinator

REGIONAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST (Usually the stake emergency communications specialist for the regional welfare committee chairman):

Called by regional welfare committee chairman
Directed by regional welfare committee chairman
Provides emergency communications support to the regional welfare committee chairman
Trains and assists stake emergency communications specialists
Organizes and directs region-to-stake nets
Ensures regular participation in the assigned storehouse nets
Provides roster of stake operators and other documentation critical to emergency operations to the multi-regional emergency communications specialist
Uses personal radio equipment in his assignment

STAKE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST:

Provides emergency communications support to the stake president
As directed by the stake president, assists in the preparation of the stake emergency communications plan
As directed by the stake president, assists bishops in preparing ward emergency communications plans
Participates regularly in regional-to-stake nets
Uses personal radio equipment in his assignment

STOREHOUSE RADIO STATION OPERATORS:

Called as part-time Church-Service missionary by the agent Stake President for the storehouse
Trained and directed by multi-regional emergency communications specialist
Operates and maintains storehouse radio station as directed
May assist in training regional emergency communications specialists
Helps the multi-regional emergency communications specialist in all other matters as directed