Hand-to-hand protection

Deepa Bharath

COSTA MESA -- Within minutes of feeling the ground shake under her

feet, Diane Hill was communicating with officials and her neighbors.

She knew right away that she had nothing to worry about when the quake

-- a magnitude 2.8 temblor that caused no damage -- struck last month.

For Hill, that was valuable information. And it came to her through a

bright blue, half-watt, two-way radio that fits snugly in the palm of her

hand.

About 29 people in the Killybrooke neighborhood communicate with each

other and with city officials through the Family Radio Service network.

City officials say this neighborhood watch group could be the first in

the country to use this form of communication.

Hill, who spearheaded the movement in Killybrooke, said she was

excited about the idea when Teri Durnall, the city’s fire prevention

specialist, proposed it during a community training session.

“It brings people’s anxiety down when they find out what’s really

going on,” she said.

The neighbors bought the low-power radios, which come in pairs like

walkie-talkies and cost about $90. No license is needed to operate the

radios, which generally have a range of up to two miles.

The radios’ advantage is the quick convenience of checking on an

emergency situation without stepping outside, Durnall said.

“You do that without tying up phone lines or 911,” she said.

The city has been using the radios for six months, Durnall added.

Gordon West, a city volunteer who operates an emergency van near City

Hall, runs a test every Monday to ensure the network is connected and

working. West is a member of the Mesa Emergency Services Amateur

Communications, which is made up of volunteers who respond to natural

disasters.

The idea is now being picked up by other Costa Mesa communities, such

as Mesa Verde, said Durnall.

“We’re hoping it catches on,” she said. “It will be a great asset in

case we have an emergency.”

It’s all about “building community,” Hill said.

“Whether there’s an emergency or not, this can help us take care of

our families and neighbors,” she said. “If your neighbor needed help,

wouldn’t you try? That’s the good thing about it -- if you care, you can

do it.”