Montgomery County Maryland REACT

Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams are volunteers who are organized locally and internationally via REACT International, Inc. The teams use CB radios to provide public service communications for travelers and their local communities. REACT teams use their radios to monitor CB Emergency Channel 9 in the interest of public safety. REACT teams also provide communications in response to emergencies and for community events. They utilize CB, UHF, VHF, Amateur, and other radio services.

Teams participate in their communities' disaster preparedness plans through cooperative agreements with the American National Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the National Weather Service.

Montgomery County Emergency Communications Agency (MCECA), also known as Montgomery County REACT, has evolved into a first-rate communications organization, assisting local government, Red Cross, other nonprofit organizations, and the motoring public.

Besides our use of CB-9 and VHF Radio, we use radios that use the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) frequencies. Many of our members have access to local GMRS Repeaters, generally on the 462.675 MHz frequency. Our team members have access to several repeater systems on different frequencies.

We enjoy a good working relationship with the Montgomery County, Maryland government's Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Office of Emergency Management. A base station, equipped with GMRS, resides in the Emergency Management Group (EMG) Radio Room and is designated as the team's Unit 201. This base station is used during weather and other emergencies, disaster exercises, and for training new members.

The local chapter of the Red Cross also relies upon our communications support from time to time. We are called to provide communications for Red Cross officials particularly when a fire or other disaster involves an apartment house or complex and an off-site shelter.

Many local nonprofit organizations have also come to call for our services to provide communications for their walk-a-thons, 10k runs, parades, and other similar events. The Spring is our busiest time with these events, and we now have approximately 10 that we do each year. Those who volunteer to participate are usually placed intermittently along the event route to ensure assistance can be called if a participant becomes injured and sometimes to relay the progress of participants to the control operator. A standard procedure for net control operations, used during most events, has been established. In addition, we work with the Potomac Soccer League officials on their Memorial Day Soccer Tournament each year. This is a massive event, involving three days of games at approximately 20 fields. Our goal is to have each field covered, and we have had to enlist the assistance of other local teams each year. Because the size of the event and the assistance required, we are usually awarded a donation for our services.

We are also members of National Capital REACT, Inc. (NCRI), a body composed of area REACT teams ( Fairfax County, Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland ). NCRI owns and operates the two major GMRS repeater systems that team members access.

SHADOW Traffic Reporting Service also relies upon Montgomery County REACT to provide it (Shadow) with accurate and timely traffic and road condition reports for the metropolitan Washington D.C. area.

Montgomery County REACT team meetings are held twelve times a year, generally on the 3rd Monday of each month at 20:00 hours (8:00 p.m.). The meetings are held in the community meeting room of the Potomac Electric Power Company's (PEPCO) training facility in Rockville, Maryland.

More REACT volunteers are needed to ensure everyone gets help when needed. Every emergency call requires a monitor to succeed. It's as simple as that.

Are you interested in joining our Team? Then Click Here to send an E-Mail message to the Team or write a letter (Snail Mail) to the Team at the address listed below or call the Voice Mail phone number listed at the end of this page.

Are you a Maryland High School student? Need to meet your community service hours requirement for graduation? Join Montgomery County REACT; we are the PERFECT solution to your problem!! We currently have THREE junior team members, obtaining their hours requirement by helping the Team provide communications support for the various community events that call upon our communications expertise.

One of the Team's officers will contact you shortly after receiving your Voice Mail message, E-Mail message or Letter.

The Voice Mail is checked daily!

Call sign - Identify yourself, vehicle/boat
Location - Be exact. Included State/Province
Injuries - Number, Type, Trapped?
Problem - Give details and help required.

Click on the "GETTING HELP BY CB RADIO" graphic for more details !!

Information about Montgomery County, Maryland

Monitoring Guidelines

REACT International Home Page

Hagerstown REACT Team's Home Page

Severe Weather Safety Tips and Information

U.S. Doppler Radar for the entire U.S.

Weather Forecasts for the metro Washington D.C. area

Weather Forecasts for Maryland Cities

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