Heartland REACT

Heartland REACT
	REACT International
Volunteers (2021)	70+
Website	www.heartlandreact.com
Formerly called	Douglas County REACT

Heartland REACT was a chapter of

non-profit organization in 1972 to provide communications as a public service in the event of emergency and non-emergency events around the Omaha metro area. The Omaha chapter of REACT International was dissolved in 2021 and the organization was reformed as Heartland READY.^[1]

Purpose

Heartland REACT provided communications in the event of severe weather. With over 70 trained

storm spotters that rapidly deployed to relay weather and damage reports to the National Weather Service and the Douglas County and Sarpy County Emergency Management Agencies. Members were are located in three local news stations to provide meteorologists

with visual reports.

In the winter, such as during a blizzard, members of the 4x4 Patrol scouted roads for citizens who had encountered trouble such as accidents and driving into the ditch, and transported them to a warm, safe place until help arrived. They also provided transportation for essential hospital personnel to their place of work if they are not able to get to work safely in their own vehicles.

In the event of special events as determined by local law enforcement, Heartland REACT was also called as first responders by the Omaha Police Department for missing children searches, missing endangered adults, amber alerts, and similar emergencies.

Heartland REACT provided free communications services for various events such a parades, bike rides, and walks/runs in order to ensure the safety of those participating in such events.

Events

Communications were provided for multiple events each year. Some of the events worked were:

Engineers Without Boarders
Omaha Duathlon
7 Lakes Marathon
NE Science Festival
Omaha Women's Triathlon
Flanagan Lake Triathlon
O.W.L. Ride
Omaha Triathlon
A.F.S.P. Suicide Prevention Walk
Black Squirrel Triathlon
Heartland Marathon
Florence Days Parade
Halloween Patrol
N.A.M.I. Walk
Omaha Metro Heart Walk
Omaha Safety Fair

Communications Methods

Heartland REACT used a combination of radio services to communicate. When first started, CB radios were used, but the team soon evolved into more reliable forms of communication.

Citizens Band Radio

In the early days of REACT, its primary purpose was to monitor Channel 9 on the

Citizens' band radio

for emergencies. Heartland REACT too used "Class D" CB radios. However, as the "CB craze" began to dwindle, this service was eventually discontinued.

GMRS

After a massive

radio skip. After enough donations were received, the decision was made to abandon Class D CB Radios and the team moved to "Class A" CB Radios, which eventually became the General Mobile Radio Service. A repeater was purchased and installed, which operated at the frequency 462.700 MHz. Because this frequency is an "interstitial" frequency, the public was able to listen directly to the organizations communications using FRS radios

. In 2010, Heartland REACT began streaming a feed of its GMRS repeater to the internet for the public listening via the Radio Reference website, and several mobile phone applications. Though the repeater was later upgraded and replaced in the late 1970s, the frequency was never changed and was in use until March 2011 when it was repurposed as an amateur radio repeater.

Amateur Radio

In 2009, a member vote was taken and it was decided to move the organization to the

Digital Mobile Radio

communications using Motorola DMR repeaters on the same amateur frequencies and in 2021, abandoned all analog communications.

External links

References

^ Heartland READY About

[1] Heartland READY About

[1]