Residents press county to back community‑level emergency warnings; ham radios, FM and sirens discussed

At the June 11 workshop, community members and commissioners discussed multiple options for improving emergency communications in remote Trinity County communities, including ham‑radio networks, outdoor sirens and low‑power FM radio stations.

What was discussed: consultants presented a community request from Hyampom (Hyampom/Hyampom reference) for an early‑warning system, modeled on the Paradise, CA outdoor siren program; however, several community members recommended focusing instead on locally used ham radio networks and training. Separately, participants described emerging low‑power FM proposals (local licenses via a noncommercial operator identified as "Velocity" in the discussion) that county emergency managers and Sheriff/OES could tap to broadcast warnings.

County and commission responses: staff said Trinity County OES has pursued grant funding for ham‑radio equipment and operator training and that OES has provided some radios and training; commissioners asked staff to coordinate an approach that minimizes county financial commitments while maximizing community resilience. The board and commission discussed whether to include an FM network in county planning at the general‑plan level or treat it as a countywide policy; staff recommended countywide coordination where appropriate and community‑specific language where needed.

Why it matters: remote communities with limited cell coverage are especially vulnerable during wildfire evacuations; the choice among sirens, ham radio and FM has budget, operational and coverage implications and intersects with federal/state grants and local volunteer capabilities.

Next steps: staff will refine plan language to reflect community preferences, coordinate with OES and other emergency partners, and return with clearer policy language and options that emphasize support, training and grant seeking rather than guaranteed county operational funding.