Just because REACT claims that they are still an active or a viable resource is no proof. Claims of vast membership are no proof either; many groups claim wide and numerous membership yet are mere ghost members.
The proof is active public (agency) support and recognition; there is little to none for CB primarily because of its poor history of childish behavior and unreliable performance. [And in 1962 when this REACT group claims a founding, it was illegal to communicate more than 150 miles plus it was the cheap way out for businesses that needed radios. Even antenna placement had harsh limitations.]
The days of a CB antenna on every local PD or county seat are gone yet it is common for space to be made for hams in the EOC or repeater sites (often at no cost to the hams). Hams are derided yet respected as radio nerds; CBers are just derided as a yuck yuck joke.
All public defense agencies anywhere in the country have learned many times over that ham radio is a consistently reliable resource and frequently far more active than any CB organization ever hoped to be. Hams are everywhere (nearing a million licenses in the US alone), have a proven track record even today in the world of cell and satellite phones (hurricanes are a common causal event). They have been a "go to" communications group for many decades with a proven track record. CB has been unable to come even close to proving viability but have managed to prove quite the opposite. That is, in part, because it has a limited power rating in a single band subject to frequent global interference. Hams have far more options.
The military has relied on ham radio for phone patches for its personnel; has also created MARS (a group of ham radio folks operating on military frequencies) for non-critical (phone home, welfare) traffic handling as well. CB has never made it past the "ten four good buddy", back woods 'hick' mentality no matter how hard some folks have tried. It does do well with jeepers and some RVers to keep a small group in contact for rides or caravans because it is cheaply obtained, but FRS (also cheap) is more common now and we've already discussed how poorly FRS has proven itself.
After so many years, CBers had their chance and have failed, repeatedly and consistently.
ARES and RACES are active in any major population center where the need is greater for the public good. Ham radio has one federally recognized voice, the ARRL (love it or not), CB has none. Ham operators are frequently used for public events (bike races or marathons) because it is easily coordinated over a wider area that CB could never manage. That's also great practice (and advertising for potential new licenses) for the hams and gets the officials used to relying on ham radio. Hams make it work, every time.
If Bucksnort Montana wants to include CB in their emergency plan; that's on them. But for consistent reliability ham radio is called in first. If one chooses CB, it's a poor option compared to reality of the other choices.
Rather than getting into a urinary spraying contest, ham radio is a proven resource and CB is generally considered to be a joke in emergency management circles, in particular in CA which is where this list is concentrating.
It's time to move on.
Rick wa6nhc
Tiny iPhone 5 keypad, typos are inevitable
It isn't unusual for a volunteer organization to be active in one area, but fairly non-existent in another. Much depends on the leadership and activity of the local group, local needs, and how local authorities view and utilize volunteers. For example, CERT viability can vary greatly as a deployable resource (or not) from one operational area to another. Ditto for ARES, which is very active in some operational areas and rather inactive in others. In some areas REACT may be more active assisting at public events, not really on the radar of local authorities as a resource. In another area they may be considered a viable asset for site-specific communications, included on the Emergency Operations Plan radio communications resource list.
A web site does not an organization make; nor does it make it viable. Results do that, REACT has none.
Rick
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