The Oregon Community Foundation, in collaboration with Meyer Memorial Trust, The Ford Family Foundation and American Red Cross created a collaborative fund in 2020 called the Community Rebuilding fund to help assist communities impacted by the 2020 wildfires. McKenzie Community Communications applied for funding through this program for an emergency GMRS Repeater Network for use by the McKenzie River Valley community when the next emergency strikes. We are pleased to announce that the Oregon Community Foundation is providing $105,000 towards our community communications initiative. Your can read more about this fund on the OCF website.
MCC will build a GMRS repeater network and distribute radios throughout the Valley that will provide reliable and resilient emergency connectivity when the next disaster strikes by using redundant connections established through the use of an internet backhaul to both Bend and Eugene, which can be further utilized for expansion of internet connectivity throughout the McKenzie River Valley.
Included in the project is a training program, based on the Neighborhood Radio Communications Response Guide (developed by the City of Eugene) which will allow residents to understand the system and secure proper licensing. We will also reference a model developed by a local Neighborhood Watch. You can read more about the progress of the project on our GMRS Repeater Network Project page.