REACT... What do they do?

[Steveradio]

Our local RACES clubs or Amateur Clubs have taken a lot of services away that we used to provide for different organizations since our training is not as it should be and we only have a few members even involved in public safety services.

We always follow local law and have each organization that uses our services make sure they obtain the proper permits for traffic services and the local police are notified what we are doing and where we will be however most of these events we have been doing for a LONG time and its like clock work with what we do in the municipalities working in.

Give REACT a chance in your area, Things do need to be changed around and more training for some teams but members are dedicated and help out when they can.

Steve

 

[vern007]

And they like to assign military ranks to themselves :roll:

Seriously, most of the REACT groups are a bunch of whackers .....equip their rides with all manner of blinky lights ....

I always thought whackers was a term defining a bunch of lonely middle aged men who surf for free internet porn.

This may be the funniest thread on this system. I would’ve sworn Dan Akroyd played a character who was a member of a REACT team. He was hysterical.

 

[ryangassxx]

I always thought whackers was a term defining a bunch of lonely middle aged men who surf for free internet porn.

This may be the funniest thread on this system. I would’ve sworn Dan Akroyd played a character who was a member of a REACT team. He was hysterical.

do you know what the movie was called?

 

[vern007]

do you know what the movie was called?

I have a hunch it was a character sketch during the SNL period of 1975-76.

 

[kb2vxa]

Go ahead, pull the other one.

 

[LouisvilleScanMan]

I think REACT obtained credibility back in the CB days from a grant from GM.

Basically it was a "brand" for the CB "Emergency Teams" fairly common back in the day of Channel 9 being the only way to get help.

With cellular phones and better public safety communications, it is obsolete

CB and CH9 are far from obsolete, I started monitoring CB channel 9 back in april 2005 and since have handled almost 200 calls, doesn really sound like much for 2 years but concidering the amout of time I spend monitoring (about 4 hrs per day) it's quite a bit, and that not counting other times when there's been callers that I heard but they couldn't hear me not to mention calls missed when I wasn't monitoring. I wish more people with CBs would make some effort to listen on CH9 when they can. Here in Louisville, me and one Louisville cop are about the only people monitoring.

 

[kb2vxa]

"I wish more people with CBs would make some effort to listen on CH9 when they can."

Now that's an interesting point. Going back to when the FCC mandated 9 as the calling and emergency channel all the trouble started. Truckers originally chose 10 and the splatter was fierce so most drifted away from monitoring 9. It only worsened when the upswing of the solar cycle brought in the skip and Puerto Rico monopolized the channel with Spanish chatter continuously. Shortly thereafter was the invasion of the morons and the whole of CB fell in the toilet and never recovered.

While there still are small enclaves of CBers operating legally and sanely it's dead for the most part so in most of the country you can call forever and nobody is listening on any channel, nobody. Oddly enough the 2M FM simplex calling frequency 145.520MHz likewise is dead as the proverbial door nail except for those enclaves where it's used for idle chit chat. To make matters worse in some areas there's little to no activity anywhere on the band so we're in the same boat, CBers on one oar and hams on the other going nowhere.

"Here in Louisville, me and one Louisville cop are about the only people monitoring."

Well, at least we know where to find Smokey! (;->) That reminds me of something funny some years ago in the wilds of the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. I spotted a cop hiding behind a billboard (doncha know it) so monitoring 9 I picked up the mic and said "Hello Smokey" rather as an off hand joke. I nearly oozed through the floorboards when he came back and asked me not to tell where he was hiding! "OK, no problem. Keep your ticket machine warm, it gets cold at night around here." That returned an amused chuckle as I maneuvered the Chevy Beast down the winding mountain road in the general direction of White Haven.

 

[DelcoScannerJunkie]

Here in PA people use Channel 9 like any other channel. People call for help on 19. There's really no more than 2 active channels besides 19 anyway.

 

[organized_mayhem]

Here react does nothing. Call them on Ch 9 for help and they tell you to call 911. They are a joke

 

[okccsi]

Here are a few things I have heard from REACT here in Oklahoma County.

1. Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department puts a call out for a car that is stalled in an intersection. They need an officer with push bars. REACT person comes over the radio and states he is at the intersection and has push bars so go ahead and 10-22 that county officer.

2. Headed home one evening, I see I guy who lives 2 streets over in my neighborhood in front of me about 4 cars. He is a REACT person, with a lightbar on his truck and a signal stick mounted over his tool box in the back. I see a ton of brake lights, pieces of cars fly everywhere, and traffic stops. I hear the REACT officer come over Midwest City Police radio announcing a 3 car MVA with multiple injuries and one head injury. MWC PD was like "Who is this again and why are you transmitting"?

3. REACT officer directing traffic after 9/11 went down and people were slamming gas stations. He was standing beside his vehicle, with pretty good cone placement behind his Tahoe. What struck me as odd was when I noticed the holstered side arm on him. Yes, I am sure it was REACT. I still see the guy around here in the same vehicle, but haven't seen the gun on him since then.

4. REACT officer came over Oklahoma County Sheriff's radio after an officer, who had been involved in a pursuit had ended up with a flat tire. He says "REACT Support Unit ### I am on scene with this officer and I have the tools to change his tire for him.

I have heard several other REACT transmissions on police department radio systems. So far, the only one I consider justified was the horrible wreck. The REACT guy on that one was also a certified EMT and a volunteer firefighter...who happened to work for the state of Oklahoma as a network systems manager.

In the case of the tire changing...what were the odds of that REACT officer being right where the pursuit was, and why couldn't he just say to the deputy, "I can change it for you" and let HIM get on the radio and tell his dispatcher?

My FIL and I went to a REACT meeting for Canadian County one time, we didn't go back.

Don Manning

 

[jakegday]

nevermind.....


someone can delete this,
cuz i sure cant

 

[Steveradio]

I have been a member of REACT since 95 or 96 and we have had numerous members come and go some worse than others. Having the REACT sign on the side of your car and yellow light on top all the time is even too much for me. I don't even keep a light on the truck for the fire company any more, except a throw up one for arriving on scene and at the scene.

In the past some members have made team names soiled but those who still are around work hard to keep the team going. Those communities that we work in understand what REACT does and appreciates our help to free up other Police or Fire units that would have to work those events. We have permission to utilize some public safety frequencies during events but after that we utilize our own cell phones or Nextels to call in emergencies.

CB CH 9 monitoring is not that active in my area since only one member has a CB in his vehicle. Most cars don't have room any more to install one once the UHF radio is in place.

Like said, give some teams a chance maybe they just need to be restructured and more training instead of doing things "THE OLD WAY" that does not always work.

Steve

 

[jayt555]

Man it hurts to read this post. I know there are some teams that are just backyard yokles,but there are several teams that really help out in their community. Please don't lump us all in the same group. As for our group, we are a 40 + member group that not only helps out during severe weather, we also help out providing comms and traffic control for several parades,runs,walks and biking events. We provided comms for our local EM when Katrina victims were sent here and we help out each year at the Offutt Air Show.Heartland REACT covers a 3 county area which oversees the greater Omaha,NE. We have 2 EOC's setup in Douglas and Sarpy counties as well as a station setup at the NWS in Valley. Several of our members have their HAM liscenses as well as their GMRS. That is all.
Jay Tunzer
Heartland REACT Unit # 29
Chief of Ops
www.HeartlandREACT.com

 

[rabidjade]

Man it hurts to read this post. I know there are some teams that are just backyard yokles,but there are several teams that really help out in their community. Please don't lump us all in the same group. As for our group, we are a 40 + member group that not only helps out during severe weather, we also help out providing comms and traffic control for several parades,runs,walks and biking events. We provided comms for our local EM when Katrina victims were sent here and we help out each year at the Offutt Air Show.Heartland REACT covers a 3 county area which oversees the greater Omaha,NE. We have 2 EOC's setup in Douglas and Sarpy counties as well as a station setup at the NWS in Valley. Several of our members have their HAM liscenses as well as their GMRS. That is all.
Jay Tunzer
Heartland REACT Unit # 29
Chief of Ops
www.HeartlandREACT.com

I have seen your team operating in person and only noticed a couple of vehicles with the stereotypical amber lights and door decals. One of the REACT guys (don't know which team he was with) messed with a traffic accident scene a few years ago and the PD wasn't happy about it. It was to the point that it couldn't be reconstructed without opinions and hearsay. Otherwise they are toned down and normal for the most part.

 

[jakegday]

Man it hurts to read this post. I know there are some teams that are just backyard yokles,but there are several teams that really help out in their community. Please don't lump us all in the same group. As for our group, we are a 40 + member group that not only helps out during severe weather, we also help out providing comms and traffic control for several parades,runs,walks and biking events. We provided comms for our local EM when Katrina victims were sent here and we help out each year at the Offutt Air Show.Heartland REACT covers a 3 county area which oversees the greater Omaha,NE. We have 2 EOC's setup in Douglas and Sarpy counties as well as a station setup at the NWS in Valley. Several of our members have their HAM liscenses as well as their GMRS. That is all.
Jay Tunzer
Heartland REACT Unit # 29
Chief of Ops
www.HeartlandREACT.com

just curious, what is the 3rd county?

 

[jayt555]

I have seen your team operating in person and only noticed a couple of vehicles with the stereotypical amber lights and door decals. One of the REACT guys (don't know which team he was with) messed with a traffic accident scene a few years ago and the PD wasn't happy about it. It was to the point that it couldn't be reconstructed without opinions and hearsay. Otherwise they are toned down and normal for the most part.

Are you sure that was someone from our team? Several of our members have an amber lightbar,it is used only when the vehicle is used to block traffic or in poor visibility situations. It is used as a saftey device only. Any of our members that is out on a team function should have a REACT magnet somewhere on their vehicle to identify them. Not saying that the accident thing wasn't one of ours,but i've been on the team for 6 years now and would be willing to bet it wasn't one of our guys.

just curious, what is the 3rd county? Saunders County,there is talk about venturing north into Washington County & East into Potawattamie(sp)Council Bluffs,IA, but we need to make sure that we can cover it and to coordinate it with the local VFD's and Sheriff's also.

 

[kb2vxa]

"Man it hurts to read this post."

Yeah, it's KILLING me! I used to be a member of REACT/CD years ago and the Elizabeth NJ chapter disbanded when we realized we were swimming upstream against the current. Now I've heard the last straw and what may be the last nail in the coffin, REACT transmitting on a police frequency. I hope they catch the bass turd and slam him HARD every which way to Sunday!

What started out great somehow fell into the cesspool that CB itself has become, I can't express my feelings on both as my emotions run the gamut from sorrow to outrage. To those still hanging on and doing a good job of it I sincerely wish you the best of luck and good fortune.

KMD7606 clear.

 

[Highpockets]

"Man it hurts to read this post."

Yeah, it's KILLING me! I used to be a member of REACT/CD years ago and the Elizabeth NJ chapter disbanded when we realized we were swimming upstream against the current. Now I've heard the last straw and what may be the last nail in the coffin, REACT transmitting on a police frequency. I hope they catch the bass turd and slam him HARD every which way to Sunday!

KMD7606 clear.

That must have been when Elizabeth was a nice place to live! Glad I left...

 

[kb2vxa]

Me too!

 

[ybbmadysu]

WOW, I thought about joining REACT and a local GMRS group just for the enjoyment of being on a radio. I am easily pleased, not like those that need amber light, a vest, and a side arm??
I have been through the pages of Crest REACT and thought it might be ok for a hobby, but reading here has opened my eyes. Especially since they charge for membership, I want to know that my money is going toward a beneficial investment.
This doesnt sound like one anymore, at-least not now.

I guess if your a retired person that enjoys child porn, your amber lights, and emergency sticker(s) (wannabe power trip) on your car then groups like that are great???

Good Times!