Radios Keep Watch Group Connected

Within minutes of feeling the ground shake under her feet, Diane Hill was communicating with officials and her neighbors.

So she knew right away that she had nothing to worry about when the quake--a magnitude 2.8 temblor that caused no damage--struck last month.

For Hill, that was valuable information. And it came to her through a bright blue, half-watt, two-way radio that fits snugly in the palm of her hand.

About 29 people in the Killybrooke neighborhood communicate with one another and with city officials through the Family Radio Service network.

City officials say this neighborhood watch group could be the first in the country to use this form of communication.

The neighbors bought the low-power radios, which come in pairs like walkie-talkies and cost about $90. No license is needed to operate the radios, which generally have a range of up to 2 miles.

The radios’ advantage is the quick convenience of checking on an emergency situation without stepping outside.

The idea is now being picked up by other Costa Mesa communities, such as Mesa Verde.