CONSTITUTION

OF THE

NAUVOO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

Nauvoo, Illinois - October 2023

Article I – TITLE

The Organization shall be known as the Nauvoo Emergency Communications Network and shall be identified as such, or by such call sign(s) as may be assigned by the Federal Communications Commission.

Article II – PURPOSE

The primary purpose of the Nauvoo Emergency Communications Network is to provide and support reliable emergency communications to the residents of Nauvoo Illinois, and surrounding communities, in the event of a disaster that disrupts normal communication services. It will also provide training opportunities and technical support to its members on the various communications methods that may be employed during a disaster event; Including radio.

Article III – SERVICE AREA

The network service area will focus primarily on the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, but will extend to nearby communities where feasible.

Article IV – OFFICERS

Network officers and trustees must hold current licenses for Amateur Radio or GMRS Radio.

Section 1 – Officer Positions

Network officer positions shall be President, Vice President, and Secretary. These officers will appoint a License Trustee if an Amateur Radio or GMRS Station License is granted by the FCC. It is preferred that network officers have experience relating to emergency preparedness and emergency communications.

Section 2 – Terms of Service

Network officers will serve as long as desired until a suitable replacement can be found. Replacement officers will be determined by the majority vote of the general membership.

Article V – MEMBERSHIP

Membership is divided into two categories: Members and Team Leaders.

Section 1 – Members

Membership is open and free to anyone interested in supporting emergency communications within the boundaries of the Network service area (Article III). There are no dues, attendance, or requirements for membership other than providing their own radio equipment.

Section 2 - Team Leaders

These are individual members who have volunteered to serve the general membership. They are to provide technical support, training, and troubleshooting to the general membership. Team leaders are to be approved by a unanimous vote of the Network officers.

Article VI – MEETINGS

Network officers and team leaders will meet together as needed. These meetings may be held in person or virtually. Any meetings for the general membership will be scheduled as needed at the discretion of the network officers and announced in advance via email.

Article VII – AFFILIATIONS

The Nauvoo Emergency Communications Network is not affiliated with any church, government, or civic organization. It is a group of residents willing to help support emergency communications in the greater Nauvoo, Illinois area.

Article VIII – OPERATIONS

Section 1 - Radios

The network will use the Global Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and the Family Radio Service (FRS) as its primary communications tools. Hand-held radios, like those sold at department stores, support both FRS and GMRS channels. A radio with 2 watts of power or less will have limited range, but is sufficient for residents living inside the Nauvoo city limits. Members living outside the city limits are encouraged to purchase a high-power radio of 5 watts or more that supports 'Repeaters'. The regular channel that will be used by this network will be channel 22. Members living outside the city limits should use repeater channel 30.

Section 2 - Licensing

No license is required to use a radio with 2 watts or less. High-power radios require a $35 GMRS license from the FCC. This license covers all members of the licensee's family for 10 years. Network officers and team leaders will help with the licensing process. Please note: If your life or property is in immediate danger, then you are allowed to use any radio and any frequency to call for help, regardless of being licensed. If you plan on participating in the monthly practice sessions using a high-power radio, then getting a license would be the right thing to do.

Section 3 - Monthly Practice Sessions

Each month, network members will have the opportunity to test their radios and practice their radio skills. On the first Sunday of each month, starting at 7pm, a team leader or officer will conduct a practice session. Members will use their radios from their homes and join the session by turning on their radios and selecting channel 22 (channel 30 for repeater users). These sessions will include a roll call and any information of value to the community. Participation in the monthly practice sessions is voluntary. 

Section 4 - During an Emergency Situation

Members should use the network to call for help when normal means of communication have failed; especially if you cannot reach 911. Team leaders and officers will be monitoring the network for any calls. Regular members are also encouraged to monitor the network. In this way, we are positioned to better help each other through times of distress. If there is an extended power outage, then we will use the Wilderness Radio Protocol. This means that you only turn on your radio at the top of each hour to receive information and transmit your needs. Then, after 10 minutes, you turn off your radio to save battery power.

Section 5 – 911 Escalation

If any calls for Police, Fire, or Ambulance occur during an emergency event, they are to be immediately escalated to Hancock County Emergency Services by the team leader or network officer who is monitoring the network. Escalation is done via amateur radio to the Hancock County Sheriff's office using the Carthage repeater frequency 145.105 with 103.5 Hz tone. The requested services will then be dispatched by 911 operators. Officers and team leaders submitting 911 calls are required to fill out the 'Nauvoo 911 Information' form, and keep a copy for future reference.

Article IX – DISSOLUTION OF THE NETWORK

Section 1. Termination of Operations

If the Network officers decide that the network should be dissolved, the motion for dissolution must receive more than two-thirds vote of the full membership to pass.

Section 2. Disposition of Assets

The Network officers shall handle the disbursement of all assets. No member or group of members shall receive benefits from the assets. All equipment will be sold and the net proceeds donated to the "Grow Nauvoo" non-profit organization. All remaining cash will be donated to "Grow Nauvoo" non-profit organization.

Article X - AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the total membership. Proposals for amendments shall be distributed via email. Members will reply to that email with their votes.