EMERGENCY RADIOS

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32459, 20 November 1970, Page 17

EMERGENCY RADIOS

Two-way radios for use in emergencies are being fitted to an increasing number of private cars in the United States, it is reported from Detroit. The radios operate on the citizens band. The radios Cost about $lOO and have a range of up to 20 miles. The United i States authorities have set aside one citizens’»band channel specifically for emergencies, in particular road emergencies, and it on this frequency the radios are primarily designed to work. If a motorist in a car fitted with one of the radios is stranded with a breakdown or comes upon an ac--1 'cident, he can summon assistance on the emergency channel. Throughout the United States there are about 1300 base stations listening in on the emergency channel 24 hours a day, and they relay emergency calls to the authorities by telephone. A nation-wide system is

planned: already in Detroit there are 77 base stations, and about one car in every 60 is fitted with a citizens’ band radio. General Motors has supported the system financially, and some experts predict that in five years the radios will be fitted to new cars as standard equipment. In the first six months of

this year, the Detroit stations alone handled more than 3000 emergency calls and requests from motorists for information. Most calls came during traffic rushhours. Other emergency radio programmes (known as REACT) are being started in other parts of the nation.