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acrem.org.au - acrem.org - acrem.info
CB Radio Saves Lives - Help Us to Help You
1975 - 2008 : 33 Years of Helping to Save Lives!
ACREM, the Australian Citizens Radio Emergency Monitors, is a group of trained radio operators that provide a volunteer monitoring service on the CB emergency channels, and/or other relevant local channels or repeaters, relaying calls for help from the community to the required service(s). ACREM currently operates in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, and our primary role remains the provision of volunteer monitoring services on the CB band. ACREM has affiliations with other community organisations such as the Australian National 4WD Radio Network Inc.(VKS737), and the Australian Association of Citizens & Band Radio Operators Inc. (ACBRO).
Whilst ACREM members can help provide safety communications for community events, such as fun runs, triathlons, etc, this is not our primary role. ACREM does not actively seek roles providing personnel to man barricades or direct traffic like some other CB organisations do. We maintain that our primary role is the provision of volunteer monitoring services on the CB bands and safety communications, and not providing services that have very little to do with this role. The same principle is applied to major emergencies or natural disasters - during or following these events ACREM's primary concern is the provision of monitoring and communications services and not the provision of personnel to knock on doors or man road closures. Persons interested in helping at events or emergencies to man barricades, direct traffic, park cars, door knock, etc, should look at membership of a more suitable organisation such as the State Emergency Service, Red Cross, or a local service club.
On our website you will find information on the CB emergency channels as well as information on ACREM and our activities. To find your way around simply use the Menu options above or to the left. Our Help section contains information on some of the features of the website.
CB Still Saves Lives
Even with the proliferation of mobile telephones, CB is still very widely used in the community and is often used to call for help following an emergency. In fact, many people helped each year don't even own or use a CB themselves - almost all trucks, and many 4WD's and cars, are fitted with CB and reports of traffic accidents, breakdowns, fires, and other emergencies are often made by these users, especially in areas where mobile telephone coverage may be marginal, or following storms or bushfires when land-line and mobile telephone services may fail for lengthy periods.
CB has, and still does, save lives every year and unlike many other forms of communication, there is no ongoing fee or charge to own or use a CB, no need for individual licences, and no need to learn special jargon or codes - ACREM Monitors, and those of other similar groups, are trained to use plain language so anyone can call for help without knowing any CB jargon.
Volunteers Serving the Community
ACREM Members are entirely volunteer and receive no payment for the services they provide. Most often equipment used to provide the monitoring services are the Monitors own personal equipment. ACREM receives no form of financial sponsorship or funding and relies heavily on members and donations to continue. ACREM is endorsed as a Public Benevolent Institution and a Deductible Gift Recipient by the Australian Taxation Office, meaning that all donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. ACREM is the only CB monitoring group that holds national registration and operates in more than one state. ACREM is recognised as a valuable community service by emergency services in all states of operation (For information about the accreditation of CB monitoring groups by state rescue agencies, read our rescue accreditation page.).
ACREM is playing an active role in helping our environment. Persons wishing to join can now use our complete online application form that requires no follow up paper application, and Monitors can lodge incident reports and notification of activities online instead of using paper incident report forms or event notifications. Where possible ACREM utilises email notification to members rather than posting out paper notifications. This greatly reduces the amount of paper used by all members of ACREM. We are also working with members to try and increase the use of green power such as solar and wind to operate radio equipment.
ACREM is affiliated with the Australian Association of Citizens and Band Radio Operators (ACBRO), a group dedicated to representing the interests of all CB users in Australia, and the Australian National 4WD Radio Network (VKS737), a Public Benevolent Institution that provides HF communications services to 4WDers and travellers across Australia. ACREM also represents the interests of CB users to government departments and agencies, often in close co-operation with ACBRO and other groups, on matters of importance to the CB bands and/or emergency communications.
In some regions ACREM Members help out with communications support for community events and other activities, including the JOTA weekend where Scouts and Guides from across the world use radio to communicate with each other and learn about different cultures. ACREM believes that events such as JOTA provide a unique opportunity to help educate our youth about the correct use of radio and emergency channels.
Supporter Sticker Now Available!
Show your support and help us by purchasing a supporters sticker today. Only $1 each with 100% of profits going to ACREM. Click on the sticker above to see more information.
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