14 Steps to Start
A New REACT Team

STEP 1:  MAKING INITIAL CONTACT

Contact the local police, sheriff or other law enforcement departments in advance, to advise them of what you are trying to do, and to inform them about REACT if they are unaware. Ask them to give their "official blessing" to your plans, assuring them that you will try to organize the team in such a manner that insures screening of potential members. This includes an initial verifying of their applications with the chosen police or sheriff department for their comments about suitability of the applicant.

One approach that has worked in some areas, was that the local law enforcement agency normally doesn't have the time and resources to coordinate a large number of individual volunteers. By endorsing and helping the formation of a REACT Team, this agency can then deal just with the designated contact persons (Team Officers) who will be responsible for organizing and training the remainder of volunteer members.

With or without official support, you have your work cut out for you. With the visible support of the local law enforcement agencies, your task will be somewhat easier. With active opposition, it will be almost impossible to organize a REACT Team. If you are facing active opposition, spend more time trying to educate them before beginning the next step.

STEP 2:  SELECTING A MEETING LOCATION  

The location of your first meeting is important. This is where your local contacts come in handy. Ask everyone for suggestions of FREE meeting locations. We emphasized the word "FREE" assuming that you don't have an unlimited financial backing to pay for a lot of expenses. You already may be absorbing the costs of driving to the area to meet with local officials and organize these meetings. Look for a public meeting place that easily accessed. This means easy to give directions to a place where all the locals already know.

Suggestions include such places as:

• Police or Sheriff Department
• City Hall or Court House
• Red Cross Chapter
• Community Center
• VFW Post or Bingo Hall
• Religious Organization's Facility
• Public Library
• Banks
• Restaurant

We do not recommend that you hold the meetings in a person's home. This is because many prospective members will not want to attend a meeting not held in a public location. In addition, the news media will be less likely to help you publicize your meeting if not held in a public place. The key is to improvise and use local contacts wisely. Contact the above list of agencies or organizations for suggestions. If they don't have space available, they might know who does.

Depending upon the meeting location, you might want to arrange for some light snacks and drinks to be made available for those attending. Naturally, if you are holding this in a restaurant, you won't want to bring in outside supplies.

Organize and prepare your printed handout materials from those supplied with this kit and/or your own re sources. Use simple Black/White photo copies to keep your costs down. If you can borrow the use of someone's copier for free, more power to you. Arrange for someone else to be available to pass them out at the appropriate time.

STEP 3:  PUBLICIZING YOUR INTENTS  

Before you can organize a team, you must let others know what you are trying to do. The following ideas have worked in organizing new teams. We have supplied sample news releases and advertisements for each of the media types listed below. In addition, we can provide Software ".TIF" files REACT graphics in IBM/PC format on a 3.5" diskette (1.44 mb) that you can utilize with Aldus PageMaker (r), WORD PERFECT (r) or another word processing package.

• Local Businesses, especially restaurants, will usually permit non-profit groups to post notices or flyers on their community bulletin board, or in their windows announcing the formation of a new REACT Team. REACT Brochures can help spread the word. Make a written list of those businesses who cooperate and thank them after the Team is organized. This will make it more likely that they will continue to offer some level of support to the new Team after it is organized.
• Newspapers are often willing to run free notices and news stories about what you are doing. They are not required to do this, but might. Weekly or regional publications are often eager to accept stories about something new happening in their communities, especially if supported by local law enforcement. Be aware of their publication deadlines.
• Radio Stations will often run Public Service Announcements (PSA's) to announce your activities, and their news departments will run stories about it as well. Here again, they are no longer required to run your PSA, but will use this to fill space on an "As Available" basis. Some stations will be happy to have guests on their morning shows or at other times. Some have talk show programs needing guests.
• Television Stations, with news departments will often run brief stories about the organization, but in larger cities or counties without local coverage, this is hard to obtain. Be aware that busy news days will result in less coverage than on weekends where they are "desperate" for news. Sunday news coverage is most likely to need a story than other times.
• Word of Mouth will normally only work well if you are starting with a core of persons who have already been identified as willing to start a new team. Once you obtain a core of volunteers, they can recruit their friends and relatives to join, and will know more of the local politics than an outsider such as yourself.
• Local Radio Dealers will usually love to help spread the word, especially if their customers are using Citizen Band or Amateur Radios. Contact your local RADIO SHACK (r) to ask them to let you leave flyers announcing the meeting.

STEP 4:  CONDUCTING THE MEETING

Wear your REACT Team uniform. This sets a professional tone for the meeting. Bring at least four to six members from your team to conduct the meeting. Know ahead of time who will conduct the meeting and what each member's role will be during the meeting. Invite a representative from the Police Chief, Mayor, Sheriff, etc. to the meeting.

Start on time! Everything you do will set precedent for future actions. You only have one opportunity to make a first good impression and case to convince those attending your meeting that what you are presenting is something they should get involved in. Remember, you are trying to get a core group of individuals to assume responsibility for getting this effort off the ground. They will most likely be a group of strangers unknown to each other, with the exception of small groups of friends or relatives who come together.

Introduce yourself and any others who came with you. Identify your backgrounds related to REACT and your experience. This sets you up as the expert. You have applied the same type of thinking, or mentality, as often occurs when a business owner who will often trust an outside consultant more than their own staff because of the "perception of professionalism" that the consultant projects.

Have each person stand and introduce themselves by name and reason for attending. This will serve to make them feel less of a stranger and allow them to find (hopefully) a common ground of understanding. Think back to how you make new members welcome in your own team. Multiply that effort by a factor of 10 in this case. It is your job to mold this group into a coherent functioning team of "members" from a group of unrelated strangers. Since REACT is primarily a radio communications organization, ask each of them to specifically state what types of radio experience they may have and what types of radios they might be licensed on (Amateur, GMRS/Commercial, CB, etc.) Don't expect them to generate a lot of questions right away.

Explain why you are holding this meeting. (To organize a local REACT Team, of course) Explain what services or roles that other REACT Teams commonly perform in their own local communities. Use examples from your own team's past accomplishments or those of other teams in the area. Have extra copies of your team's latest newsletter (if available) to pass out during break. Success breeds success. You are "lending" your team's reputation by sponsoring the start of this new Team.

Explain the origin and structure of REACT International. Have the handout ready for distribution after you finish explaining this subject and answering questions. Don't read it to them, explain it to them in your own words. Tailor your explanation to the background of the individuals attending the meeting. Explain how REACT International serves the individual teams and councils.

As a technique, we strongly recommend you pass out any written materials after you have presented them. This is because passing it out before or during your presentation will dilute their attention since some of them will begin reading the materials rather than paying attention to what you are saying.

Discuss the types of radios that a REACT Team commonly will utilize. Most new REACT Teams will start out with CB Radios and possibly Amateur Radios. Explain why each type of radio will compliment each other.

Citizen Band (CB) Radio. The only radio easily available to the general public without any licensing requirements. Relatively inexpensive, but restricted in effectiveness because of the nature of the 11 meter radio frequencies.

Amateur Radio. Ham operators have a wide variety of radio frequencies to use. The type of license an individual holds will determine their operating privileges. The most commonly used local frequency is 2 meter radio (144-148 MHz VHF) or 440 MHz (UHF) radio. The entry level license is the "NO-CODE Technician". This provides local privileges only with no high frequency (HF) privileges. Other license classes are "Novice', "Technician Plus", "General", "Advanced", and "Extra". Each requires a higher level of technical expertise (theory) and proficiency with morse code (CW). Radio equipment ranges in costs from inexpensive hand held units to thousand dollar HF radios.

GMRS / Commercial Radios. Many REACT Teams utilize General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios in the 462 MHz UHF band. These are classified as commercial radios and require an application for license from the FCC. Licenses cost $60 (* as of 09/18/95) for a five year period. Licenses are restricted to US Citizens only. No businesses can obtain a license. REACT Teams who had Team licenses prior to the regulation change in 1989 have been protected (grandfather clause), but new Teams cannot obtain a group license. The effective use of GMRS radios is heavily dependent upon the affordable availability of a GMRS Repeater in the immediate area. Not an easy objective to achieve in most cases.

Explain the training which you will be providing. Most teams who succeed, were those who were trained so that they were operated in a competent and professional manner. Those who were just thrown out on their own with application form in hand, have a poor record of success.

STEP 5:  EXPLAIN THE CHARTER APPLICATION PROCESS

Display the Charter Application. Explain that once they complete the form (with your help, hopefully) it must be forwarded to REACT International with the appropriate charter fees and membership dues. You must have at least three (3) individuals register as members with the charter application, but the more the merrier. Less than ten (10) members will make it harder for them to have a creditable presence in their community, and will make less likely to succeed. Twenty or more, with proper training, almost always succeed.

Discuss the requirements to comply with IRS non-profit regulations concerning the conduct of their Team and the structure of their bylaws.

STEP 6:  FILL OUT INDIVIDUAL MEMBER APPLICATIONS

Use the individual application forms included with this kit. Later they can modify them to suit their needs and preferences, but these are a good starting point. There is a reason for the somewhat lengthy form which we supplied. The idea is that persons most likely to be not suitable for the type of organization which you are helping to start, will decline to complete the form and will lose interest in joining. REACT International strongly encourages teams to REJECT membership applicants with FELONY CRIMINAL RECORDS. If for no other reason, than to protect the reputation of the team.

It is very important to screen the first applicants, because they will form your nucleus of the Team and some of them will become the Team's officers. The charter members will have more influence over team operations in the years to come than those who join later. The wrong type of person joining can ruin the chances of success for the entire Team.

STEP 7:  HANDLING THE FEES

It is suggested that the initial membership checks be made payable to "REACT", rather than a local person. (We'll cover the handling of these funds in the next section.) In addition, you must decide how to handle the requirement of the Charter Application Fee. At the time this was written, the cost was around $45 to apply for a new Team Charter. REACT International's office can provide this current information. The Application is free. The Charter is not. Suggestions on how to pay this fee include taking up a collection among those first applicants, or having the amount donated by some other person or organization, such as a neighboring team or council.

In some areas, the council or a neighboring local team will often provide the charter fee with the "condition" that they "loan" the money to another new starting Team at some time in the future. There is (usually) no time limit placed upon this, and the individual members are not liable for the repayment of the charter fee. If the Team fails to continue, then any team owned assets or bank balance are donated back to the sponsoring team or council in accordance with IRS regulations governing 501(c)(3) organizations. Using this technique eliminated one of the more difficult stumbling blocks involved in starting up the new Team, paying the charter application fee.

STEP 8:  ORGANIZING YOUR NEW TEAM

Pick a Team Name. Usually the Team name will be named after the major city , county or other geographic area in which it is based. Come to the meeting prepared with some suggested names to present. REACT International must approve any name, but as long as the word "REACT" is included, they generally will approve most names. Keep it simple, and remember to watch the initials because other people and organizations may start referring to the new Team by their initials. Many teams use the format of "XXXXXX County REACT" or "XXXXXX Area REACT" in designing their name. Later, when they get incorporated, they can just add the ", Inc." to their name.

The first step is to elect temporary officers. This can be very difficult since you are usually dealing with a group of strangers who may not trust each other. This is why we are recommending that "temporary" officers be elected, or appointed, for a period of three to six months, followed by calendar year terms for 1 year at a time.

Select an official mailing address. We highly recommend the use of a P.O. Box from the beginning, but sometimes it is hard to get one at the main post office, and it costs money to get. Many teams select their new secretary or president's home address as the official mailing address, but we strongly discourage this practice if any alternative is available. By establishing a permanent public mailing address, you reduce the chance of disruption should one or more of the officers later quit the Team.

Set up a Team Checking Account. Contact a local bank or several banks. Shop around for the best deal. Ask for a free checking account for a non-profit organization. Sometimes because one of the new Team's members has their accounts at a bank or credit union, the team can get a free account. You might have to pay for the checks, but you should be able to have any fees waived. The signature cards should be set up to require two signatures to be valid, preferably those of the president, treasurer and / or vice president. Avoid the temptation to run the Team's new funds (what there may be) through an individual member's personal account. We know of several teams who experience problems because of accusations of siphoning off, or the misuse of, team funds. Bookkeeping in much harder to keep straight if a Team account is not established. While a minimum initial deposit may be required, you can get around this by depositing the Charter Application Fee and initial membership dues in the account when opened, plus a little extra of course, and then write a single check to send with the charter application.

STEP 9:  BY-LAWS & UNIFORM CODE

Establish a set of working Team By-laws using the sample one supplied with this kit and modify them to fit local needs, while retaining those clauses required by REACT International and the IRS. Adopt a Uniform Code that is simple, yet easily identifiable as REACT. A sample is included. Uniforms vary wildly and widely from team to team, state to state. If you attend a REACT International Convention, you will see white shirts with black pants prevalent, dress uniforms, jump suits, open neck bowling shirts, orange shirts, black shirts, blue shirts and custom designed and made uniforms that cost a fortune. The key point here, is to establish a simple, affordable, yet professional looking uniform code that all the members can afford, and that the community can associate with the new REACT Team.

STEP 10:  SET MEETING DATES

Set the dates for the next few meetings. Decide what time of day and week is most convenient for those wanting to join the new Team. Those attending the meeting may come up with a better place to hold the meetings, and that should not cause a problem, but avoid the temptation to keep changing the meeting locations each time. Set consistent meeting dates, time and location from the start.

STEP 11:  TRAINING SCHEDULES

Set up training schedules, with you conducting them initially. (Told you earlier to expect to make several trips back into the area for meetings.) Plan on conducting multiple training sessions for the following topics:

• REACT History & Team Operation Methods
• RADIO Monitoring Procedures (RI has official training materials available)
• Radio NET Operating Procedures
• Running a Meeting (Parliamentary Procedures)
• Writing Team By-Laws
• Public Relation Techniques
• Fund-raising Techniques
• Traffic Direction @ Accident Scenes (if allowed by local law enforcement)
• Parking Lot Supervision Methods
• Conducting A Holiday Safety Break (Coffee Break)
• Red Cross Disaster Training (Get help from Red Cross for this)

STEP 12:  COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Learn what community events are scheduled over the next few months and see if the sponsors could use some volunteer help. Plan on assisting the new team with trained manpower and possibly extra radio equipment until they feel comfortable being on their own.

Identify potential events or activities which could be used to generate income and donations for the new Team. Many Teams accept donations for providing volunteer communication services or parking lot supervision. Others sell food at community events (easy way to lose your proverbial shirt if the weather turns out bad). Holiday Safety Breaks can generate cash if local merchants help to underwrite the event and if the Team can accept donations from the motorists who visit. Some states do not permit donations to be solicited, or restrict the circumstances under which donations may be solicited or accepted.

Work to build a solid reputation, 1 step at a time. Rome wasn't built in a single day, and the new Team's reputation won't be either. The Team's performance at each event will build upon their performance at previous events. It is important here, to remind the new Team members that when they wear the REACT Uniform, they are REACT. The public won't look at them as individuals, but as a Team of Volunteers. The actions of one member will reflect upon all the members.

STEP 13:  NON-PROFIT STATUS

The requirements for obtaining State Recognition of the new Team's non-profit status vary from state to state. The federal exemption is covered under REACT International's blanket exemption as long as you followed the guidelines set out for your by-laws. Becoming exempt from your state's taxes is another matter altogether.

Contact the agency in your state or province who collects sales tax, corporate income tax, etc. and ask them for help. Contact the Secretary of State's office (or equivelent) to request an application for incorporation as a not for profit corporation. You may need to involve a lawyer in this process, and it may cost the team some of its scarce funds unless you find a lawyer who is willing to do it "pro bona" for the team. In Texas, remember to file for exemption from the Corporate Franchise Tax. REACT Teams are approved automatically, but you do have to apply!

STEP 14:  SUPPORT AFTER THE SALE

Get up out of that chair and plan on spending more time helping the new Team with their meetings and activities for at least the first three months. Plan on helping them with major events, and asking them to help you (free bonus) in return. The fun is only beginning!

Help them organize a monitoring schedule for CB Radio. While this is a low visibility activity, it is an important part of establishing an official presence in the community by providing an immediate public service.

Now is not the time to stop the publicity campaign. If nothing else, step it up using the ongoing activities and efforts of the new Team to generate PSA's and news releases. It should be easier now that locals are the ones placing the PSA requests directly.

Meet with emergency officials to discuss how the new REACT Team could help them in some small way as part of their disaster contingency plans. Don't expect to waltz in and take over the existing power structure among the emergency community. Walk softly and let your good deeds talk for you. Make it plain to the other emergency oriented agencies that you want to learn from them. A wise man once told a ambitious REACT Team President to identify needs in his community that no one else was meeting, and then meet them. He cautioned this president to take small baby steps until they knew for sure how much they could professionally handle, by saying "It is better to do a few things expertly and professionally, than to do a lot of things in a sloppy, mediocre manner that would bring harm and disrespect to REACT's reputation." One thing he referred to was caution in promising full availability for emergencies, without reminding the other party that most of your members work during the day and would not be available for most emergencies if they happened during normal work hours.

Offer to help provide radio observers at any community parades. It is amazing how much behind the scenes coordination that needs to be done from checking the parade line-up to making sure any delays in the parade are handled in a prompt and smooth manner. Parades are often a "freebee" to make your volunteer services better known. The Parade MC at the main reviewing stand can announce a thanks to the REACT Team for assisting with the parade.

Walk-a-thons, Run-a-thons, and Bicycle Rides are some of the other events which can often generate a donation to the Team since they usually are generating cash for the sponsoring organization. For that matter, ask the sponsors if they would consider helping REACT to put one on specifically for them.

Some of these events mentioned above, may be already using other radio organizations to coordinate their event. If you still want to get involved, ask how to contact that other organization and offer to provide additional manpower to work under their instructions at the event. Don't try to jump in and immediately take over. If your operation is more efficient than the previous, the sponsors will notice on their own.

Many cities, counties, and even military bases have Emergency Operation Centers, (usually called "EOC's"). They are usually welcome to the idea of getting more volunteers to help. Again, don't go barging in to show that you know how to do their job better than they do. Many of these types of officials and volunteers have been in their positions for 10-20 years and have seen a lot of volunteers and volunteer groups come and go while they stayed to keep things running.

Many American Red Cross Chapters have DAT Teams. "DAT" stands for "Disaster Assistance Team" and is comprised of a group of trained volunteers who respond to the scene of emergencies on the Red Cross Chapter's behalf. They are the "first responders" who assess the situation and supply the immediate needs of the situation while calling for help if necessary for additional support or backup. Many Red Cross chapters will offer disaster training "FREE" to all of their disaster volunteers, which means most REACT members usually receive this training for free as well. REACT International has a national agreement with the American Red Cross, but it is up to the local team and Red Cross chapter to implement this agreement on a local basis.