First Response Radio

By Amplifying Voices | January 4, 2020
First Response Radio Studio in a Suitcase

HCR was a founding member of the First Response Radio (FRR) network and supported international FRR coordination, monitoring and evaluation from initial concept exploration until Dec 2019.

History

HCR developed the Rapid Response Radio Unit (RRRU) concept in collaboration with two other organisations between 1999-2004. In 2012 the RRRU was renamed First Response Radio. FRR formed a network of local teams in disaster prone countries who are equipped and trained to set up and run a temporary FM radio station for affected communities within 72hrs of a disaster.

  • HCR/FRR teams used the Ranger studio in a suitcase (pictured), produced by Randall Concepts. This is a robust, portable and simple to use studio setup which speeds up the time to get on air in uncertain environments.

  • HCR Pakistan was the host organisation for FRR Pakistan, and developed disaster response teams in Islamabad and Azad Jammu Kashmir.

From the beginning of 2020, FRR’s co-founder, FEBC, adopted full responsibity for all First Response Radio projects. At the same time, HCR UK rebranded as Amplifying Voices and started to develop Amplifying Voices in Disaster (AViD), supporting communities where we are already active so that their voices take a central role in responding to disaster and in recovery. FRR and Amplifying Voices continue to share learning around disaster reponse equipment and community engagement, and are both members of the CDAC network.

HCR and First Response Radio in 2019

Within 2 weeks of Cyclone Idai, March 2019, an HCR team got Radio Buzi back on air with FRR equipment and a condensed version of FRR training. The local station began straightaway to broadcast lifesaving information and advice to support early recovery of community members in Buzi. Read more about the Cyclone Idai response

HCR also supported FRR to complete an evaluation of health impact due to disaster response radio in Bihar following the floods in 2017.

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