Emergency Community Communications Lighthouse Project
Our goal was to introduce our neighbours to the idea of emergency communications through MeshCore and begin exploring what a resilient, neighbourhood-scale communications network could look like when conventional cellular and internet systems are unavailable.
The project grew out of a year of building trust and connection through our neighbourhood FireSmart activities. Neighbours have been meeting one another, working together on safety, and developing a stronger sense of mutual support. We wanted to explore whether that social infrastructure could be strengthened with a communications system that continues to function when conventional infrastructure does not.
We organized a “Mesh with Your Neighbours” emergency communications pop-up at our neighbourhood muster point. Rather than holding a formal presentation, we designed it as an informal drop-in where people could come by, meet neighbours, ask questions, and see MeshCore in action. We also discussed Voyent Alert, another tool for receiving local emergency information, as well as portable batteries for recharging devices, helping people understand how different communications tools and equipment can work together.
The response was well beyond our expectations. Approximately 40–50 people attended, creating a lively and sometimes challenging event. We quickly discovered that one of our biggest challenges was simply keeping up with the number and variety of questions. People were curious not only about how MeshCore works, but about how communications could actually function for their households and neighbourhood during an emergency.
That challenge became one of our most important learnings: there is a real appetite for practical emergency communications. People want to understand what options exist before a disaster happens, how the technologies work, and what they can do themselves to become part of a more resilient communications network.
The event also generated strong interest in continuing the learning. Approximately 15–20 people signed up for more information about the next education session, and many others took flyers. We are now planning a MeshCore education session for October 18 at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre, where participants will be able to learn more about the technology, how it works, what equipment is available, and how they can participate in the network.
Perhaps the most valuable outcome was seeing the concept shift from an idea held by a few organizers to something neighbours could see themselves participating in. The Community Communications Lighthouse is not just a piece of equipment. It is part of a larger effort to build local capacity: people knowing how to communicate, knowing how to help one another, and knowing that they are not dependent on a single centralized system.
The event showed us that the foundation for this work is already present. The next step is to help more people understand how they can become part of it.
