A post-Katrina Hurricane program of the National Weather Service (NWS), RCAS is evaluating use of existing infrastructure to provide emergency information to rural areas with poor cell phone coverage. DRI is using four CEMP stations to route NWS weather and disaster warning information to LED signs that are linked to the CEMP stations. For this RCAS demonstration, DRI is collaborating with four Nevada counties, the Duckwater-Shoshone Indian Reservation, and the Nevada Department of Homeland Security.

Testing new Remote Community Alert Messaging Sign (RCAS) at the Duckwater Indian Reservation in Nevada )Scott Campbell). Setting up the sign for emergency weather and other alerts brought wireless internet to the reservation for the first time (November 2010)

Schematic of Remote Community Alert Demonstration (RCAS) Using Community Environmental Monitoring Stations