About TERN

Who We Are & What We Do

The Tomales Emergency Response Network (TERN) is an all-volunteer group of residents of Tomales and its environs, in the northwest corner of Marin County, California. A tax-exempt public benefit non-profit corporation, TERN is organized under and takes direction from the Marin County Fire Department and the Tomales Volunteer Fire Company. 

We are a member of the West Marin Disaster Council (WMDC), one of ten volunteer community “disaster councils” in West Marin under the county’s Disaster & Citizen Corps Council, and participate in WMDC’s quarterly meetings. We are also a member of FEMA’s Citizen Corps through the Community Emergency Response Team training program offered by ReadyMarin.

TERN members actively participate in the West Marin Disaster Council's two-way, handheld radio network, created and overseen by Richard Dillman of KWMR, supporting emergency communications across West Marin even when phones, power, and the Internet are down. We conduct daily signal checks of the Tomales radio network and check in daily and monthly with the wider West Marin radio network.

We welcome volunteers! Please consider joining us as a member of the radio network and/or to contribute in another way. Visit the Connect page and use the contact form there to reach out.

MISSION

TERN's mission is to serve the Tomales community in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency by helping first responders keep the village safe, functioning, and informed.

Thank you for helping us help our first responders — and us all!

TERN members with Senior Fire Captain Tom Nunes, Marin County Fire Department (kneeling), at CERT training offered at the Tomales High School in the winter of 2017.

ACTIVITies

TERN is primarily an emergency communications network, from hand-held GMRS radio networks and digital communications to flyers in the Post Office and word of mouth. Our focus on communications extends to coordinating with other organizations — in Tomales, in West Marin, at the County level — and with the people in our community. Some of us are also certified CERTs. We’re all connected and depend on one another.

RADIO NETWORK

  • Join the TERN radio network for check-ins at 7:45 am, daily or when you can

  • Get trained on radio protocol

  • If possible, monitor 24 hours/day by keeping radio charged & close by

  • Participate in periodic practice radio drills

  • Sign up for “teams” dispatches from fire departments

Digital and Analog Communications

  • Maintain and promote situational awareness by monitoring weather and other relevant conditions, through trusted online and offline sources, including social media and apps

  • Report out through the radio network and other channels as appropriate when threats to public safety in our area arise

CERT TEAM MEMBER

  • Get certified and maintain certification

  • In an emergency, according to your skills and comfort levels:

    • Assist with wellness checks

    • Assist with search & rescue during a disaster

    • Offer rescue first aid during disaster

    • Participate in periodic drills

Entrance to the small device charging station set up by TERN during the extended power outage triggered by the Kincade Fire in October of 2019.