ABM Regional Disaster Alert Service

A non-government initiative of  broadcasters and emergency service workers to help
communities save lives and property.

We Let the Music Do the Talking!

ARDAS is a self-funded model that uses local radio services as emergency broadcast centres during times of disaster. It was
developed in recent consultation with Victorian emergency service workers and residents who identified the major failings of
radio during the recent Victorian bush fires as:

* Not enough people were actually listening to the radio or knew to tune into to the radio as radio services in small regional
centres are almost exclusively relays from larger centres with little or no local content.
* The emergency information was too far behind what was actually happening as the stations were obeying commercial
imperatives or adhering to their normal formats (this in most cases also included the ABC). The overall impression was that radio
treated the disaster as a major news event rather than providing any real assistance.
* When phone lines and other means of communication to smaller affected areas failed the flow of information to the studios of
these stations in larger unaffected town or cities stopped.

ABM has a 20 year plan to create small local low powered radio services throughout regional Australia, as part of this plan ARDAS
will also be implemented. ARDAS is part of a sound business model: Regional radio services are funded by local business advertising
and become a vital service to the community in pleasant times and during times of trouble they fill a vital role in helping
emergency civilian co-ordination.

How Does Our Community Participate in ARDAS?

Your community may be about to have the ARDAS system put in place, the roll out for South Eastern NSW and Victoria is
expected to be completed by the end of 2009. As we receive no government funding, preferring a sustainable business model,
the process may take longer in some areas than in others. Ask your local Emergency Services organizations to contact us in
the first instance if you would like to see ARDAS setup in your area.

Is There Anything Our Community Can Do To Help?

ARDAS relies upon low power radio services to operate. The more stations operating the ARDAS technology the more effective
the service will be in times of crisis. If you or your local organization owns unused low power AM or FM frequencies consider
making them available to us. Due to the design of the ARDAS technology, it will unfortunately only work with the Radio Services
ABM can provide (we are working on solutions currently). It can not be adapted to fit for example existing radio stations. Also
because of the high capital costs involved in establishing each site it is not cost effective to build and install equipment where
we can not ourselves recoup those costs over time. You might also like to contact the ACMA and ask them to specifically
allocate ABM an “LPON” frequency for ARDAS in your area.

Notes For Owners Of Frequencies

- Under some limited circumstances we are buying unused frequencies, but it is our strict policy to pay the original ACMA reserve price only.
- We do not pay to lease unused frequencies. If you wish to donate the frequencies use for free to the safety of the community in your area for
a minimum contracted period of 2 years please get in touch.
- ARDAS is a technology solution and a business model. One part does not work without the other. Therefore we can only work with 100% access to
available air time, sharing arrangements do not suit the technology or business model and all recent test attempts at such ventures have failed. We
naturally appreciate all shared air time offers but can not currently work with them.

All Enquiries Regarding ARDAS should be directed to:

Andy Brown
Andy [ @ ] zfmcountrywide.com
02-82093851