Minnesota Emergency Communications Team Resources

General Preparedness

Download FEMA's 120-Page PDF file, "Are You Ready?" that provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness by walking the reader through how to get informed about local emergency plans, how to identify hazards that affect their local area, and how to develop and maintain an emergency communications plan and disaster supplies kit. Other topics covered include evacuation, emergency public shelters, animals in disaster, and information specific to people with disabilities.

Missing Persons

The Minnesota Emergency Communications Team participates in locating missing persons in one of two ways as shown below.  If you are not sure of the difference between a Missing Child and an Amber Alert, please click here: 

1. If a person is missing due to a local disaster, such as the recent 35W Bridge collapse, we would have you submit the SATERN form with all of the required information.  Once you submit that form, you will be contacted with information about your missing loved one.

2. If a person has been abducted or has become disoriented and/or walked off from a nursing home, etc., the Minnesota Emergency Communications Team will assist local law enforcement, EMS agency by providing emergency radio communications or such other support as we have been requested and authorized to give. 

We ask that you please remember that as we respond to missing person requests and A.M.B.E.R. Alerts, it is a network of ham radio operators who are relaying information to the proper authorities as we receive it from the local ham radio operators throughout Minnesota.  In cases where there is a lead in our area, and one of our repeater-equipped command center vehicles is on hand, we will dispatch a team so that we can "listen" over the airwaves while following the trail of leads, relaying the information back to local law enforcement.

3. Other Missing Person Resources:

   • American Red Cross
   • CNN's "Hurricane Katrina: Safe List"
   • Craigslist New Orleans Lost and Found
   • Family News Network of the International Committee of the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina
   • Missing and Exploited Children's Web
   • Gulf Coast News Survivor-Connector List
   • Hurricane Katrina Survivors Forum
   • Hurricane Katrina Survivor Registry
   • MissingKatrina.com
   • MSNBC's "Reconnect After Katrina"
   • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
   • National Next of Kin Registry
   • New Orleans Online I’m OK List
   • New Orleans Times Picayune's Missing Persons Database
   • SafeKatrina.com
   • Salvation Army
   • U.S. Army
   • U.S. Navy

Please use our Contact form to report a missing person who has been abducted locally.  Please give all pertinent details to assist us in helping to locate your missing loved one.

College Campus Safety

Sign up for the University of Minnesota Campuses TXT-U cell phone emergency notification system here.

The Minnesota Emergency Communications Team also provides, as a public service, emergency communications during conventions, parades and other local events.  Additionally, the Minnesota Emergency Communications Team assists the community by providing Emergency Preparedness materials to the public in the form of brochures and flyers.  If you would like to receive our printed material, please use our Contact form to request the information.