Who We Are

SATERN is an all volunteer organization made up of currently licensed amateur radio operators. They volunteer their time and efforts toward aiding The Emergency Disaster Services ministry of the Salvation Army. Many of us are also volunteers in such all volunteer organizations as SKYWARN, ARES, and others. Some have completed the FEMA online training, or EDS Incident Command training, SKYWARN training, or ARES Emergency Communications training.

SATERN has local organizations in all 50 states and Canada, as well as many other parts of the world. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network has demonstrated its effectiveness by providing essential radio communication services in countless disaster situations, including:

  •Hurricane Andrew
  •Plainfield, Ill. tornado
  •Mississipi River floods
  •Oklahoma bombing
  •Hurricane Marilyn
  •North Dakota floods
  •Northridge earthquake
  •Florida wildfires
  •Hurricane Mitch
  •Oklahoma City Tornado
  •Hurricane Keith
  •New York City Ground Zero 9/11/2001
  •Hurricane Katrina
  •Hurricane Harvey
  •Hurricane Maria (Puerto Rico & USVI) 22 days
  •Hurricane Florence

Our Mission

The Salvation Army has by inclination and tradition strived to provide service at the point of greatest need in time of disaster. Numerous services are available to alleviate suffering, meet physical needs and provide spiritual counseling and support.

The purpose of the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) is to acquire and train personnel skilled in emergency communications and message handling, who will support Salvation Army operations in local, regional and international disaster situations.

Our fervent hope and prayer is that our congregate service may indeed help mitigate the trauma and impede the potential of widespread tragedy that is implicit in disaster.

SATERN is in service to aid The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) ministry and provide communications and other technical assistance to EDS to enhance the response and effectiveness of what EDS does.

SATERN may assist in handling Health and Welfare requests in times of emergency where normal communication media fails.

SATERN will also partner with cooperating emergency responders and / or disaster relief agencies, where needed, to provide communications media where infrastructure service has been interrupted or where the infrastructure has been destroyed.