DERA is an international non-governmental membership organization comprised of individuals and organizations from all disciplines.  DERA is an all volunteer organization.  There are no paid staff.

We have members that are current or former business managers, military and government employees, religious and civic leaders, volunteers at time of specific disasters, and regular people that are interested preventing or reducing the impact of and recovering from disasters.

Incorporated in 1962 as a not for profit with a base in Amateur Radio [Ham] communications, DERA started many years earlier when communications over distance was expensive, often difficult and sometimes not readily available.  At that time disasters were only referred to when they were large in size. Fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, railroad accident, ships floundering at sea, etc. The definition has changed over the years.

Today, a disaster can still be any of those issues but may also be the loss of a key member in an organization, inability to get needed services, or area wide issues that have a ripple effect to multiple organizations.

Communications have changed too, from large hand-built radios, to transistor-based units, to small handheld units with a far reach. The implementation of repeater stations, communications over the internet, and ever evolving technology including satellites and smart phones continue to change the communications landscape. 

DERA remains at the forefront of disaster preparedness and response with a robust membership and resources ready to assist in disaster situations around the globe.