Canadian Response Network
About CRN

A volunteer network built by the people who answer the call.

CRN coordinates volunteer responders across Ontario. We work alongside fire services, police and EMS services, municipal emergency management, and community organisers — providing the communications, medical and logistics capacity that makes larger operations possible.

Our story

From two-way radios to full regional response

The Canadian Response Network started with a handful of amateur radio operators providing communications support to community events. Today our members staff first aid posts, run radio nets for emergency deployments, support search and rescue operations, and coordinate volunteers on the ground at festivals, races and parades across the province.

What has not changed is how we work: everything is volunteer led, every certification is current, and every deployment is tracked so we know who was on site and for how long.

How we operate

  • Members maintain their own certifications in the portal and are notified before expiry.
  • Event sign-ups capture which days each volunteer can actually attend.
  • Coordinators clock volunteers in and out per day, producing an auditable hours record.
  • Every event carries a briefing pack, contact sheet and safety plan.
Our services

What we bring to an operation

Communications

Radio nets, message discipline and interoperability with other agencies.

Medical first response

First aid posts, casualty handling and support for ambulance services.

Search and rescue

Ground search teams, route clearance and shelter operations.

Emergency support

Flood response, storm clean-up and long-duration deployments.

Event operations

Marshal teams, welfare and guest services at public events.

Community education

Public first aid and radio awareness workshops.