Four of the five radio stations owned by Results Radio in Redding were affected by the historic Carr Fire in California, which has already consumed over 210,000 acres. Early in the fire, Results lost mountain-top transmitter sites on South Fork Mountain and Shasta Bally Mountain for four of its five stations: KNCQ-FM, KEWB-FM, KHRD-FM, and KESR-FM. The KKXS-FM site is on the opposite, east side of the valley and was unaffected. All stations have resumed normal operations.
Results Radio Vice President Dave Shakes tells Radio Ink that, for a week, the four impacted stations broadcast from a “Cell On Wheels” portable tower from the employee parking lot. The 106-foot tower weighs 14,000 pounds and was transported up Interstate 5 from Educational Media Foundation’s Sacramento headquarters engineering hub. Four broadband vertical dipole antennas were spaced at the top, fed by four 300-watt transmitters.
Results Redding’s local airstaff combined to create live broadcast teams performing 24/7 live coverage and updates from a single control room on five signals and related streaming Android/Apple apps. Q97s Billy Pilgrim and Patrick John, Rick Healy, Logan Kane, Red 103.1’s Dave Tappan and Ryan O’Brien, Power 94.7’s Jeff Haber, and Promotion Director Olivia Henderson all contributed to the rotating live six-hour shift coverage while the station’s building remained in an active evacuation zone protected by National Guard.
Redding’s Police Chief Roger Moore and other officials have praised Results’ coverage and service to the community during the height of the emergency. Approximately half of the Redding cluster employees were evacuees themselves, and two staff members lost their homes. The Carr fire consumed over 1,000 homes.
This past weekend, Results’ Chief Technology Officer Ron Castro led a team composed of Redding Chief Engineer Tom Morris, Andy Forbes Technologies, and the crew from Steve Wilde’s SWE Services and American Amplifier Technologies LLC. They were able to ascend burned-out South Fork mountain (elev. 5,482 ft.) with a temporary 10×16 container and 25kW diesel generator to return the four impacted stations to service on the mountaintop site. PG&E is working to shortly restore site power. Q97 is operating for now from its licensed auxiliary facilities on South Fork Mountain while work begins on its main site at Shasta Bally (elev. 6,199 ft.).
Results has also started a community fund-drive called “Rebound. Recover.” They’ve been collecting cash donations through remote broadcasts and they’ve been joined by the staffs of Results Radio stations in Chico, Yuba City, and Sacramento.
Redding Market Manager Beth Tappan said, “Losing four out of five radio stations at one time, being personally evacuated, and hearing horrible stories of loss from close friends, was almost too much to bear. I’m so thankful for our hardworking professionals for stepping up and being there for our community. They worked tirelessly around the clock to bring the North State much needed news and information, and they did it because they care. Redding will rebound and rebuild, and Results Radio will be there every step of the way.”
Results Radio CEO/President Jack Fritz said, “Redding local broadcasters did a wonderful job in responding to the emergency. The accomplishments of our Results air staff and engineering teams are especially heroic. Their families, friends, and all of us can be so very proud of their commitment to serving Redding and all of Shasta County.”
Results Radio has 13 stations in Chico, Redding, Sacramento, and Yuba City-Marysville, CA.
Beautiful story, thank you.