Residents of Bear Valley Springs can pick up an emergency radio this weekend.

The radios notify users of alerts during disasters and are part of the state’s official emergency system.

Officials say amateur radios, like the ones being distributed, were the only ones that worked during past fires like the Paradise Fire which killed 85 people in the Northern California town of Paradise in 2018.

The Bear Valley Emergency Radio Team will hand them out Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m. at the Equestrian Center on Bear Valley Road. A $25 donation is requested.

Get more information on the Tehachapi Amateur Radio Association’s website.