Strengthening Community Safety: SSU Engineering Students Launch a New Emergency Network Project with Local Community Partners
Undergraduate students from Sonoma State University’s Electrical Engineering Department are working with the Hacienda Community in West Sonoma County on the EmergiNet Project. The goal is to create a low-cost, solar-powered LoRa mesh network that can deliver reliable alerts during emergencies such as wildfires, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. The system is designed to keep working even when cell service, internet, or power are not available.
To understand the community needs, engineering student Huy Nguyen met with local leaders, COPE (Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies) volunteers, and the president of the North Bay Community Council. The Hacienda neighborhood has about 180 homes spread across steep and heavily wooded terrain. This makes communication difficult and the area often experiences poor connectivity during critical events. EmergiNet aims to improve this by providing dependable message delivery and the ability to remotely activate neighborhood sirens when needed.
“When we visited Hacienda, it was clear how committed the community is to preparedness,” Nguyen said. “EmergiNet gives us the chance to build something that can help keep people safe during critical moments.”
Project advisor Dr. Farid Farahmand emphasized the importance of this type of hands-on, community-centered engineering experience for students. “This partnership shows students that engineering is ultimately about serving real people and solving real problems,” Farahmand said. “This project has been supported by SSU’s Center for Environmental Inquiry and Dr. Chris Halle has been instrumental in connecting us with the Hacienda community and the Department of Emergency Management in Sonoma County.”
The SSU engineering team will continue wireless range mapping, field measurements, and prototype testing through next year. The plan is to demonstrate the first pilot system to the community in May 2026.
For more information about the EmergiNet project, please contact Farid Farahmand.