That could easily be done, the answer is to put a part 90 radio in each Stake and Temple and issuing one radio to every Bishop. The license covers the business or church location as a whole; employees or church members, none would have to be licensed individually.
I'm well aware that Stake centers have been used as emergency shelters in the past. It is important for church leaders to know what damage if any has occurred at church facilities. Problem is, outside of a real time life and death situation with no other forms of communication available, an emergency event does not constitute the use of Amateur radio for reporting on the condition of church facilities or other church business. Unless the church facility is officially listed by the County or City as an official emergency center, then it's a moot point.
It does not matter if it's the LDS Church asking a member to check on a church facility or the owner of Billy Bob's Radiator Repair asking an employee to check on the shop, neither are legal uses of Amateur radio.
The Baptist Church has a large emergency radio network set up throughout the United States. It includes Amateur equipment as well as Part 90 equipment and mobile command communication vans for things such as checking on facilities and anything else that comes under the guise of business type communication. Organizations such as the Red Cross realized the potential problem and have installed Part 90 equipment in their facilities.
I applaud that the LDS is interested in using Amateur radio to help in an emergency. It's just that a Church is a business as far as the rules are concerned. It's not an Ares/Races group that does not have a business type interest and an emergency event does not change the rules as far as the FCC is concerned.
I would think it would be a huge advantage to the Church to have Part 90 equipment. In an emergency event, the Amateur frequency's will be very busy.
Part 90 equipment would be like having a direct phone line to each church facility when phones and cell phones go down as they so often do in catastrophic events. Yes, there is a cost for the equipment, but as almost all of the radio equipment and repeaters are church member owned, I have no doubt it is a cost the church could afford.
It also takes the responsibility off of the ERC members, trying to figure out what may or may not be a legal transmission. They would be free to conduct the type of communications that are vital during an emergency that are legal for Amateur radio.
This really should not even be a question. If the Church wants an emergency communication network, Part 90 equipment really has to be a part of it with the things the church leaders are asking to be done.
It's a benefit, not a hindrance to getting the job done. It's a win-win.
The above is why other faith based organizations of any size have all got Part 90 equipment as well as Amateur equipment.
This has not been posted to hurt the LDS church, but to help keep the Amateur radio frequency allotments to do exactly as what they were designed for and to protect church members from possible violations.
In normal ERC nets, it really is not an issue, they don't talk church business. It only becomes an issue when there is a real emergency and church leaders need information in real time as to their building status, resources and other church business when other forms of communication are down.
Emergency communication have been a part of the LDS Church for some time now. The ERC is a newer part of the church and is growing a very fast rate in many areas, most new members are not seasoned Amateurs. The larger it gets, the harder it is to keep control of. Very clear guidelines as to the types of communications allowed by Amateur radio, and Part 90 equipment so the church can legally pass vital information not allowed by Amateur radio rules really is a must in my and many others opinion.
It keeps the Church out of trouble, church members out of trouble and does not cause concerns by the FCC as to how the Amateur spectrum is being used.
It allows the Church much more flexibility and improves their ability to provide the necessary help, find information about damage to church facilities and allows any business type communication to efficiently be passed. It's as simple as that.
P.S. Reference the quote from your last post "I have no idea how the particular Baptist church you mentioned has things organized, and I don't know that their organization would universally fit in."
Maybe your confusion is that it is the Baptist church as an organization, not just a single church.
If your assumption was that it was just a single church, not the whole Baptist Church organization, then I can understand your question. If you are questioning why the Baptist Church should have an emergency radio organization, then one could question the need for the ERC. Not a road that needs going down in my opinion.
Participation is heaviest in the Southern U.S., but their network is nation wide. They require a minimum of 3 years experience as an Amateur radio operator, extensive training and they have and use Part 90 equipment. I am not a Baptist, but do know a little about their operation, which is a very professionally run unit.
John