There's a lot of support in local (San Francisco East Bay) CERT groups for the use of GMRS radios. The group in Berkeley even has a good GMRS repeater set up.

There is also an area amateur radio ARES-RACES group that has been around for 30 years, too. Actually, a lot of support for 460 MHz GMRS comes from local hams, who look favorably on GMRS as a good entry to radio for those unable or uninterested in passing a license exam. This contrasts with the traditional view that regards 11 meter (26 MHz) CB as a cesspool. I don't know if it's gotten better in recent years, but I don't think there's as much activity any more.

The Berkeley CERT (GMRS) radio group was initially set up by local amateur radio operators. Many of us hold both types of licenses.

See Berkeley neighbors seek to widen grassroots emergency radio system