Communication

Getting news in

When the power is out, your best sources are, in order:

1. NOAA Weather Radio. The National Weather Service broadcasts warnings 24/7 on seven VHF channels. An alert radio turns itself on and sounds an alarm for warnings, even at 3 a.m. Program it with your county's SAME code so it only alarms for your area.
2. AM/FM radio. Local news stations carry emergency information. A hand-crank or solar radio never runs out of power.
3. Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone. They're on by default — check your settings so they stay on.
4. Outage maps and local agency social media, when you have data.

Making your phone last

• Turn on low-power mode, dim the screen, and turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, location and background refresh.
• Text, don't call. Texts use far less network capacity and battery, and get through when calls fail.
• Keep power banks charged all the time — top them up every few months.
• Car chargers, solar panels and power stations can recharge in a long outage.
• Save important numbers on paper. Your phone may die or get lost.

Two-way radios

When cell towers go down (their backup batteries often last only hours), radios still talk directly to each other.

GMRS is the sweet spot for most families: buy two to four GMRS handhelds, get the license online from the FCC (good for 10 years), and pick a family channel. Many areas have GMRS repeaters that extend range a lot.

Ham radio takes a 35-question multiple-choice test for the Technician license. Study guides and practice tests are free online, and local radio clubs give the exam. Ham operators run volunteer emergency networks (ARES, RACES) that pass messages when everything else fails.

Your family communication plan

Phones may be down exactly when you need them. Agree on a plan now and give everyone a paper copy.

• Out-of-area contact: one relative or friend far away. Local calls often fail while long-distance ones work. Everyone checks in with that person.
• Meeting places: one just outside your home (for fires), one in your neighborhood, and one outside the area.
• Paper contact card in every wallet, backpack and go-bag: names, phone numbers, addresses, medical info, the out-of-area contact.
• School and work plans: know their emergency procedures and where kids will be released.
• Radio channel: if you use FRS/GMRS, write down your family channel and check-in times (e.g., on the hour, 5 minutes).
• Check-in schedule: "If phones are out, we listen on channel 7 at 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m."

Signaling for help

If you're stuck and need help: three of anything is the universal distress signal — three whistle blasts, three fires in a triangle, three flashes of light. A whistle carries much farther than a voice and doesn't run out. Bright cloth or an "SOS" in snow or rocks can be seen from the air.

Sources: NOAA Weather Radio · FCC — GMRS · ARRL — Getting licensed · Ready.gov — Make a Plan