06 / COMMUNICATION
Communication
Two things fail in a storm: the power, and the phone network. This base is about hearing the warnings and reaching your people.
Common gaps
- No written plan, so everyone guesses where to meet.
- Calls tie up the network, and messages never get through.
- A phone at 10 percent and no way to charge it.
- Warnings only from one source, which is down.
Make a plan
Ready.gov has a free Family Emergency Communication Plan to print or fill out. Write down:
- Phone numbers for every family member and the places they spend time.
- A meeting place near home, and one outside your neighborhood.
- An out-of-town contact everyone can reach.
- Medical information and emergency numbers.
Give every person a copy and keep one by the phone. Practice it.
Text first
Phone systems are often down or busy after a disaster. Ready.gov recommends saving calls for emergencies and using text messages, email or social media to stay in touch. A text takes far less bandwidth than a call and can send automatically when capacity returns. If you must call, keep it brief. Make sure every family member, including children, knows how to send and read a text.
Get the warnings
- Wireless Emergency Alerts come to your phone automatically. No sign-up is needed.
- NOAA Weather Radio is a nationwide network that broadcasts forecasts, warnings and emergency information around the clock. Choose a radio with a tone alert, and keep spare batteries.
- A battery or hand-crank radio keeps working when cell service does not. Ready.gov's kit list includes one.
- The FEMA app can send National Weather Service alerts for up to five locations.
- Do not rely on one source. Use a radio, your phone and local broadcasts.
Keep devices running
- Charge phones and power banks before the storm, and top banks up every few months.
- Turn on low-power mode and lower screen brightness.
- Know where you can charge if the power is out for days: a power station, a car charger, or a generator running outside only, at least 20 feet from the house.
What to buy
| Item | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Weather radio | NOAA band, tone alert, battery or crank, spare batteries |
| Power bank | Capacity, the ports you need, and a way to check its charge |
| Whistle | Loud, simple, attached to a bag |
Picks
| Pick | Why |
|---|---|
| INIU P41 10,000 mAh power bank | 45 W output, two USB-C and one USB-A port. About 37 Wh, roughly one and a half to two phone charges |
No weather radio pick yet, because none has been spec-checked. See the pick's card on the Gear page.
Sources
- Ready.gov, Make a Plan: https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
- Ready.gov, Build a Kit: https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit
- FEMA Family Emergency Communication Plan (via NWS): https://www.weather.gov/media/ilx/Hydro/FSAW/family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf
- NWS, Communicating after storms: https://weather.gov/wrn/weather-prep-sm
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