Mazur Instruments PRM-9000 Geiger Counter and Nuclear Radiation Contamination Detector and Monitor, 0.001 to 125 mR/hr Range, +/-10 Percent Accuracy

Communications

It is important to be able to stay in touch with public safety agencies (such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and fire services) if they are operating to obtain important services if they are working.  Their goal is to provide and maintain communications before, during, and after a disaster or emergency and it is important that you remain in touch with loved ones in such a situation.

There are three main components to emergency communications:

• 911 call processing and delivery through Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) and call dispatch;
• The Emergency Alert System; and
• Radio and/or broadcast or cable television station news and updates.

All of these components must be operating to achieve a successful response to an emergency.  In a SHTF situation, one or more may not be available so you are on your own. Diaster after disaster has shown us how crucial communication can be - from dispatching first responders into affected areas to coordinating with loved ones during times of crisis, our communications infrastructure is essential to our safety. So your most important prep item is a RADIO that works without electricity or that you have some way of obtaining power for your radio. You cannot depend on the grid working in an emergency situation so ideally you will need a crank or battery powered radio. If the grid is down long, you will run out of battery power so a crank radio is a better option.  If you run a ham radio you'll need something more robust - either a generator or solar setup.. Unfortunately, while we have made great strides in communication technology, our infrastructure is incredibly vulnerable to even small-scale disasters and storms. Time after time we’ve seen our cell networks fail, our modern devices stop working and even our 911 systems overloaded during periods of crisis which necessitate alternate methods of communication.

Just like all areas of survival, the first step in emergency communication is preparedness. That means developing an Emergency Communications Plan, and then making sure everyone in your family knows what it is, and how to put it in place during a disaster. While family can be difficult about understanding your prepping, almost everyone understands the need for communication - particularly teens.  This is one area you can begin getting them involved.

Make a list of who you will contact during a disaster. Everyone in your family, or your group, should have that same list.
Your Emergency list should contain phone numbers, email addresses, and even social media networks should they be working.
If possible, you should have a local contact and 1 – 2 contacts that are out-of-state. These people should be agreed upon before a disaster, so your family can use them as the point of contact during a time of crisis. Your Main Point of Contact can then coordinate either evacuation efforts, or efforts to reunite members of your family or group.
Once disaster hits, and you have removed yourself from harm’s way, one of your first priorities should be making contact with your emergency contact list. All plans, follow-up contacts, schedules and status updates should then be relayed to your entire emergency contact list. Always contact your primary person first, and provided they are in a safe and no critical location, they can inform the others by email, text message, or phone calls.

CELL PHONES

 You need a way to recharge your phone as you will be using it a lot if the towers aren't down.  Since most cell phones are only good for 24-48 hours, a way of charging your phone is important.  Have a car charger (you can always use the car battery in a pinch and a solar charger for your phone, minimum. There are also auxillary batteries that can be charged ahead of time and used to run your phone.  In a severe emergency cell networks are often overwhelmed. But during a disaster, they’re going to be your first line of communication. Even when things are bad, they still might help you make contact. If your initial attempts to make a call fails, try texting or using your phone’s data plan to make contact. Sometimes a text will go through (uses less bandwidth) if a voice call won't. Another option if you have a smart phone is to use social media apps - leave a general message with contact info and ask that anyone that sees this please contact so and so. It's amazing the response you can get. If the cell grid is down, there is an app called Serval Mesh that allows your cell phone to act like a walkie-talkie on a network. The range is limited, but this might be useful in an urban area. (you can download this from the google app store for free).

SOCIAL NETWORKS

 While you’ll still need some way to access them, social networks can be a great way to communicate during a disaster. If you can make your way to an emergency crisis center, or access them on your cell phone, you may be able to post a status update to your social networks. While not best as a primary means of communication, it can be an excellent way to let friends and family know you’re ok, or let them know what you’re planning to do next.

SATELLITE PHONES

While on the expensive side, during a natural disaster or crisis, these types of phones can save your life. Satellite phones offer a couple of advantages during a disaster. First, they don’t rely on local cell networks, so they’re less likely to be affected by an increase in call volume. Second, even if the entire local cell network goes down, your satellite phone is still going to be operational. A Global Sat Phone will have reception can call anywhere in the world because it does not rely on local infrastructure.

CB RADIO

C.B. Radio can be an important part of your emergency communications arsenal. I recommend having one in your vehicle, having a handheld one in your bugout bag, and having a base station at home. During a localized disaster, you should be able to make contact within a 20 – 30-mile radius. This makes the CB Radio a great way to coordinate with friends and family during localized disasters.

WALKIE-TALKIE 2-WAY RADIOS

The Family Radio Service (FRS) and The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) are both designed for short-distance two-way communication. They’re generally used with small walkie-talkie devices and have a range of somewhere between 5 to 35 miles (line of sight) and about 1 mile in an urban setting. This can serve your purposes if family or contacts are not long distances.

HAM RADIO

A Ham Radio is probably one of the most important things you can do to ensure your ability to communicate during a disaster.  These come in two types...base stations and hand held ones. When the grid goes down, the cell networks stop working, and every other line of communication fails, there’s a pretty good chance the Ham Bands will be alive and operating. Just remember to have a set list of frequencies where you and your group will try to make contact. Also, though licenses will not be a prioity when the SHTF, if you want to practice now you'll need a ham operator's license.  There are many local groups worldwide that can help you obtain the knowledge to get a license.