How do I get emergency alerts on my phone?

Wireless Emergency Alerts are built into most modern phones and are on by default. Check Settings, then Notifications or Safety and Emergency, and confirm Emergency Alerts are enabled. These free alerts cover extreme weather, evacuation orders, and AMBER alerts. For earlier, more local warnings, sign up for your county or city alert system, which many areas run through services like CodeRED, Nixle, or Everbridge.

What is an out-of-area contact and why do I need one?

An out-of-area contact is a person outside your immediate region whom every household member knows to call or text after an emergency. When a local disaster strikes, local phone lines often jam while long-distance calls still connect. Everyone reporting in to the same out-of-area person creates a single reliable relay point, so family members can learn each other are safe even when they cannot reach each other directly.

What kind of radio should a household have for emergencies?

Two layers cover most needs. First, a battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio receives official broadcasts and works with no cell service. Second, a set of FRS or GMRS two-way radios lets household members talk to each other over short distances, typically half a mile to two miles depending on terrain and buildings. FRS radios need no license. GMRS radios reach farther but require an inexpensive FCC license that covers your whole family.

How do I make a family communication plan?

Write down each household member with their cell number, workplace or school, and email. Add your out-of-area contact, two meeting points (one near home, one outside the neighborhood), and any medical or access needs. Give every member a printed copy for a wallet or backpack, and keep one posted at home. Ready.gov offers a free fillable template. The plan matters most when phones are dead, so paper copies are the point.

Will my cell phone work in a power outage?

Sometimes, briefly. Cell towers have backup batteries that typically last a few hours, and some have generators, but extended outages can take towers offline. Your own phone also needs charging. Keep a charged power bank for each phone, know that text messages often go through when calls will not, and have a backup like a weather radio and two-way radios for when the network is fully down.

Communications Preparedness Checklist — Alerts, Family Plans & Backup Radios

WEA

free alerts, every phone

out-of-area contact

2 mi

typical FRS radio range

batteries a paper plan needs

Step 1

Get the Alerts.

The earlier you know, the more choices you have. Layer official alerts so a warning reaches you even if one channel is down.

Communications

Turn on Wireless Emergency Alerts on every phone in your household
Check every phone in your household for Wireless Emergency Alerts right now
Get a battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio
Turn on your weather radio and confirm it receives your local station
Sign up for your county or city emergency alerts (CodeRED, Nixle, Everbridge, or local system)

Step 2

Stay in Touch.

A written plan and an out-of-area contact turn a scramble into a routine. Everyone knows who to call and where to meet.

Documents

Write your emergency contacts and keep a printed copy

Communications

Write your household communication plan
Confirm every household member has a copy of the communication plan
Designate an out-of-area contact everyone in your household knows
Establish two meeting points: one near your home and one outside your neighborhood

Step 3

Communicate Without Cell Service.

Cell networks fail in exactly the moments you need them most. A set of radios and a paper backup keep your household coordinated.

Communications

Get a set of FRS or GMRS two-way radios for your household
Test your two-way radio range from home to your meeting points and nearest neighbors
Establish a basic communication tree with your nearest neighbors
Print a reference sheet with contacts, radio frequencies, and meeting points

Gear

Essentials. Start here.

A weather radio and a set of two-way radios cover most communication gaps.

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Communications Preparedness Checklist. Get the alert. Reach your people.

Get the Alerts.

Communications

Stay in Touch.

Documents

Communications

Communicate Without Cell Service.

Communications

Essentials. Start here.

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