SELF-RELIANCE · COMMUNICATIONS
Two tracks. One for the moment phones and networks fail. One for building communication capability that outlasts any emergency.
WHEN COMMUNICATIONS FAIL
Cell towers run on backup generators — typically 8 to 24 hours. After that, or during a major event that saturates the network, normal communication assumptions break down. These guides cover what to do and how to think clearly when that happens.
A scenario-by-scenario protocol for degraded cell service, full network outages, and extended communication blackouts. Texts vs. calls, out-of-state contacts, kids at school, neighborhood coordination, and when to switch to radio.
How emergency officials communicate, how to verify what you're hearing, how to use social media as a data source without being misled, and how to manage information overload so you can act instead of scroll.
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BUILD YOUR COMMUNICATION CAPABILITY
Most communication preparedness is about what you set up before the emergency. The alert systems, the family plan, the radios, the paper backup — none of them work if you're building them during the event.
Wireless emergency alerts, NOAA Weather Radio, FEMA app, local alert systems, school and utility notifications. Set up every channel and know what each alert type means.
Out-of-state contact strategy, meeting points, school pickup protocols, members without smartphones, elderly relatives, and pets. Printable plan template included.
AM/FM, NOAA Weather Radio, FRS, GMRS, ham, CB, scanner, satellite communicators, and mesh networks. An honest overview of every radio option and who each one is for.
Walkie-talkies for household and neighborhood coordination. Licensing reality, range truth vs. marketing claims, what to buy, programming basics, and channel plans for your household.
The Technician license exam is approachable and worth it. What the license unlocks, emergency nets, ARES and RACES, recommended first radios, and how to find your local club.
Garmin inReach, SPOT, Zoleo, and Iridium GO. Who actually needs one, subscription costs, two-way vs. one-way, SOS functionality, and urban vs. rural use cases.
Build redundancy using the PACE framework: Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency. When one method fails, the next is already in place. Includes a printable PACE card.
The $35 license walkthrough, repeater access, vehicle and base station setups, channel planning, and how to build a neighborhood radio network with GMRS as the hub.
Build a neighborhood text network with $25 LoRa radios. No license, no subscription, no cell towers. Meshtastic, MeshCore, solar repeaters, and growing your mesh.
Maps, contacts, medical information, checklists, utility shutoff instructions, and local directories. What to laminate, what goes in your go-bag, and how to keep it all current.
WHERE TO START
Phones and networks failing
The Communication When Phones Fail guide walks through every scenario from degraded service to full blackout — what to try, in what order, and when to switch to a different system entirely.
Communication ProtocolBuilding ahead
Emergency Alerts covers every system worth having — wireless alerts, NOAA Weather Radio, your local system, and school and utility notifications. Takes under an hour to set up all of them.
Emergency Alerts