An everyday battery powered AM/FM radio may not be enough to keep your family safe. Once you understand the difference between a radio and an emergency radio, you’ll understand how the difference can be critical to your family’s safety. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has recommended an emergency preparedness kit that includes important items that families should have in case of an emergency. First and second on the list is water and food, obviously. The third item on the list is an emergency radio. FEMA’s definition of emergency radios is a “battery or hand crank radio” as well as “a NOAA weather radio with tone alert.” Fortunately, radios are now available with all the necessary emergency features in one receiver.
Using FEMA’s definition and recommendations, let’s examine what types of emergencies you might be subject to and what type of radio you should have to stay safe. If you live in an area where you could experience sudden hazards, such as in the central United States known as tornado alley, then you need a radio that provides instant information as soon as a warning is issued by the National Weather Service. You will need a radio that provides SAME (Specific Area Message Encryption) technology that can be programmed to receive emergency weather broadcasts in your specific area, as well as NOAA weather information with a weather alert feature. Both of these features in one radio will automatically turn on the radio, send an alarm through the radio, and give you important information that you need to have right away.
Coastal communities also have an essential need for the right type of emergency radio. Hurricanes track for several days before they make landfall and families usually have time to prepare for or leave an area in the path of the storm. In this case, you may determine that a weather alert feature isn’t all that important and decide to settle for a radio that will keep you connected to local weather channels or broadcasts when you choose to stay up to date. Severe thunderstorms and thunderstorms, while they can be dangerous to life and property, do not equate to the urgency of a tornado. However, if you are camping with family or friends, you may feel it is important to have a NOAA Weather Alert radio so you can be informed of severe weather, flash flooding, or ensuing hazards at your remote location.
Tornadoes and hurricanes are two of the most severe weather emergencies, but these are not the only things you should prepare for. Emergency guidelines suggest that we should be prepared to survive on our own for a minimum of three days after an emergency. Therefore, we must, at a minimum, have the ability to receive local news and weather during this period. In addition to weather emergencies, we must also prepare for a local power outage. Power outages can be caused by a storm that has passed, the flood that followed, or a minor earthquake that managed to not only knock out power, but may have also disrupted emergency services. All of these are common events. Without electricity, the power source of the radio becomes critical. Many radios have numerous power sources including not only replaceable batteries and AC adapters, but also hand cranks to recharge batteries and even solar panels. Some radios go further and have the ability to power other items, like your cell phone.
So what kind of radio do you need to survive in an emergency? Knowing what the potential emergencies are in your area will help you find a radio equipped with the necessary features to ensure the safety and survival of your family. You are ready?
