Categories
A daily AM / FM battery-powered radio may not be enough to keep your family safe. Once you understand the difference between a radio and an emergency radio, you will understand how the difference can be critical to the safety of your family. 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. The FEMA definition of emergency radios is a “battery-operated or hand-cranked radio” as well as “a NOAA weather radio with tone alert.” Fortunately, radios are now available with all necessary emergency functions in one single 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 be 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 the National Weather Service broadcasts a warning. You will need a radio that provides SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) 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 functions on one radio will automatically turn on the radio, send an alarm through the radio, and provide you with important information that you need to have right away.
Coastal communities also have an essential need for the correct type of emergency radio. Hurricanes are tracked for several days before they make landfall, and families usually have time to prepare or leave an area in the path of the storm. In this case, you may determine that a weather alert feature is not that important and decide to settle for a radio that will keep you connected to weather channels or local broadcasts when you choose to stay up-to-date. Severe storms and thunderstorms, while 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 that having a NOAA Weather Alert radio is important so that you can be aware of severe weather, flash floods, or subsequent hazards in your remote location.
Tornadoes and hurricanes are two of the most severe weather emergencies, but these aren’t the only things you need to prepare for. Emergency guidelines suggest that we must 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 passing storm, the flooding that followed, or a minor earthquake that has not only successfully disrupted power, but may also have disrupted emergency services. These are all common events. Without electricity, the radio’s power source becomes critical. Many radios have numerous power sources including not only replaceable batteries and AC adapters, but also cranks for recharging batteries and even solar panels. Some radios go even further and have the ability to power other items, like your cell phone.
So what kind of radio do you need to survive an emergency? Knowing what the possible emergencies are in your area will allow you to find a radio equipped with the necessary features to ensure the safety and survival of your family. You are ready?
