Internet and cell down? How to get news and reach family

How to get news without internet or cell

• A battery or hand-crank radio: AM/FM stations carry the Emergency Alert System, which Ready.gov says is sent through broadcast TV and radio.
• NOAA Weather Radio: NWS says it broadcasts "official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day" from the nearest NWS office. NWS says alert radios "normally run tests each Wednesday between 10 a.m. and noon local time," and tests can move when severe weather threatens. If your alert radio sounds then, that's the test.
• Your building: the lobby or bulletin board often becomes the local news source.
• Neighbors: check on them in person, and share what you hear.

To hear the news when nothing loads, you need a radio that runs without the wall or the network. See radios in the Shop →

What stops working

• Home Wi-Fi, streaming and video calls
• Messaging apps, email and social media
• Online maps and rideshare apps
• Banking apps, and card payments at stores whose terminals use the internet
• Smart-home devices that need the cloud (locks, thermostats, cameras)
• Cordless home phones, if the power is out too. The FCC says they "usually will not work if there is a power outage".

What usually keeps working

• AM/FM and NOAA Weather Radio
• Maps and files you downloaded before the outage
• Texts, often, when calls fail. The FCC says "In many cases text messages will go through when your call may not".
• A corded phone on a working landline
• Face-to-face contact with neighbors and building staff

First 24 hours

1. 1Switch to radio for news. Note your local stations.
2. 2Save battery. Lower screen brightness and close apps that keep retrying the network.
3. 3Text instead of calling, keep any call brief, and wait 10 seconds before you redial.
4. 4Check on neighbors in person, especially older residents.
5. 5Use your written contact list for the numbers you normally keep only in your phone.

Days 2 to 7

• Set a daily check-in time with a neighbor or nearby friend.
• Use your printed map for errands, and note which stores are open.
• Keep power banks charged whenever you have outlet power. (power bank vs power station) Ready.gov says to keep a back-up power source on hand.
• If you work remotely, tell your employer now what you'll do in a long outage.

If a winter storm is forecast

Ready.gov says a winter storm can last a few hours or several days and can "cut off heat, power and communication services". It says to "Have extra batteries for radios and flashlights", and NWS lists a "Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and portable radio to receive emergency information" for home during a winter storm. When the storm shows up in your forecast, charge your power banks and check your radio's batteries. See radios in the Shop → · See power banks in the Shop →

Apartment notes

• Buzzers and smart locks may fail. Know how to get into your building without them.
• For keeping a phone charged in a small space, see Backup power for an apartment, without a generator.
• The building lobby or bulletin board often becomes the local news source. Check it.
• In New York City? See the NYC apartment guide →

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