Hurricane Ian serves as a reminder to have something in place to receive news and information in the event of an emergency. According to news reports, at least five TV stations and 21 radio stations were off the air, and internet and cellular service was interrupted in many areas. The good news, however, is that while 26 stations were off the air, over 500 stations in the state remained on the air, along with stations in other states that can be heard in Florida. So with a little bit of preparation, it’s possible to get information in an emergency.

Even if you don’t have any other radio available, as we reported previously, virtually every cell phone sold in America has a built-in FM radio. This tuner picks signals up over the air, and does not depend on the internet. Many phones come with the required software, so check your phone and see if it’s installed. It’s probably an app called “FM Tuner.” But even if the app is not installed, the tuner is built in to the hardware. This CNET article explains how to install the required app.

Your cell phone uses the headphone wire as its antenna. It will work for strong stations without headphones, but to ensure good reception, you should plug in a pair of wired (not cordless) headphones. So it’s a good idea to get a cheap pair of headphones.

It’s important to know that there is a radio built in to your cell phone. After all, most people carry their phone with them all the time, which means that you have a radio with you all the time. But that radio is not ideal, mostly because it probably uses more battery resources than a small portable radio. Also, the cell phone won’t get AM stations, which might be important if you want to listen to out-of-state stations at night. Given the minimal cost, it’s cheap insurance to buy an inexpensive AM-FM radio.  As with everything, inexpensive ones are available on Amazon.

Of course, you’ll need batteries for these radios. In most cases, they take either AA or AAA batteries. The good news is that the batteries will last a long time. For occasional listening, one set of batteries will probably last several days. Even if you’re listening to it constantly (which you might in an emergency), one set should last at least a day. Therefore, it pays to stock up on batteries to have enough to make it through an emergency.

Many TV stations have realized that if there is a widespread power outage, many of their viewers won’t be able to watch. Therefore, many TV stations have made arrangements to have radio stations simulcast their broadcasts.   However, once your basic information needs are taken care of, you might consider getting an inexpensive battery powered TV, in addition to having a radio. Most of these sets are rechargeable, and it’s a good idea to keep them topped off before the storm hits. If you do need to recharge during the storm, one option is to use a car USB adapter and charge them there.

Another option is a TV tuner dongle such as this one, which will turn your Android phone or tablet into a TV set.

While it’s probably a good idea to get a TV or TV tuner in addition to a portable radio, it’s important to have an old-fashioned portable radio as well. This is because the battery life on a portable radio will be considerably longer than a TV, tablet, or phone. A package of alkaline batteries will last you weeks, which is better than constantly trying to figure out how to charge your phone or TV.

For more information, see our earlier post about preparing for power outages.

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Recently, on a state park Facebook group, there was a discussion of NOAA weather radios. Many people use their cell phones to receive weather warnings. But if you’re camped at a state park, it’s quite possible that you don’t have any internet or cellular service. So a weather radio is an important item to pack.  Unlike internet or cellular signals, the NOAA weather radio blankets the nation (as well as the corresponding services in Canada and Mexico).  Unless you live in an extremely remote part of the country, you will be able to pick up a weather radio signal.  To view a coverage map for your state, follow this link.)  These stations broadcast weather information constantly, and during severe weather, they transmit an alert that will activate an alarm in receivers.  For more information, you can view our earlier post.

One deaf person was part of the conversation, and he pointed out (incorrectly) that a radio wouldn’t do him much good. I corrected him, because a NOAA weather radio is very useful, even for someone who cannot hear, because weather warnings are available other than by audible means. If you have internet access, you will probably get more complete information from an internet source. But in areas with no internet access, or just as important, if the internet goes down because of the storm, then your phone won’t do you any good. In these situations, having a weather radio can be a lifesaver, and this is also true for deaf persons.

The voice on a weather radio gives more information, but during severe weather, the radio will tell you, by text display, that there is a warning, such as a tornado warning, for your county. While the additional audio information is nice, it’s not really necessary. If you know that there is a tornado warning for your county, then you know to take shelter.

Even if you do have internet access, having a weather radio is still a good idea, because it will alert you to watches and warnings, and upon seeing a warning, you can check the internet for specific details.

For a deaf person, you really need a weather radio with SAME encoding. This type of radio is programmable for your particular county, and an alarm will sound if there is a warning for your county. The text display will indicate what kind of warning it is, such as TORNADO, SEVERE THUNDERSTORM, FLASH FLOOD, etc. Most weather radios have an audible alarm that sounds during a warning. A deaf person will need one with a visual indication, such as a strobe light.

While other radios might have these same features, the Midland model WR120B/WR120EZ has these features (with the additional external strobe light).  For a deaf person to be alerted, you will also need to buy a strobe light and/or pillow shaker.

The weather radio includes an AC adapter, but it’s a good idea to keep batteries in the radio at all times, since power often goes out during bad weather. You will need 3 AA batteries for the radio, and the strobe light and pillow shaker each require two AA batteries.

The radio, the strobe, the pillow shaker, and the batteries, are all available at Amazon:

If you want to use both the strobe and the pillow shaker, you will also need an adapter cable such as the one shown below, so that you can plug both of them into the radio. (You do not need a stereo cable, but this stereo cable will work.)

If you are planning on using both, you can buy the strobe, the pillow shaker, and the adapter cable as one package deal:

You can read more information from NOAA about weather radios and the deaf at this link.

The video below, from NOAA, explains in American Sign Language how to program the WR120EZ weather radio.

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We’ve previously written about how to prepare for a power outage.  With a little preparation, you can live reasonably comfortably without electricity, and there are numerous inexpensive alternatives to provide yourself with light, power your electronic devices, and cook your food.

News reports have warned of the possibility of power crises this summer, and most recently, Texans have been warned to conserve energy to prevent blackouts.

For many, a power outage in the summer would be an inconvenience, and mean having to go back to the days before air conditioning became universal. But a power outage in the winter could have life-threatening consequences. Of course, one can always evacuate and go to a place with power, but this might mean leaving the pipes in your house to freeze, potentially causing thousands of dollars in damage. Indeed, during the 2021 Texas power crisis, water service to a staggering 12 million persons was disrupted due to pipes freezing and bursting. When the pipes thawed, all of that water had to go somewhere, and it was often into the homes that had been without power. Plumbers were booked up solid, and building materials were simply unavailable. We had family members in Texas who had to deal with the aftermath of frozen pipes, and it served as a wake-up call. Since I live in Minnesota, sub-zero weather is common, and being without heat for just a few hours could prove extremely costly.

Of course, one possibility is to drain every pipe in the house, and then evacuate. But that’s extra work, we would need to find a place to stay, and there’s no guarantee that I would get every last drop out of the system. A better alternative is to provide a source of heat.

I decided that the best course of action would be to close off a good portion of the house. All of the plumbing in our house is in four rooms, all of which are contiguous–an upstairs bathroom and kitchen, and a downstairs bathroom and laundry room. Most other rooms can be closed off merely by closing a door. A downstairs family room can be closed off with a blanket, although it also contains a fireplace that could be used in an emergency. An upstairs living room and dining room would provide plenty of living space in an emergency.

Therefore, my plan for a winter power outage is to close off most of the house, meaning that only a relatively small area would need to be heated. For a long-term power outage, we do have a generator, and it could be used to run the electrical portion of our gas furnace. However, I would need to go in and re-wire it, disconnect it from the house, and connect that circuit to an extension cord (since we don’t have a transfer switch).

A Portable Propane Heater

simpler option, however, which does not require firing up the generator, is to use a portable propane heater.  To heat the house in an emergency, I recently acquired a Mr. Heater portable propane heater like the one shown above. Unlike many propane heaters, it is specifically designed for indoor use. In fact, in the event that oxygen levels get dangerously low, it automatically shuts off. I only have one, but I think by moving it from room to room periodically, it should keep the house somewhat comfortable, or at least keep all of the pipes above freezing.  Obviously, it’s not going to provide as much heat as the normal furnace, but I think it’s large enough for the bare minimum of emergency heating.

Since we have a gas water heater that does not require any electricity whatsoever, my plan is to keep all of the faucets dripping with warm water. The moving water will keep those pipes from freezing, and a certain amount of heat will be radiated from the hot water pipes. In addition, the gas stove in the kitchen will be used for cooking as usual, and the “waste” heat from this process will help warm the house.  While possible, loss of natural gas is much less common than loss of electricity.  The water heater will keep operating seamlessly without electricity, but the kitchen stove will require matches to light.  (The oven will not work without electricity.)

The propane heater needs fuel. It’s designed to use the small one-pound cans of propane, like the ones shown here. For occasional use, these are quite handy, but they also get expensive, and they probably wouldn’t be available in an emergency.

According to this site, a one-pound bottle will last about 5 hours on low, or about two hours on high. So if was run constantly, it would require, at a minimum, about 5 bottles per day, which would get expensive very fast.

Using Less Expensive 20 Pound Propane Bottles

Propane in 20 pound bottles is much cheaper. And those large bottles are available at many convenience stores, hardware stores, and even the local drug store.

In normal circumstances, these propane exchange retailers aren’t the greatest deal.  Generally, you pay for 20 pounds of propane and only get 15.  So during normal circumstances, there are cheaper places to buy propane.  But if an emergency is looming, the price isn’t too out of line, and there are many dealers close to home.  In our case, we always have one bottle on hand, almost full, mounted on our camper. Others routinely have these on hand for their barbecue. According to that same website, 20 pounds of propane will last about 100 hours on low, or 40 hours on high. In other words, the single propane bottle we always have on hand will last between 2 and 4 days.  And if I acted fast enough, I would be able to buy more very conveniently.

Refilling Propane Bottles

There are two ways to use the larger bottles with the Mr. Heater. The cheapest is to buy one of the little gadgets shown here, a propane refill adapter.  What this allows you to do is to refill the one-pound bottles from the larger 20 pound bottle. It’s a bit of a cumbersome process, since you need to hook them up, and then turn the large bottle upside down for the propane to drain into the small canister. So it’s not ideal, but it’s cheap, and it works.

I should point out that this method is not entirely legal. In particular, you are not allowed to transport a “disposable” bottle, certainly not across state lines, after you have refilled it. That’s because the small bottle is designed for one use, and it might not seal up again. But for emergency use, it seems like a very small risk.  Even though I’ll use the method shown below, I also have one of these refill valves.  In some cases, it’s handier to use the small bottles, and I might want one of them for a propane lantern or stove.  And if the hose shown below gets broken or misplaced, the refill kit is a good backup.

The better method, it seems to me, is to use the relatively inexpensive hose shown available from Mr. Heater. This is designed to be used with the Mr. Heater, and lets you run it directly from the larger 20 pound bottle. You no longer have to worry about the inconvenience and slight danger of refilling the bottles at home. The only downside is that the heater is no longer as portable, since the 20 pound bottle of propane needs to be lugged around.  You can also buy the heater along with the hose, which is what I did.

Now that we have the Mr. Heater Buddy, I feel more secure about winter power outages. While they would still be an inconvenience, it would no longer be life threatening. If such an event appeared likely, I would purchase one or more extra 20 pound bottles of propane, which are available at two stores within walking distance of my house. They could be sold out, but if I act fast, I can probably secure one. And even if I don’t, I always have at least one, which will provide heat for 2-4 days.

I have both the adapter hose to run the heater from the large container, and also have the refill adapter to re-use any small cans we have. (And we usually have at least a couple of those on hand.)

In anticipation of a power outage, I would set the heat higher than usual, and prepare to seal off unused rooms. If the power went out, I would seal them off, and also set the faucets to dripping. At that point, I would fire up the propane heater and move it as needed to the four rooms where the heat is needed.

I won’t know for sure until it happens, but I’m confident that this strategy will keep my family relatively comfortable, as well as preventing any damage to plumbing due to freezing.

Indoor Kerosene Heaters

Another option, with which I am less familiar, is a kerosene heater, such as the  this one.  Kerosene heaters seem to be more expensive than their propane brethren, but they could also be a good solution. For most people, the liquid kerosene fuel is easy to store. In my experience, it’s not for sale as many places as propane, but if you stock up before the emergency, this might be a good option.

Safety First

Whatever fuel you choose, keep in mind that you need to buy a heater that is safe for indoor use. Some of them are, but most are not. All of the heaters shown on this page are designed for indoor use, and are safe to be used in the house.  (The ones designed for indoor use have an important safety feature missing in outdoor heaters.  They contain an oxygen depletion sensor which will shut them down automatically if the oxygen level gets too law.  For this reason, however, the indoor units will not work at high altitudes.)

And having a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector is always important, but it takes on special importance when using new appliances to heat your home. It’s cheap insurance.

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Quick Links

• FM Tuner
• Storing Emergency Information
• Radiation Detector
• Getting a Spare Phone
• Keeping Your Phone Charged

I recently received a request from Verizon to link to their Using Smartphones in an Emergency page. In an emergency situation, whether it’s a hurricane, earthquake, or any other natural or manmade disaster, you phone can be an invaluable tool, and that page is certainly worth a read.

As most of the readers of this page are aware, your cell phone has definite limitations in an emergency. If you don’t have cellular service, or at least WiFi, then, of course, you can’t make or receive calls, send or receive texts, or use anything involving the internet. For that reason, as most of our readers are aware, you probably can’t rely upon your cell phone as being your sole means of communication.  (To learn more, check out our emergency communications primer.)

However, there are many emergency situations where cellular or WiFi service will be available. If nothing else, you might be able to go to the closest Waffle House and use their WiFi.  And most cellular providers have extremely reliable service, so even in a severe emergency, you very well could still have cellular service.

But more importantly, since you’re probably carrying around the smart phone anyway, there are many functions that it can be used for in an emergency that do not require internet access. In many cases, it’s not the best version of the particular tool that you want. For example, if you anticipate needing a flashlight, then it’s best to get a real flashlight. But if you’re sitting there in the dark with no other source of light, then your phone’s built-in flashlight could be a godsend.

In addition to the uses discussed on the Verizon site, here are some additional uses you might consider.

FM Tuner

Unbeknownst to most users, the vast majority of cell phones sold in the past few years include a receiver for the normal FM broadcast band. This is not an “internet radio” service that picks up stations streaming over the internet. It is an honest-to-goodness FM radio that picks up broadcast stations over the air, internet or no internet. Sadly, this is the only radio that some people own, and most of them probably don’t know that they have it. Even if the internet is down, chances are, at least one FM station in your area will be on the air.

Your cell phone probably doesn’t have a very good antenna built in to it. Fortunately, the receiver is designed to use the headphone cord as an antenna. But my phone (a relatively cheap Motorola e6) is able to pick up a few local stations with no antenna at all. So it’s nice to know that in case of an emergency, I always have with me a method of getting some emergency information. For best results, however, it’s good to have a pair of headphones with you.  You can pick up a cheap pair at the dollar store, so there’s really no excuse  not to be prepared.

My phone came with the FM tuner app installed. Strangely, many sellers don’t include the app, even though the phone’s hardware contains the FM tuner. If you don’t already have the app, this CNET article explains how to download it.

Storing Emergency Information on Your Phone

There are undoubtedly better places to store emergency information, and there are undoubtedly better places to read information than your phone. But if you have your phone with you all the time, it’s reassuring to know that you always have survival information with you. The Verizon site discusses the importance of having a copy of your personal documents stored on your phone. But your phone probably has a lot of memory, and it would be a good place to store other documents.

One good document to have, since it provides information useful for many emergencies, is Nuclear War Survival Skills. It’s available for free download at many sites, including this link. The PDF at that link is 18.9 MB, and it’s likely that most phones have plenty of free memory to save it. Reading it on a cell phone probably isn’t an ideal method, but if you need this lifesaving information in an emergency, it’s certainly better than nothing.

At my website, I have links to other free emergency preparedness books.  If there is any information you believe you might need in an emergency, downloading a copy to your phone is cheap insurance.

If your phone has a lot of storage available (50-100 GB), you might consider downloading the entire English-language Wikipedia. You can find instructions for doing so at this link.  (And for more information, see my website.)

Radiation Detector

Your phone’s camera is sensitive to visible light, which is what makes it a camera. But it’s also sensitive to gamma radiation. This means that the hardware can be used as a radiation detector. To make that happen, you can install the free GammaPix Lite app, or the full GammaPix app for $14.99.

To use the app, you need to cover up your phone’s camera with electrical tape to keep the light out. When you do, any incoming pulses are gamma rays, and the app can measure them.

Having a Spare Phone

In the United States, any cell phone, whether or not its owner has paid for service, is capable of making calls to 911. And, of course, the old phone will continue to work just fine on WiFi, and all of the non-internet apps discussed above will also work just fine. Therefore, if you purchase a new phone, it’s a good idea to keep your old phone for use in an emergency. Keeping it in the glove compartment of your car is cheap insurance. You’ll want to make sure that you have a car charger that fits your phone.

Also, it’s not very expensive to purchase a phone for use in emergency. You can use it with WiFi, all of the non-internet apps will work, and it can be used to call 911. They’re cheap because they are sold by prepaid cell phone providers as a loss leader, and they expect to make a profit by selling you the airtime. But there’s no need to ever activate them, so for a small initial investment, you can purchase a brand new phone which can be used in emergencies. Here are some examples of inexpensive prepaid phones:

In most cases, these prepaid phones are locked, but that means only that you can’t use them with other cellular providers. You can use them for 911 calls, with WiFi, and with all of the apps shown here.  This type of phone is often called a “burner” phone.  Essentially, it’s so cheap that you can just burn it out without caring.

Keeping Your Phone Charged

It should first be noted that many uses of a cell phone are very battery intensive. So if you have alternatives, you should use them. For example, if you are listening to a local radio station via streaming audio, this is very wasteful of your battery. You would be much better off using a separate radio, which draws considerably less electricity. But no matter how much you conserve your phone’s battery, eventually, you will need to charge it.

And if the power is out, then this keeping your phone charged can be challenging. If you have a car, then the easiest way to do so, is to plug it in to the car. A car with a full tank of gas, if used only to charge your phone, will probably last months or even years. Of course, you’ll need a car charger appropriate for your phone.

If you don’t have a car, or don’t want to go out and keep starting it, then a solar charger of the appropriate size can keep your phone charged more or less indefinitely. In general, the larger units can keep a phone charged indefinitely, while the smaller pocket-size units won’t be able to keep the phone fully charged, but they can be used to keep it topped off. There are a wide variety available, such as these:

Also, keep in mind that in some cases, you might have normal AA batteries, or be able to buy them. If so, the charger shown here can be used to charge your phone with normal AA alkaline batteries.

My personal favorite charger is the one shown at right. First of all, this Midland unit is a radio, weather radio, and flashlight, so when you need these devices, you don’t need to use the battery in your phone. But it can also be used to charge your phone, using either the hand crank or the built-in solar panel.

For more information, see our Preparing For Power Outages Page.

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