Best Emergency Radio evolved from one of the oldest forms of media used to entertain and inform with music, weather, and news. In fact, the radio was the first and only piece of technology capable of communicating in real time with mass audiences. And even with the advancement in the way we consume information and stay informed, radio still plays an important role in most people’s lives. In fact, the radio has easily absorbed many of the technological advances, making it even more powerful, useful, and versatile than ever before.
It is expected that all families, especially those facing the possibility of a natural disaster (such as hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, floods, and wildfires), need to have an easily accessible emergency radio. One of the best reasons is that a radio, unlike mobile phones, can receive a wider range of signals, especially those that are local. Since mobile phones are limited to receiving signals only from their respective network operators, their users have a higher tendency to disconnect if their signal provider (satellite) goes down. With a rugged radio, you can keep up with the latest news and weather without relying on any particular operator, tower, or other mechanical linkage that could break the chain and lose signal.
What characteristics does a good emergency radio have? In addition to the points already mentioned, it is also important to know the features that are available in a good emergency radio these days.
Top 7 Emergency Radio Features:
1. Choose something light: You can evacuate from an unsafe area much faster if you are carrying light. You should choose an emergency radio that won’t take up too much space in your emergency kit and is easy to transport. Look for a model that is not too bulky and that can carry even the smallest member of the family. A handle would also be nice for the little people in your family with small hands.
2. Easy to locate: Pick something brightly colored to make it easier to spot in a pinch. A great way to do this is to choose an emergency radio that even kids will want to use, like a boombox style with great speakers, headphone jacks, and a “cool” look. Some of the newer radios even have the ability to be used as a speaker system for your cell phone or laptop. Because your emergency radio is also a great kid-friendly boombox, your kids will get even more involved in emergency preparedness planning! It may be your job to take the radio on the way out and they will surely know where it is. In case you don’t know and have to look for it, a yellow boombox is very easy to see compared to a darker one like the common black colored boombox. Red is also an option, but the brighter the better when it comes to acting fast!
3. Easy to use: Choose an emergency radio that is digital and has an auto-scan function – every second in an emergency situation counts. Therefore, you need to make sure that you can tune into any local news broadcast station as soon as possible. This task can be made easier if you purchase an emergency radio that can automatically seek and scan for the nearest stations. This feature ensures that the radio station you will be listening to can be heard clearly instead of manually searching for it. Some radios are designed for weather emergencies and have built-in National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) features. While there are clear benefits to these features, there are also some drawbacks to consider, such as the batteries drain faster and are less versatile as they are too small and limited so they cannot offer features like a built-in emergency siren. .
4. Versatility: Choose an emergency radio that’s small and compact, but has plenty of thoughtful features, like a high-capacity SD card slot (you can put TONS of information on an SD card, from emergency contact information to preparedness food and prescription lists, personal health information, instructions for changing a tire). A USB slot works well for the same reasons, plus it can be used to charge via computer and charge other mobile devices like cell phones, an ultra-bright LED flashlight, and a crank dynamo in case no other sources are available. of power to recharge the emergency hand crank radio.
5. Reliability: Choose an emergency radio that has covered as many bases as possible. For example, some of these compact stereos and workplace radios that double as emergency radios have the ability to fall back on old AA batteries in case all else fails. Perhaps there is no access to computers or power banks and perhaps the crank breaks (could happen) then having battery backup as a fail-safe measure will be extremely valuable. Make sure your emergency radio can work with different power sources; Since it will be your main source of information while you are stranded or in an evacuation center, you need to make sure that it can serve your purpose for long periods of time. Since you don’t always have access to an electrical power source, your emergency radio should be able to operate with the dynamo crank feature long after the last few batteries are depleted.
6. Built-in emergency lighting: Your emergency radio should also have a flashlight to illuminate your surroundings. Some even come with flashing red LED lights and a very loud siren to attract attention from afar. Imagine getting injured in the wilderness on a hiking trip and being able to push a button to sound a loud siren that sounds similar to a car alarm. That could scare the animals away and lead rescuers to your location. Yes, this is an extreme example, but we live in an extreme world.
7. The most important thing is to choose an emergency radio with good reception! The most useful design is a telescopic antenna with a built-in joint so that you can rotate and point the antenna in various directions. Who knows when you might be in a very remote area and need these features to get the signals and information you need.
In short, the radio, even with its simple design, still proves useful, especially when other forms of technology don’t provide the information or help you need. When shopping for your emergency radio, be selective and don’t settle for anything less than the criteria listed above. It might be the most important selection you’ve ever made!
