If communications goes down, the old-school radio will be your only means of getting news. (The end of 24 hour news sort of seems like a good idea, but anyway....)
This one is a hand-crank, so you don't have to worry about batteries. It's got a light and you can charge other devices by cranking it.
iRonsnow Solar Emergency NOAA Weather Radio Dynamo Hand Crank Self Powered AM F
WHERE TO BUY
The Essentials
Importance: Crucial.
Bottom line: When your cellphone (and everything else on the electrical grid) goes down, a radio is how you'll get news.
Recommended for: Home Shelter, Transit/Evacuation, Away Shelter.
No. of units recommended: One (1) for each, minimum. So, 3X.
Price: Around $20.
Be aware: None of these units are as bulletproof as we'd like. They are easy to break.
Field Notes
A radio doesn't do much good if you don't have a news source to listen to in times of need. Most emergency advisory stations in America are around the 1600 kHz on the AM portion of the dial. (Try 1610 or 1620, for instance.)
Turn it on BEFORE an emergency and find the right place on the dial. For even better info, look on this national map for your specific area. http://www.theradiosource.com/resources/stations-alert.htm
