Emergency Communication Guide

During an emergency, information saves lives. Knowing what is happening, when services will be restored, whether to evacuate or shelter in place — this is just as critical as having water or food. During Storm Eowyn (January 2025), thousands of mobile masts across Scotland and Northern Ireland lost backup power after 24 to 72 hours off-grid, yet Met Office red warnings and the national UK Emergency Alerts cell broadcast still reached people on their phones. The problem is that emergencies typically knock out the very communication systems we rely on: mobile networks collapse from overload, mast backup batteries fail, and your home Wi-Fi router goes down.

Storm Arwen (November 2021) cut power to around one million homes, some for over a week across the North East and Scottish Borders, taking mobile coverage down with it. Even in less severe events, UK mobile networks routinely overload within the first hour of a major incident. Building a backup communication plan is not optional if you want to be genuinely prepared.

The emergency radio: your most reliable lifeline

A radio with AM/FM (and ideally DAB+ and shortwave) is the most resilient communication tool you can own. The BBC is the UK's designated emergency broadcaster: BBC Local Radio carries regional warnings, and Radio 4 long wave on 198 kHz is the historic national emergency frequency. The Met Office issues yellow, amber and red weather warnings that stations relay, and radio transmitters run on backup power when the grid and the mobile network are down.

What to look for in an emergency radio

• Multiple power sources: batteries, solar, and a hand crank. Models with all three guarantee you can always power it on.
• AM, FM, and ideally DAB+/shortwave: FM and DAB+ carry BBC Local Radio and Met Office warnings; shortwave picks up the BBC World Service when local transmitters are down.
• USB output: many emergency radios double as a power bank to top up a phone. A slow charge, but in a crisis it can be the difference.
• Built-in torch: a genuinely useful extra that saves space in your kit.
• SOS alarm: some models include a siren and strobe to signal for help.

Keep batteries fitted and spares to hand. Do not bury the radio in a box at the back of a cupboard. In an emergency every minute counts, and you do not want to be hunting for batteries in the dark.

Walkie-talkies: short-range family comms

PMR446 walkie-talkies are licence-free in the UK under Ofcom rules (16 channels, 0.5 W) — no licence, no fees, no registration. Real-world range is about 1 to 3 km in towns, far less than the "10-mile" figures on the box, but more than enough to coordinate a household. Unlike the US, the UK does not use FRS or GMRS, so look specifically for PMR446 sets that are legal to use here.

• Main use: coordinating family members in different places — one at home, one collecting the children, one fetching supplies.
• Advantages: they depend on no infrastructure, run on AA or rechargeable batteries, and are simple to use.
• Limitations: limited range, especially in cities with tall buildings. Not for long-distance contact.
• Tip: agree on a channel and a simple code with your family before an emergency, so you are not scanning 16 channels looking for each other. See our recommended PMR446 sets →

Family communication plan

Beyond the devices, you need a family communication plan. It defines how you will reach each other and where you will meet if an emergency hits while you are apart. The government's gov.uk/prepare campaign and the British Red Cross both recommend writing one down and practising it at least once a year.

Elements of the plan

• Primary meeting point: a spot near home to regroup if you have to leave (a neighbour's, the end of the road, a local landmark).
• Secondary meeting point: a backup location in another part of town in case your area is affected.
• Out-of-area contact: pick a relative or friend in another part of the country as the family "switchboard." Everyone calls or texts that person to check in — long-distance lines often work when local ones are jammed.
• Emergency numbers: carry a printed card. Your phone can die.

UK emergency numbers

• 999 (or 112): all emergencies — fire, police, ambulance, coastguard. Works from any phone, even with no credit or SIM.
• 101: non-emergency police.
• 111: NHS non-emergency medical advice (England, Scotland and Wales).
• 105: the free national power-cut line — connects you to your local network operator and reports outages.
• 0800 111 999: the National Gas Emergency line if you smell gas.
• What3Words: not a number but install the app — UK 999 call handlers use it to pinpoint your exact location.

Print these and put them on the fridge, in your grab bag, and in your wallet. When your phone is at 3% is not the time to be searching the internet for a number.

Your smartphone in an emergency

Your smartphone is powerful but fragile: it depends on its battery, on coverage, and on network infrastructure. To get the most out of it during an emergency:

• Switch to flight mode or Low Power Mode when you are not actively using the phone. Drop the brightness, close background apps, and turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
• Text instead of calling. SMS uses far less power and gets through more reliably on overloaded networks than a voice call.
• Leave UK Emergency Alerts switched on (they are on by default on 4G/5G phones), and register for the emergencySMS service so you can text 999 if you cannot speak or have no voice signal.
• Keep a charged power bank. See our energy guide to pick the right one.
• Download offline maps (Google Maps or OS Maps) and install What3Words. If you have to move without mobile data, offline maps are essential.

Quick checklist: your communication kit

• 1 AM/FM/DAB+ radio with battery, solar, and hand-crank power
• Spare batteries for the radio
• A pair of licence-free PMR446 walkie-talkies with batteries
• Printed card with UK emergency numbers (999/101/111/105) and your family contact plan
• A charged power bank for your phone
• Offline maps downloaded and the What3Words app installed
• A loud emergency whistle

Communications are the category most families forget when they build an emergency plan. Yet knowing your children are safe, receiving Met Office and UK Emergency Alert instructions, or being able to call for help can be the single most important thing in the first hours of a crisis. The emergency planner includes communication gear tailored to the scenario you set up.

Sources: Met Office, gov.uk/prepare, British Red Cross, Ofcom (PMR446), Energy Networks Association (105).