Wishing the best to everyone.
Fortunately, the worst of hurricanes Helene and Milton are in the past. The effected communities have had time to evaluate the damage and hopefully found reasons to be grateful. For the rest of us, we can assist as needed, pray for their recovery, and do some self reflection on what we can learn from others’ experiences.
Self reflection beyond Helene and Milton.
As much as we’d like to think calamities happen to someone else, there is no part of the country that is not at risk form some type of natural disaster. Off Grid Ham is not a “survivalist website”, so we’ll focus on communications/alternative power topics and leave discussions about other preparations to those who are more qualified to comment.
Take some time and analyze where you live. What types of disasters are likely? How long do you think the event would last? Who would you need to communicate with in this situation, and why? What will happen if you are unable to contact these people?
Points to consider.
When public safety agencies order an evacuation, listen to them! The best way to survive a disaster is to not be there in the first place. I understand why some folks might be reluctant to leave. When it’s all over though, your reasons will not matter if you are dead. Your presence is not going to stop the adverse event or make the situation better. You may in fact make it worse. Hanging around does not not prove anything or make one a hero. Get out when told. 
Have a portable radio/go box ready well in advance. Even if you are not in an evacuation zone, chances are pretty good you will still face some adverse conditions. If you have a fixed home station, do not presume it will be operable after the event. Your antenna may be down. The power may be out. You may temporarily have to relocate nearby, such as a neighbor’s house, a garage, or even your car. Having radio gear you can bring along will assure that you can still stay connected. Helene and Milton
Communications should not be your top priority. This may sound odd coming from a website dedicated solely to communications, but it’s the truth. Once the immediate danger passes, your top priorities should be assessing damage, assisting those in need, and maintaining your own health and safety. Jumping on the air for anything other than support for the preceding reasons accomplishes nothing and clutters the radio bands. Welfare messages to assure distant friends/family and routine weather/situation reports are not essential and should be delayed until after more urgent needs are addressed. Helene and Milton
Have a communications plan. Prepare a list of frequencies important to your locale and have them pre-programmed in your equipment. Give yourself several options since repeaters may be offline. Whenever possible, plan in advance with other hams close enough to contact via simplex so you can provide relays and pass messages. You do not necessarily have to team up with these hams for mutual aid in other aspects (shelter, food, fuel, etc.) but having a functional communications network is essential. Helene and Milton
Assume you will not have internet access. Drill this into your head: Any form of ham radio that involves the internet is by definition not “off grid”! If your comms plan relies heavily on the internet, it’s absolutely imperative to have a “plan B” for when it’s down. This includes support resources not directly related to on-air operations. Any important manuals, programming instructions, calculators, how-to information, frequency lists, maps, diagrams, schematics, photos, etc., should be kept in printed form or on locally-accessible digital media (not on the cloud or a server). Preferably, have more than one copy. If you run into a problem, you may not be able to find the solution with a quick google or YouTube search.
Have a reasonable stock of supplies and spare parts. This is kind of a no-brainer. Don’t let your entire communications system be crippled by a blown fuse. Stock a small supply of fuses, connectors, patch cables, small batteries (AA, D, 9v, etc.), electrician’s tape, heat shrink tube, solder, and any other odds and ends you might need to stay on the air. Also, have ready any hand tools you might need to complete the repairs. Helene and Milton
Be careful to whom you listen.
One great way to prepare for disasters is to learn from those who have been through one. The internet is full of know-it-alls, but very few of them have any direct experience. One very popular US-based blogger has established himself as a “survival expert”. His website grabs millions of hits every month and he earns a lucrative income as a “consultant”. Yet, he’s never personally been tested himself.
That’s not to say these people are universally not worth listening to, or they cannot know anything unless they’ve done it. After all, I haven’t been involved in a disaster either, yet here I am dispensing advice and expecting to be taken seriously. You don’t need to break a bone to know breaking a bone hurts!
What this does mean is that you should be very cognizant of to whom you listen. Some of these content creators actually know what they’re talking about. Others mean well but offer incorrect or impractical information. A small number are straight up frauds. Still others are “professional survivalists”, ie, influencers who may or may not be authoritative. Their primary goal is profit via clicks or sponsor promotion.
Lastly, listen to your gut! Intuition is powerful. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Skills, equipment, and experience mean absolutely zero without common sense and “street smarts”. Success in this area means being able to read a situation and not base decisions on peer pressure or trying to look good to others . Many if not most people who think they possess these “soft skills” actually don’t. This deficiency can be countered by surrounding oneself with wise people. Be honest with yourself, because a bad call can mean a disaster on top of the disaster you’re already facing.
Learning is an ongoing process, and no one can ever know everything. With a little common sense and some competent advice, you can greatly increase your odds of not being a statistic.
Some food for thought, aside from our HAM Civic duties, related to the weather: People are by nature, slow to respond to what they see with their own eyes, So, when an organized bunch of people come along and say you didn’t see—what you just saw, well–us lulled asleep Americans just play along with the narrative. Perhaps you can guess I’m NOT going to go along with the narrative.
The times we live in are strange. None of the clouds I was taught about in Skywarn are around, anymore. 90% appear much lower than the stratosphere. They used to always form from standard systems and gather moisture predictably. But that isn’t what happens anymore. These last two hurricanes moved about bodies of water–and land–like an Etch-A-Sketch being directed by a drunken sailor. They gather moisture from systems that are directed by–well, not the trade winds, and disappear from satellite screens for hours, while they abnormally intensify, then pop back up. I could go on for hours, as the data over the past three years has broken all sorts of records–and mystified scientists (at least some of us). Even the occasional summer stargazing should have gotten the attention of–someone.
So, in conclusion, as colleagues take time off from having their heads in the sand to call me a conspiracy theorist, I ask you to do some simple research. There’s plenty of material out there. Then ask some questions of your own. It just might save lives.
Hi Rob, every conspiracy theory has a pedigree back to the truth. Meaning, the theory itself may be untrue but often the issues around it are not. Off Grid Ham is not a “tin foil hat” -style website, so I’m not going any further, but I do appreciate your comment.
Good advice Chris. I watch the YouTube accounts of what has gone on and is still going on and ask myself, “How can I be better at communication if everything gets really bad.) I am thinking about getting a few local Hams together and form a plan for such events. No organization just good level headed Hams working as a team. One of the items to get ready in advance, as I see it, is to have a list of all service contacts. That fire, law enforcement, National Gaurd, hospitals, search and resue, Red Cross, Salvation Army, churches, any local disaster organizations, etc.
I have been in organizations that worry if you filled out a form right or not and less what the mission is.
Hi Jed, as for myself I am not and will not be a member of any organized EMCOMM or response group. For the most part these groups do good work and I’m not throwing shade on them; it’s just that I personally don’t see the benefit of getting involved. I’m much better off working with trusted friends and neighbors.
Good advice all the way around. Thanks Chris. Making at least minimal preparations for disasters like this is something everyone needs to do.
Thanks for your support, Randy. As mentioned, Off Grid Ham is not intended to be a survivalist website but there is a lot of crossover so the topic can’t be entirely avoided. Unfortunately, too many people think “being prepared” means a simple home first aid kit and a flashlight from the dollar store.
Many thanks for this entry and double thanks for calling out fraudsters and crisis-entrepreneurs. I am born and raised in south Florida and have experienced MANY hurricanes and the aftermath with flooding, impassable roads, power outages, and no internet. Your advice is exactly what I would provide if asked about comms during or immediately following a calamity. Thank you, KO4WTM
Thanks so much for your support, Randy. Please spread the word about Off Grid Ham and I hope everyone is OK down there.