Field guide: signaling and communications

Useful emergency communication is brief and actionable. State who you are, location, condition, immediate need, and time of the last confirmed information.

Use the channel that fits

For immediate threats, contact emergency services when available. When networks are congested, a short text may work better than repeated calls. A battery radio can carry official updates but is not a guarantee of reception. Keep listening for changes.

Set a message routine

• Choose one out-of-area contact and one local meeting point.
• Set check-in times to preserve batteries.
• Write important numbers, addresses, medications, and meeting locations on paper.
• Use clear status words: safe, injured, leaving, staying, need transport, need medical help.

Signal safely

Use light, a whistle, or a visible note only from a safe place. Do not climb, enter unstable structures, or approach floodwater or downed lines to improve a signal. Protect medical, location, and family details from unnecessary sharing.

Scope: Civilian communication guidance; no covert, military, or evasion techniques.