Issue #019
Everyone in the house needs the same 10-digit number memorized
A radio you have never keyed up is a paperweight. Fix that in ten minutes tonight.
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 · Emergency Skills
When a local network jams, calls inside the affected area fail first while long-distance texts often slip through. That is why your family meeting point should be a phone number two states away.
Today’s Skill
One number, three ways to reach it
Pick a relative or friend outside your region as the hub. Everyone checks in with that one person instead of hunting each other. Give each family member three paths to it: memorized digits, a written card in a wallet or backpack, and the number taped inside a kitchen cabinet. Add a rule that texts come before calls. Text uses less network and queues until it lands.
On The Radar
Late August pulls the pantry two directions
School supply lists and storm season hit the same aisles right now. Canning lids, jars, bottled water, and shelf-stable milk empty out fast. Do this: pick one staple your family actually eats and add an extra case every grocery trip this month. Rotate the oldest cans to the front of the shelf. Write the date on each lid with a marker. Thin reserves are the real risk.
The Drill
Key up the radios in the driveway tonight
Tonight, hand a radio to one family member and send them four houses down the street. Confirm you can hear each other on your chosen channel. Then have everyone text the out-of-state hub with their name and location. Anyone who cannot recite that number writes it on a card and puts it in a wallet before bed. Total time: ten minutes.
Ready beats lucky. See you tomorrow.
- Survival Rise
P.S. Tomorrow we cover the three documents that should live in a waterproof bag, not a filing cabinet.