Communications outage
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Conserve phone battery, try short texts for nonurgent check-ins and use a battery radio for official information. For immediate danger, try calling local emergency services; text-to-911 availability varies. Do not travel into danger just to find signal.
Take it with you. Verify locally.
Downloads open without signup. External references are published material, not live instructions. Save them before an outage.
In immediate danger, contact local emergency services. Current instructions for your location take priority.
Do now.
- 01
Check alternatives
Try a safe available landline, another carrier or Wi-Fi calling if configured and functioning.
- 02
Keep messages short
Send your location, status and next check-in time to your out-of-area contact.
- 03
Protect battery
Lower brightness, enable low-power mode and limit unnecessary use.
- 04
Use the meeting plan
If networks fail completely, follow the agreed safe meeting and contact arrangements.
Next steps.
Keep paper contact lists, offline maps and a radio. Arrange check-in times before a crisis.
Watch for.
A message sent is not necessarily delivered. Do not assume emergency texting is supported everywhere.
Sources & context.
Original Osprey Zero summary of the references below. U.S.-based guidance unless noted; check authorities where you are. This page is not a live alert.
Updated 2026-10-02. Recheck official instructions during an active event.