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Review the comms plan every year

People move, numbers change, rules change and batteries age. A yearly review keeps the whole system honest.

How

1. Update every paper contact card and the out-of-area contact, as the FEMA plan suggests yearly.
2. Check licence expiry dates (US amateur and GMRS licences run 10 years) and renew in time.
3. Check for changes to national alert systems; for example Canada closed its weather radio network in 2026.
4. Test every battery under load, replace weak ones, and refresh printed maps and manuals.
5. Re-run the comms battery and solar calculator if you added equipment.

Sources

1. Family Communication Plan. FEMA / Ready.gov (hosted by New Jersey Office of Emergency Management), accessed 2026-11
2. General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accessed 2026-11
3. Getting Your Technician License. ARRL, the US national association for amateur radio, accessed 2026-11
4. Canada to shut down its VHF weather radio service. Radio World, accessed 2026-11

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