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Build an offline information library

When the internet is gone, the household needs maps, manuals and this platform's own guidance on paper or on local storage that runs on battery.

How

1. Print topographic maps of the estate and the surrounding region. US example: USGS offers free GeoPDF topo maps through topoView and sells paper maps; other countries have national mapping agencies.
2. Mark on the maps: meeting places, neighbours who have radios, nearest hospital, water points, and high ground that gives better radio range.
3. Download offline map areas to phones and tablets while networks work, and keep them charged as part of the comms kit.
4. Print the manuals for every radio, charger and battery, and the channel and frequency lists. Keep them in a waterproof folder by the radios.
5. Print the key parts of this platform: the unified roadmap, the PACE plan, the medical and power troubleshooting steps. Store one copy in the house and one in the grab bag.
6. Keep a USB drive with the same files, stored with the spare equipment (see comms-18). For backing up documents and drives, follow secure-18, the single backup step.

Sources

1. How do I find and download topographic maps?. US Geological Survey (USGS), accessed 2026-11
2. Build a Kit. Ready.gov, FEMA, accessed 2026-11
3. Get Tech Ready (archived copy). Ready.gov, FEMA, accessed 2026-11

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