Emergency Crank Radios - Why You and Yours Need Emergency Crank Radios

You have probably guessed what they are by now - especially after seeing the pictures! However, as with all things, just break the name down into something simpler. Radio - that is the easy part. Emergency - well, designed for use in an emergency or crisis of some sort (a crisis of nature rather than a personal crisis, although the first one can easily lead to the second one if you are not prepared). Crank - the hardest part! In this case it refers to the handle fitted (normally) to the side of the radio.

The use of this handle is based on the same principle as the old dynamo lights fitted to bicycles a zillion years ago. Then it was a case of a round piece of metal rubbing against the bicycle wheel (which made the bicycle harder to pedal). That piece of metal was rotated by the bicycle wheel turning which generated electricity and made the bicycle light glow.

Now instead of that round piece of metal being turned by the bicycle wheel, turning the crank handle generates the electricity which charges a battery inside the radio. No more "where are the spare batteries" problems. Just turn the crank and charge the battery up again.

Some Emergency Crank Radios have added features such as a light and the ability to charge up certain mobile phone batteries - useful in case their batteries have also gone flat.

Who does not need one? There have been numerous instances where warnings broadcast by the local radio station or by specialised emergency weather radio stations have saved a large number of lives. These warnings have normally been heard firstly using normal mains (115/220/240 volts depending on where you are) powered radios. As a result of these warnings, those people about to be affected by the emergency have been able to take shelter and generally have survived the emergency.

The arrival of some natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes can be predicted to a certain extent which enables those people about to be affected to make some preparations. However, nothing can stop the electricity supply from possibly failing during that disaster. Therein lies the problem.

Suddenly that emergency radio broadcast cannot be heard. Normally some radio stations are still able to transmit, but you, the survivor, are not able to hear what they are staying. Is it safe to go outside now? Is this calm actually only the "eye of the storm" and is everything about to reverse direction and cause more destruction as the second half of the storm passes over you? No electricity means no radio - unless you have an emergency radio. Which of course means having to keep spare batteries for it - but how many batteries and where are they? An emergency crank radio has its spare batteries in the form of a crank - just turn the handle to recharge it's batteries.

Just about anyone who is likely to be affected by an emergency of some sort and is in a position to receive a signal from a broadcast radio station should have one.

Most radio stations (certainly ones that are designed to supply vital information in an emergency) have their own backup generators so even when the general electricity supply is not working, they can still keep on transmitting. The vital information that they supply in times of an emergency can and does save lives. When you are cut-off from all else, you will still know what is happening in your area and more importantly you will know what it is safe to do and what you should not do. No more guess-work - you will be able to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.

As one example, in the USA the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) NWS (National Weather Service) has over 950 radio transmitters which (among other things) issue alerts about natural disasters such as earthquakes and avalanches as well as environmental events such as oil spills and public safety issues.

Using the radio is the easiest method of delivering messages since the carrier pigeon. In fact the radio is better as it will reach a greater number of people far more quickly than a pigeon.

Why tell you things that you already know? Radio and television are the greatest means of mass-communication today. They still beat the internet because the equipment required to receive radio and television messages is far simpler than the computer-based internet. In a crisis situation, be it natural or man-made, the radio receiver is still the simplest and easiest of all.

But the radio receiver has a failing - it requires power. If mains electricity is not available batteries are required. If they run flat, more batteries are required - and even more batteries. Or even easier, forget the stack of spare batteries - just use Emergency Crank Radios.

Your safety may depend on one someday. Do not put it off any longer - buy one here now. You will probably get a high-quality model cheaper than you can buy it in the shops.