Every home needs an emergency radio to get weather warnings.
And just as important, that emergency radio could be charged by solar power, hand crank, or battery, and stores power to recharge mobile devices during an outage.
An Emergency Radio: Better Safe Than Sorry
The time to contemplate buying an emergency radio is not when a disaster scenario hits because by that time, it’s too late.
I finally bought the Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio (Model ER310) and we are now ready and able to face the next storm or power outage. An emergency radio ensures you’re able to stay connected, even during potential power outages from any emergency.
We bought it for $69.99 at Midland.com.
What’s in the box:
:: Radio
:: Rechargeable lithium ion battery
:: Micro USB charging cable
:: Owner’s manual
Features of the Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio
Just having this portable emergency crank weather radio in the house has already given us peace of mind, knowing we have a line of communication for any upcoming storm or unexpected power outage. You see, this is much more than just a radio. It is a lifeline to receiving emergency and weather alerts along with other critical storm prep features.
Special features:
:: NOAA Weather Radio with Alert
:: 3500 mAh Rechargeable lithium-ion battery gives up to 45 hours of normal use
:: Multiple sustainable power sources – solar, hand crank, and battery
:: Cree® LED flashlight, 1400 Lux with adjustable brightness settings
:: SOS flashlight beacon that activates Morse code for emergency assistance
:: Ultrasonic dog whistle to help get located during an emergency search/rescue situation
:: Dimensions – 8.0” W x 3.4” H x 2.4” D
Keep in mind, severe weather often comes with a power outage. With all these amazing features, when faced with a power outage, this handy radio is an invaluable source of information, light, and power.
Portable Yet Durable
While the Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio is designed for emergency preparedness, it also makes a great radio for camping and other outdoor uses. The convenient side handle makes it ideal to hold while transporting. And the portable size fits nicely in a duffel bag, prepper backpack, trunk, and in a home emergency or hurricane kit. It feels sturdy and rugged yet it’s lightweight enough to carry long distances.
Radio With Weather Alerts Broadcast By NOAA
Staying informed before, during, and after a severe weather event or emergency can save your life. This Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio features a telescoping antenna for AM/FM radio bands, and also picks up NOAA weather alerts from the National Weather Service.
We typically rely on our mobile devices to give us weather alerts. But this radio is a trustworthy back-up as it makes a “weather alert” siren sound and blinks when a warning is issued on a local channel. This is especially important if severe weather poses a potential evacuation order for your geographical area. This warning system can help give you ample time to seek appropriate shelter.
Three Sustainable Power Sources
While it’s great having a back-up radio, the Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio takes the “back-up” feature to a whole new level. You see, there are not one, but three power sources to keep the radio operating.
Sustainable power sources include:
:: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
:: Hand crank
:: Solar
The main option that we use to charge the radio’s battery is through a USB port. To fully charge, it takes approximately five hours, so we make sure our radio is always fully charged and ready to use. The fully recharged lithium-ion battery offers approximately 45 hours of standard use. You can also add six “AA” batteries (not included) into the radio as an additional battery back-up.
The hand crank gives you the option to recharge the battery by hand, so it takes a bit of manual labor. The faster you turn the crank, the quicker the battery charges. One minute of cranking gives you about 10 minutes of radio use. When not using the crank, it folds neatly on the body of the radio.
If you’re lucky enough to have full sun to charge the radio, the top surface of the radio is a built-in solar panel. Simply place the radio in full sun for one hour and the battery will offer you at least 45 minutes of radio operation during an emergency.
LED Flashlight With SOS Strobe
In addition to the radio feature, this handy device also offers a built-in LED flashlight with several lighting options.
Lighting options include:
:: Standard – dim light
:: Bright – 1400 Lux
:: Flashing SOS strobe
The SOS flashlight strobe function activates Morse code for emergency assistance.
Ultrasonic Dog Whistle
Here’s a feature that could be a lifesaver! The Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio offers an ultrasonic dog whistle. This would come in handy should you get lost or be hidden during an emergency … even if you’re out of sight, the sound can assist search and rescue teams in finding you.
USB Charging Port
When faced with a power outage, you can never have enough power sources to recharge your cell phones and other mobile devices. The Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio offers a panel with a micro USB input for charging, USB Type-A for output, headphone jack, and battery source switch.
Every Home Needs the Midland ER310 Weather Radio
No matter what city you live in or whether you live in a house, apartment, RV, or dorm room … the Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio is a great emergency radio to keep on hand. A power outage can happen anywhere at any time. This radio is easy to operate, and can be powered up by battery, hand crank, or solar so you can expect it to continually operate.
The Midland ER310 Emergency Radio can help save your life with the audible and visible weather alerts, flashing SOS strobe, and the ultrasonic dog whistle. These days, prepping is the key to survival, whether you’re facing a hurricane, flood, Nor’easter, tornado, earthquake, wildfire, blizzard, or other potential catastrophic scenario.
If a severe storm or life-threatening emergency hits, my family will be better prepared with our Midland Portable Emergency Crank Weather Radio.
