Sorry OP, got distracted reading the great comments. If someone really wants to have communications ability beyond land lines and cell phones, which often Fail

Sorry OP, got distracted reading the great comments. If someone really wants to have communications ability beyond land lines and cell phones, which often Fail under emergency conditions, then for some people I recommend spending the time and effort in getting an Amateur (Ham) Radio License. FRS radios are for local, close-by communications like inside theme parks, County Fairs and such, and have limited practicality in an emergency situation for several reasons. But, Ham Radio, specifically the 2 Meter band, is a network with established emergency communications protocols that save lives every year all over the world, and it's all run and maintained by Volunteers! It can also be used for non commercial, personal communications, but it's not like a cell phone which is mostly private, so anyone with a similar radio or radio scanner can listen in to your Ham radio conversations. It's akin to talking to a friend in public or a restaurant. Once one learns the Ham radio communication protocols, it's an amazing radio service to belong to, and if one is intellectually curious, you can follow multiple paths of interest within it, far beyond mere personal or emergency communications. But, one has to learn and be comfortable with the Tool, because your Radio won't save you if you don't know how to use it. For instance, changing the transmit and receive frequency during a stressful emergency, or actually knowing how long you can use it before the battery is depleted, and do you have spares, and are they kept charged? If Not, you are back to being a part of the problem instead of the solution. One can't be "the Hero" without planning and practicing beforehand, so learn the tool of the trade, so to speak, spend several months using and getting to know your radio. Spend a lot of time on the air talking to other Hams, learn their call signs and the language of Ham Radio, and once you are "there" you'll be able to back off your on air activities some, but will be able to react instantly, without pressure, to any emergency you find yourself in. Practice makes perfect, truly applies to Ham radio under stressful emergency conditions. So my long winded advice is... Don't get your Ham license unless you are willing to put in the time to learn how to use it without referring to the manual.