There are three key points to keep in mind when considering your communications in the face of any adverse event. This has proven helpful in both hurricanes and earthquakes. 

Pre-emergency practices:

• Keep emergency services numbers organized in your phone. 911 services can go down or become inaccessible during adverse events and natural disasters. Almost all emergency services will have a non-911 number that can be called, and this number can prove vital if 911 is inaccessible. 
• Subscribe to text message services from local emergency services 
• Ensure that your emergency supplies, or bugout bag (this is our strategy of choice) has at the very least a battery operated radio and a flashlight.
• Log a list of ICE(In Case of Emergency) numbers into your phone.
• Be sure to have ready access to a car charger(s).
• Begin staging emergency supplies, especially food and water. 

When an emergency occurs:

• Pay attention to any numbers provided by your local or state government such as 311 and the like.
• Keep contacts brief. Text messages, emails, and social media posts can be best. Remember to regularly monitor the level of charge on your phone. Don’t wait till you’re at the end of your effective charge to start considering recharging. 
• If you have power, or a generator that can provide power, your TV can be a good source of local information. 
• If you are using your vehicle(s) for charging do not forget to take your vehicle(s) out of your garage or enclosed space prior to charging devices in your vehicle. 
• Reduce any unnecessary features on your phone, such as screen brightness, to preserve charge. 

Once the immediate threat has passed:

• Once the intensity of the adverse event has passed you will need to perform a careful and safe assessment of the damage. This will prove helpful in knowing what forms of communication may still be viable. 
• Begin to triage any injuries so you can communicate information to emergency medical personnel should this be necessary. 
• Move emergency supplies into place for use. 
• Begin communicating with friends, neighbors, and family to determine where help is needed most, and how you might play a role in getting help to those persons. 

Caveat: If the disaster is monumental all bets are off and you will need to rely on your resourcefulness and ability to improvise in addressing communications.