Look folks, if you haven't already added GMRS radios to your prepper equipment, do so ASAP. This at least could provide some local area comms - which it could be valuable to have that as an option.

You can go to the FCC website and apply for the license online (no test is required). Cost is $70, is good for 10 years, and extends to household family members. The turn-around on approval is same day to next day. So you can get this done fast.

The thing that's valuable about GMRS over, say, CB radio, is it is capable of using repeaters and there are lots of GMRS repeaters around the 48 states.

These repeaters can greatly extend the reach of ability to converse with others in the radius of the repeater. Even if you have a lowly 2 watt hand-held GMRS radio, if you are able to reach the repeater with it, you'll be able to converse with anyone else that can reach the repeater. I'm within ten miles line of sight to a repeater and use a hand-held radio to reach it. I can converse with people that are like 40 miles out from the repeater where they're using 40 to 50 watt radios and automotive or house mounted antennas. My transmissions on that repeater are very clear, high quality for the recipients.

Can get a BTech GMRS-v1 hand-held for about $55 and they make another GMRS unit, BTECH GMRS-50X1, that is 50 watt and is around $200. Kenwood and other companies have products in GMRS space too (check YouTube for reviews and product comparisons).

When you get one, find a repeater, and get online, start inquiring if there is anyone else that are very recently new to GMRS - chances are they might have arrived for similar reasons (given what is transpiring). Get to know them (carefully) - never get into political talk over radio transmissions. Just use it to do useful comms. People yak about all kinds of things over GMRS (it's basic orientation, though, is a mission of civic emergency use so if anyone needs to break in with an emergency situation, everyone needs to get off to allow for that use - and be ready to assist if can in some way).

Here are the pertinent links on FCC and getting GMRS license:

FCC Info - General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)

FCC forms - form 605 for GMRS

FCC License Manager site

BTW, there are nation-wide GMRS groups that have networked comms sessions (about once a week at an appointed time - checkout mygmrs.com). There is also an entrepreneur company that makes a device (about $155) that establishes a repeater in the home via an Internet access point. It adds your mini, local repeater device to a network of such repeaters across the Internet. Those in this Internet-extended network can then do radio comms with each other (as though they were all on one grand terrestrial repeater). Naturally this network of comms goes a way if the Internet access goes away, but while the Internet is available, then GMRS users can try to establish a nation-wide community: The new age low cost Coast to Coast GMRS repeater