Grandpa TJ: I’ve located videos on how to find local news sources which can give you time-sensitive information regarding local events which may affect you and your family. Getting that information to your family can be as simple as a Group Text to warn them of areas to avoid as they travel home.
Remember, you can get personalized help including video chat if you need it. Visit Grandpa TJ’s Inner Circle for more information on how to schedule a live consultation.
Finding Live Local News
Local TV News: You can normally find your local TV news sources by doing a search with the following phrase “{your city name} news stations“. This search should show you the local TV station’s websites. Those sites will have pages for news, weather and sports stories which can be useful. But for the most current information, you should look for a live video webpage where recent videos are posted on their site. These videos are usually edited before being posted so there is a built-in delay from the time of the incidents being reported.
Local Radio News: You may also find that you have local news radio stations by searching with the phrase “{your city name} news radio stations“. Radio is usually even more current than TV news – often providing live, at-the-scene reporting of incidents by either reporters or actual witnesses.
Disaster Alerts: Check your local government websites for city or county alert systems. Many, after you opt-in, will send you alerts via text or email messages with information on local emergency conditions.
Reverse 911: This is another opt-in, regional alert system set up to deliver recorded emergency messages to phones located in a specific geographic area. Here in California it is commonly used to notify a community that wildfires may force an evacuation.
HDTV Antenna: These antennas capture local broadcast TV stations to your TV even if you don’t have a cable TV service. These indoor antennas can be connected to most TV monitors via the antenna input and allow you to watch local stations without the internet.
This video reviews 5 indoor HDTV antennas which range in price from $15-$50. However if you are so inclined, you can actually build your own antenna – search for “build hdtv antenna“.
Thanks to Reviews.org for the YouTube video
Police/News Scanner Apps
Everything from traffic accidents to civil unrest gets reported via police radio and scanners will let you hear those incidents almost immediately after they happen. The biggest obstacle before the smart phone era was that you needed specialized radio receivers and a lot of patience to listen to every call to see if any are important and might affect you and your family.
Today’s scanner apps relieve you from having to listen 24/7 by listing the various incidents from around the country (and the world) in a news or alerts section. You can then choose to listen to the live radio traffic associated with that incident.
Grandpa TJ: My favorite is the Scanner Radio App – besides providing a list of incident, it will pop an alert when a certain number of people are listening to a given station. I have mine set at 2000. Whenever 2000 or more people are listening to a station, I want to know what is happening.
This video shows 4 radio scanner apps for iPhone and Android. Listed apps: 5-0 Radio Police Scanner, Broadcastify, Scanner Radio and Police Scanner X.
Thanks to Make Tech Easier for the YouTube video
This video shows the Radio Reference scanner app for your desktop or laptop computer.
Thanks to GuruBrew for the YouTube video
So between local news feeds and scanner apps, you can be hyper-aware of your local surroundings, especially during an emergency. You will be able to keep yourself and your family members from accidently inserting themselves into a bad situation.