The month of September is National Preparedness month and right on cue Hurricane Dorian has decided to pummel the Atlantic Coast. This wakeup call from mother nature has grabbed people attention on the local and national news media. This series of events shows us in real time the value of preparedness and having the correct gear at the right time. What better time than now to cast a light on our latest piece of disaster preparedness gear, the Midland ER310 Weather Radio. This little bright red radio is easy to use and packed full of features that are relevant to any weather-related event that you might encounter anywhere in the United States.
Simple and Effective
In any emergency situation communications are usually the first thing to degrade to the point of being unreliable. In a storm-related event, communications about changing conditions could make the difference between placing yourself and your loved ones in harm’s way or on the path to safety. The Midland ER310 Weather Radio offers simplicity and reliability in a small highly portable package that you can leave on the counter at home or toss in your Go Bag if you have to leave your location in a hurry. It’s design minimizes moving parts and extra features and focuses on whats import and what works.
Photo:Rick Dembroski
Never Run out of Power
The problem with power grids is that for the most part they susceptible to things like floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, ice storms or hurricanes. Because they are subject to these forces of nature they often time go offline for hours or days at a time during disasters. That makes operating and charging things like cell phones, radios and other electronic equipment almost impossible. The folks at Midland took notice of that and made the model ER-310 Weather Radio able to be powered by three different sources of power. Adding a built-in resiliency factor to anyone who has one in their possession. This unit can be powered off of six AA-sized batteries, one 2600 mAh lithium-ion battery, a hand crank dynamo or the top mounted solar panel.
Let’s take a look at exactly what exactly the team at Midland packed into this surprisingly small and lightweight weather radio and we will explain why I am so excited about this unit and why I can’t stop recommending it to my friends and family as soon as they ask about preparedness.
Specifications
Brand: Midland
Model: ER-310
Power Source:
- AA Battery (six total)
- Lithium Ion Rechargeable (one total)
- Solar Panel
- Hand crank
Dimensions:
- Length: 9.61″
- Height: 6.85″
- Thickness: 2.95″
- Weight: 1.46 lbs
Channels:
- AM/FM
- 7 NOAA/National Weather Service automated weather alert channels
Other Features:
- 1400 lux LED light
- SOS flashing beacon
- Ultrasonic dog whistle
- USB capable smart phone/tablet charger charging port
- One year warranty
- 32 Hour run time when fully charged
MSRP: $69.99 at Midland.Com
Photo:Rick Dembroski
Why You Should Own One
Why should you own a Midland ER-310 Weather Radio? because I’m betting that if you are reading this in the United States that if you stop and think about it you certainly face one or more natural hazards that could greatly impact your life. You might live near a seismic fault line or a floodplain and not even know it. Mother nature doesn’t usually give a ton of warning about when she is going to unleash her fury. If its weather-related usually the forecasters at the National Weather Service have been up all night tracking the rain, wind, ice or whatever storm or weather event you are facing and have the NWS automated forecast broadcasts up and running.
What that means is that all you have to do regardless of if you have electricity or not is reach over and push two buttons and you will have a real-time accurate report of the conditions. When I say accurate I mean down to the conditions of the prevailing winds, barometric pressure changes, temperatures and when the last update was done. It also gives you the most current forecasts for your local area out to 72 hours. All information that may seem mundane on a normal day, but become vital during storms if you don’t think so just ask someone who has lived through tornado season in North Texas or the Great Plains
The Midlands ER-310 can be found online for between $60-80 and in the grand scheme of things is a great value and makes a perfect accessory for your Go Bag, recreational vehicle or your car. The utilitarian nature of the radio allows the user the flexibility of not just listening to the radio or weather updates but lets them recharge other devices via the external USB plug located on the side of the unit. So when everyone is out of cell phone battery and the power if off for days you can plug your phone into the Midland ER-310 and place it in a sunny spot and very slowly recharge your battery.
Photo:Rick Dembroski
Prepping Thoughts
We want to hear from our readers who are avid preppers, what do you think of the Midland ER-310? Are you currently running a weather radio or base station as part of your bug out set up or is it even something you have considered? Many times communications are overlooked in the world of preparedness, but with the Midland ER-310, it doesn’t have to be any longer. Small, portable, and several ways to supply power all at an affordable price point. What’s not to like?
