Any HN regular should be able to study for a few hours and pass the Technician test. This gives you access to all the VHF and UHF frequencies that are often used in emergency communications. A bit more study and you can get the General license, which lets you use more HF (potentially longer range) frequencies.
Here is a good place to start:
Many hams start with a cheap Baofeng handheld. These sell in the $25-60 range. Here's one I have and recommend - it's at the high end of that range but has several improvements over the cheaper ones including a better antenna:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01J2W4JUI/
Ham radio has been popping up on HN a lot lately. Besides emergency communications, there are a lot of interesting things you can do once you get your license. Feel free to holler with any questions!
This isn’t hyperbole. I got my Technician license after literally only studying for an hour (admittedly I had some prior experience, but most of what the test is just memorizing various things you should know).
I have probably a dozen RTL SDR’s strewn about boxes and junk drawers, but the idea of relying on them in an emergency is unsettling. The little baofengs have a terrible interface but last a long time on a charge and are pretty rugged.
The point about practicing is legit. Most comms with these radios happen with relays, but you’ll want to know where people will be in simplex (walkie talkie style) operation if there’s no infrastructure.
Relatedly, remember when long distance vs. local was something you had to consider when making a call? Hahaha.
Maybe the proliferation of more 5G towers could make the internet more resistant?