emergency email would work assuming communication infrastructure is still in place
Funny you mentioned this.....
Right before the storm, we got email notification from the NWS that we were under a high wind warning as we were expecting winds of 70-90 m.p.h. as well as high surf which is common in the winter season.
The winds started to pick up and it was not until 4 hours into the storm that we all lost power, Bonneville power station lost its transformers, Astoria-Megler bridge was closed (Hwy. 101 that crosses the Columbia River). We were shut off from the rest of the world. So we hunkered down.
While we were playing Scrabble and occasionally looking out the window, it crossed my mind that this is more than 70-90 m.p.h. winds.
We went to bed and while I was laying down and getting ready to blow out the candles, the walls of our house started to rattle. Now that was freaky!
The next morning the trees were going in every direction and it was way beyond 120 m.p.h.!
We remembered that we had a radio and turned it on. Much to dismay, all local radio stations were knocked out and the only ones we could pick up were news out of Seattle and Portland with both of them announcing that we were under a rare hurricane warning and then we lost radio communications from Seattle and Portland.
After the storm died down we learned that we had 128 m.p.h. winds in our town whereas at Cape 'D' (Disappointment) it clocked at 141 m.p.h. with gusts up to 162 m.p.h.
It took 4 days before telephone service, cell phones, cable, internet and electricity was restored.
Even if we want the police/sheriff to notify us in the event of an emergency, chances are likely that they won't be able to assist as they will be overwhelmed with emergencies in the county as well as trying to get through if roads are impassable.