Hams are the last to go offline and the first to come back on wherever a natural disaster strikes. They are due to their de-centralized nature incredibly resistant and often function as the first points of contact to provide information on the scope of the damage. Many hams are well prepared for this and have their own backup power, just in case. It's a pity that this 'hobby' (though if you'd walk into some ham shacks that word seems very inadequate) is slowly dying out. Most hams are well past their middle age, and the younger ones tend to work exclusively with bought equipment. Maybe the new 'maker' trend will usher in a new age in which it is considered cool to know how to size an LR circuit and how to wield a soldering iron.