There's all sorts of modes of communications you could use. For voice, there's nothing wrong with 2m and 70cm for local communication. As had been stated earlier, there's repeaters out the wazoo here in Colorado. The advantage is that it only takes an entry level license to use them (though one can do anything they please in emergency situations).

For longer range regional and international com, HF would work very nicely.These days the 20, 40 and 80 meter bands should work nicely. With a very simple wire antenna (stretched out at six feet in height) you can work NVIS (Near Vertical Incident Skywave). It's a mouthful, but sends your signal straight up and bounces it off ionized layers in the upper atmosphere. You should get up to a 300 mile radius of communication which may be all you need. 40 meters is a reasonably reliable band for that type of operation.

If you prefer longer range, that same wire antenna can be elevated to 30-50 feet and you should be able to hit Europe if you have to, though the lower 48 is a better bet on a consistent basis. 80/40/20 meters are good for this as well depending on the time of day. Again, a simple wire antenna is plenty for what we're talking about. You can make it yourself for under $10 if your handy.

Digital ops are available if you want to get into it further. It'll take a computer to do it, but even an old laptop is sufficient. You can even use it on HF for continental coverage, though the VHF digital capability locally may be enough.