Batteries are one of those things one does not want to fail during an emergency.  Thus, it is always a good idea to have spare batteries around.  An alternative is to not need them at all.

The Grundig FR200 is a World Band radio that will always work because you can power it by cranking the handle.  The radio will run for 30 minutes when you crank the handle for 90 seconds.  You can also power it the traditional way, with batteries or an AC adapter.

You can get this unit for around $40 from a lot of different places or you can go right to the source.