A communications network may include user equipment (UE) devices. When a first UE device becomes off-grid and has an emergency message, the first UE device may transmit device-to-device signals for receipt by a second UE device. The signals may include one or more preambles that precede the emergency message and that are used by the second UE device to perform synchronization with the first UE device. The second UE device may periodically activate a receiver during a series of windows to listen for the signals, may receive a preamble sequence during one of the windows, and may synchronize its timing to the first UE device for receipt of the emergency message based on the preamble sequence. This may allow the UE devices to be synchronized for transfer of the emergency message over long distances while consuming a minimal amount of power on the second UE device.