You Can Use Your Phone for Emergency Preparations

When prepping for a natural disaster or emergency, we often neglect to think of our phones. Cell phones have become the average Americans lifeline and should be included in all preparations. It makes it so much easier to be able to reach out for emergency assistance and update your family on your wellbeing. We have seen incredible storms hitting the southeast, the Caribbean, and Latin America as of lateso it’s that much more important to think about what will happen to you if you are in an emergency situation.

Protect Your Phone

A broken phone will do you know good so you should be doing everything you can to protect it now and get the most out of the life of your cell phone. iPhone screen protectors, or a screen protector for your model of smartphone, is an absolute must-have. They keep your screen from cracking and protect from spills that can happen at any given time. Do check into tough cases that will protect your phone from being dropped or thrown should you be caught in a natural disaster.  Considering the cost of cellphones these days, the expense of a rugged case is well worth your investment.

Apps that Can Save Your Life

There are millions of apps available for smartphones and there are certainly ones developed for emergency situations. They should be a part of every family emergency plans!

Disaster Alert is an interactive map that allows you to see where disasters are occurring anywhere in the world. This became a very popular app when Hurricane Irma came through a people were able to watch it progress in near real-time and could make decisions based on what they were seeing in the app. The best thing about this app is that you can set up alerts that will keep you updated every 5 minutes. That is especially helpful when it comes down to flash flooding, something you cannot be necessarily alerted hours in advance.

Winter Survival Kit is another great app for those that are living in areas that are prone to large snowstorms and ice storms. If you find yourself stuck on the side of the road and are unable to speak, you can press the “I am stuck” button to notify emergency crews of your location thanks to GPS locations.

Have a Backup Plan

It’s important to note that in some natural disasters and emergencies, cell phones simply won’t work. Hurricanes and tornadoes can tear down cell phone towers and render the rest of us unable to reach out to family or find help. All families should have a satellite phone as a backup since satellite phones do not rely on cell towers but rather the satellites in space. This will give you the freedom to contact emergency crews, reach out to family, and seek help in every capacity you can imagine.

Whether you are a veteran at emergency preparedness, or brand new to the game, having a plan for communication will be vital to your survival and your peace of mind. If you have noticed the increase of natural disasters in the recent months, we hope that it has meant you have taken notice of your own plan and tweak it to cover any possible scenario!

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