The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1st every year, and with the trends the way they are, the storms are likely not getting any weaker over the next few years. If you live in a place affected by hurricanes (or tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean), it’s important to be prepared ahead of time so you don’t end up stuck somewhere without any help.
While you will want to listen to NOAA and track your local forecast, technological advancements have gotten to a place where they can help you in bad weather too.
Besides looking at the weather report and listening to the experts on when the next storm is coming, there are some tech items that could end up saving you in an emergency. With your smartphone and some tips and tricks, you should be as prepared as possible for the storms to come.
Best Apps to Prepare for Hurricane Season
There are a handful of free disaster preparedness apps that you can download to your smartphone before a weather emergency. Don’t wait until the hurricane. You may not have service when the time comes. Download them now.
Red Cross
The Red Cross offers a number of apps, including Shelter Finder, First Aid, and their Hurricane, Earthquake, and Wildfire app. Each one has checklists, advice on what to do during an emergency, how to perform CPR or first aid, quizzes you can take, and sign-ups for emergency notifications.
If you have a smart speaker, you can also enable the Red Cross’s severe weather warnings there. You simply say, “Alexa, enable Hurricane Alerts by the American Red Cross” for the Amazon Echo and “Hey Google, talk to Red Cross Blood Donation” on the Google Nest Speaker.
FEMA
FEMA also offers an app with all kinds of weather disaster information, like creating emergency kits, locations for emergency meetings, and other ways to prepare for emergencies.
Disaster Alert
There is also the Disaster Alert app which provides a real-time map that shows areas where it’s unsafe. It does this for hurricanes, flash flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes.
Google Maps
If you have Google Maps, make sure you turn on the offline feature. It allows you to select an area to download, so you can view it when you don’t have access to Wi-Fi. It can be incredibly helpful if you’re trying to get to a shelter or find the proper authorities to help you.
Calling 911 During a Hurricane
How do you call 911 when you don’t have service? Or if your phone doesn’t have an active plan? You still can. You don’t need to pay for service to call 911. As long as the phone is charged and not damaged by water, you can call 911 at any time. An extra phone can be a great addition to any hurricane preparedness emergency kit.
You can also text 911 if you need to, but you first need to register for 911 service with your wireless service provider.
If you have Wi-Fi internet or mobile service, you may also be able to send emails and text messages or learn news about a loved one’s whereabouts through social media.
Best Power Generators For Hurricane Season
Whether you use it during a power outage in a rainstorm or in a more serious situation like a hurricane or tornado, a backup power generator is great to have on hand. If you need to charge your phone, plug in a computer or router, or simply have a light on, they can be incredibly helpful.
There are portable battery-powered options for those on the go or anyone who can’t have a gas generator because they live in an apartment or condo. Just make sure to do your research on the best option for you. You’ll want to get enough power for what you’re going to use it for. And, if you need a large amount of AC or USB ports, or you want it to also start up the battery on your car, make sure to check for those options.
Besides a generator, you may also want to look into a hand-crank or solar-powered radio so you and your family can get real-time data and updates on the weather. You may also want to invest in a waterproof flashlight for when it gets dark.
Contact Us
At A.D. Solutions, we offer a variety of products and services to help you with all your technology needs. Whether you’re looking for display solutions, printers, copiers, or VOIP technology, we can have your business working as efficiently as possible. And we ensure our products work no matter what’s going on outside. Your information and data will be safe. To learn more about everything we can provide your business, call us at 866-691-6347 or use our online form.
