WebsiteCompass 13 Assemble Technology Essentials According to the American Red Cross, your preparations should include these essential items: Communication – Reliable communication is one of the most crucial tech tools during a natural disaster. Include a cell phone, smartphone, tablet, or other device in your disaster preparedness kit. Portable Chargers – All tech gadgets need power. You need one or more portable chargers or backup power sources for your devices in your kit. They are indispensable and will help you stay plugged in, connected, and informed. Emergency Apps – Having emergency apps downloaded on your devices is critical. You can use them to stay current with emergency updates in your area and as general resources for news, weather alerts, and first aid. (See the sidebars on pages 14 and 15 for more details.) Emergency Contacts – Make sure you have emergency contacts listed and readily accessible on all your devices. After a disaster, you will need to reach out to family and friends to let them know your status. Favorite contacts by clicking the star icon and add certain people as emergency contacts in your smartphone settings. Setting your emergency contacts in your smart device will help guide you through a crisis. Local Offline Maps – Recognizing where you are in a crisis is also important. You can locate nearby places by downloading a map to your phone or printing a physical map, even when the internet is not working. BackupDevices – Having a backup cellphone in case your primary one stops working is just as important as having additional power sources and other backup devices. Generators, solar chargers, hand-crank radios, and other items are helpful in case of power and internet outages. Use Technology to Help With Emergency Preparedness Take steps to be ready if a disaster happens to you There have traditionally been seasons for extreme weather—tornadoes March through June, wildfires May through November, and hurricanes from June through November. However, Mother Nature sometimes breaks the rules, so we need to be prepared for emergencies at all times. Back to Basics
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