Summer is in full swing now, but extreme weather has arrived in many parts of the country, along with vacation trips, camping, and lazy days. If you live in an area prone to this kind of situation, being prepared can help. Here are some tips to help you take advantage of technology during critical weather moments. In some cases, including when power or cell service is unstable.
Stay up to date
Getting accurate local weather information helps you stay ahead of nearby threats like hurricanes, flash floods, tornadoes, and wildfires. Set alerts in Apple’s default weather app, the Google app, or dedicated weather apps to get notified.Bookmark government web pages in your browser – and more National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center or US Air Quality Index — Suitable for manually checking the current state.
Also available on mobile phones wireless emergency alert From licensed federal, state, local, tribal and territory authorities. Check your notification settings to make sure these are enabled.
Free for the American Red Cross emergency With this app, you can track 40 hazards including earthquakes, tornadoes, heat waves, hurricanes, wildfires and more with alerts in English and Spanish. Emergency integrates information from the old Red Cross app and also provides checklists, first aid tips, information about nearby shelters, and downloadable guides that work offline.
stock up
In the event of a power outage, you’ll need another way to charge your phone, such as a solar panel, a power cable for your car’s 12-volt dashboard outlet, or a hand-crank charger. Wirecutters, a product review site run by The New York Times, has guides to alternative chargers, emergency radios, and other equipment that can come in handy during hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes.
Enhance your digital wallet
Losing a physical wallet in a catastrophe can be very disruptive, but businesses using contactless payment terminals can benefit from having their credit and debit cards stored in a digital wallet app on their phone. It will be a backup for A digital version of your medical card or driver’s license may also be an option. (Four states currently offer an official digital driver’s license or state ID card. apple and Google Wallet apps are coming, but more are coming, including New York. Some states also have their own digital ID apps.)
Almost all major insurance companies have their own mobile apps that can be used to submit insurance claims, get roadside assistance, and review policy documents. If you have not installed the provider’s app on your phone and set up an account, please do so before using.
In the event of air travel disruption, airline apps can help you rebook flights.
Create a cloud copy
A sealed plastic box or fireproof chest helps protect important documents and photos from the elements. However, digitizing your material and storing it in the cloud on a secure server gives you a virtual backup out of nature’s reach. Many MFPs come equipped with scanners, but an app on your smartphone can also be used to scan files well enough.
find fuel
Major storms often disrupt the delivery of gasoline and other items in the supply chain.the price map and stop tracker feature, gas buddy sight and app Helps find working gas stations.
Know how to send an SOS
apple iphonegoogle pixel cell phone, samsung galaxy Devices and other phones have shortcuts to call emergency services and find your location. Apple’s iPhone 14 model includes Satellite SOS function Out of cell phone range, provided by Google personal safety app for android. Make sure you understand how everything works on your model so that you can get immediate help if you need it.
If your phone’s battery is draining quickly and you’re stuck with no power, and you still have cellular service available, consider these common methods. Change your voicemail greeting to include your location and status. Even if your cell phone runs out of battery, your loved ones who are trying to contact you will still have the information.
protect your phone
Of course, extreme situations can occur to the point where your phone breaks down. lost or damaged. Turning on Find My Phone in your device’s settings before inclement weather gives you the electronic hope of finding your phone later.
For faster recovery from a broken phone, back up your phone online to keep its contents safe and ready for download to a replacement device. Phone makers are happy to sell you extra online storage space for a few bucks a month if you need it, but make sure you have time to create a full cloud backup before a storm hits. please. Clouds crashed.
