Technology Fit
for a Disaster
Natural disasters and small-scale personal
emergencies are equal-opportunity destroyers.
Tornadoes and hurricanes, for example, don’t
care who or what you are as long as you’re in
their path of mayhem and misery. Nor does a
cellphone battery that dies as you’re making a
life-saving 911 call.
Here’s more cheerful information regarding
disasters: the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) would like you to know that,
“After an emergency, you may need to survive
on your own for several days. Being prepared
means having your own food, water, and other
supplies to last for at least 72 hours.” (Oh,
joy…)
Big catastrophes and local emergencies
typically happen with little-to-no warning.
That’s why the DHS, FEMA, Red Cross, and
just about every other organization that deals
with such situations recommend putting
together a basic disaster supply kit containing
60 Residential Tech Today | July/August 2019
the essential items that you may need in the
event of an emergency. While there’s no way to
prepare for every eventuality, here’s a list of
some high-tech (and some not-so-high-tech)
gear to consider calmly getting your hands on
today so you’ll be prepared if things get crazy
tomorrow.
Get Kitted Out
After packing food, water, a first aid kit, and a
manual can opener, drop a cellphone charger
and a backup battery in your kit. Keeping your
smartphone charged will be absolutely essential,
because even if you can’t get a signal strong
enough to make a call, you can still use apps
(assuming you’ve previously downloaded them)
from FEMA, the Red Cross, and others for first
aid advice and other survival information.
Although it may be tempting, don’t assume
you’ll be able to rely on your phone as a
flashlight or to receive Wireless Emergency
Alerts (WEA) from the National Weather
Service (NWS) or your local, state, or federal
government agencies. Instead, follow the DHS
recommendation that your disaster kit includes
a separate flashlight (with extra batteries) and a
battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather
Radio with tone alert.
Of course, not all flashlights are created equal.
The JumpSmart ($159.95), for example,
combines a 330 Lumen flashlight, a 37,000
mWh jump starter (powerful enough to jump
start 8-cylinder, 5.0L gas, or 2.0L diesel
engines), and a 2.4A output for charging USB
devices together and encases it all in a hefty,
anodized-aluminum, cylindrical casing. The
495-foot reach flashlight includes high, low,
SOS, and strobe modes; and the detachable
Smart Jumper Cables have audible alarms and
visual safety indicator lights that warn if you’re
making improper or dangerous connections—
something that can easily happen in stressful
survival situations.
INNOVATIVE TECH
Gear to Consider Today So You will be Prepared if Things Get Crazy Tomorrow
By Darryl Wilkinson
Photo: iStock.com/photovs
/photovs