Useful Apps To Ride Out Hurricane Florence

Hurricane Florence has developed into a category four hurricane and is expected to reach the U.S. east coast by Thursday. So far the states that will face the brunt of the storm include North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Here are some apps for your smartphone that can prove useful when riding out a hurricane or other natural disasters.

Red Cross First Aid app

During any natural event, one has to be prepared in case of injury of oneself and others. The Red Cross First Aid app has a number of tutorials, both written and in video format, that teach you how to deal with basic first aid situations. The app also has information on preparedness for severe weather events such as hurricanes.

American Red Cross Hurricane App

The American Red Cross Hurricane App allows you track the progression of a hurricane in real time. The app provides instruction on emergency planning and what to do before, during, and after a hurricane. It also allows you to create a customizable alert to let your friends and family know your safe through Facebook, Twitter, text and email.

FEMA App

The FEMA app is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’ official app. The app provides emergency safety tips for over 20 types of disasters,real-time weather alerts, and the location of open emergency shelters. You can also view and upload photos of disaster-related events to Disaster Reporter’s real-time map.  

Google Crisis Map

Google Crisis Map is a web app created by Google that displays a map containing the latest disaster information. The map is highly customizable and displays local warnings, road blockage, and weather information such as storm progression.  To access the map, just visit http://google.org/crisismap/ using your smartphone’s web browser.

Zello

Zello is a walkie-talkie app that can be used to facilitate communications between groups of people. With the app, you can create groups and invite your family members and friends and talk in real time. Zello requires an internet connection through a cellular network or Wi-Fi to work. The app gained notoriety during hurricane Irma by allowing rescue workers and civilians to communicate and acquire situational information.