7 applications for smartphones that will prepare you for natural disasters

Smartphones are a portable , which in addition to other features, may well prepare you for natural disasters.

The recent "Xenophon" bad weather should be taken as a reminder to always be prepared for the inevitable natural disasters. Having already learned to live in a seismic area (and some of us in a flood), we must always be prepared for natural disasters. And since most of us always carry a smartphone with us, this is probably the most useful device for preparing for a natural disaster.

With a combination of a few simple applications, you can always be up to date on natural disasters and keep your family safe and connected if the inevitable happens. So in this article, we will share with you some useful applications that can help you. during and after a natural disaster. Let's look at them in detail.

1. Trusted Contacts
Created by Google, Trusted Contacts does just one job to ensure that your friends and family are safe. You can add people you care about as trusted contacts and be able to monitor your location in case of an emergency (such as a natural disaster).

Any of your trusted contacts can ask to know your location and you can deny it if you do not want to see it or if you are really safe. If you do not respond within a specific time frame, then the location will be automatically provided. Best of all, the app works even if your phone is dead or has no Internet connection. In this case, your last known location will be given to your trusted contacts.

Advantages:
It is properly integrated with Google's maps that clearly show your location.
Real-time location tracking.
It also works offline.

Disadvantages:
It does not have a quick panic button to instantly notify your contacts that you are having problems.

Download here the Trusted Contacts app for Android ή iOS.

2. Offline Survival Manual (Offline Survival Manual)
A survival manual is necessary to survive any in an emergency. And in a natural disaster, you never know what kind of situation you can find with limited resources. Although there are many survival apps for smartphones, we think the Survival Manual is the most complete.

The manual is completely free and can be used offline. Unfortunately it is only in English . Some of the popular survival topics he covers include: food, psychology, medicine, shelter, fire, use of plants, animals, cold weather, weapons, instructions, and more. The app is only available for Android, but iOS users can try it out Survival Guide (Survival Guide), which is equally complete.

Advantages:
Available for offline use.
Full knowledge of various disasters.
Disadvantages:
It does not focus directly on natural disasters and difficult situations created by them. It's all about survival with minimal pores in any situation.
It is only in English.

Download the Offiline Survival Manual for Android .

3. Disaster Alert
The best security against natural disasters is to have a warning about disaster activity. You will have more time to react if you know that a natural disaster is on the way to your location. Disaster Alert informs you of multiple types of disasters occurring around the world in real time.

The disaster tracking list includes earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, storms, tsunamis, volcanoes, fires, etc. You can be informed of natural disasters near your area, see disasters on an interactive map, and learn about details of an active danger.

Advantages:
Real-time disaster tracking.
Report disasters near your area.
Easy-to-use interface.
Disadvantages:
Without Community Interaction, all updates come from official sources.
It does not support the Greek language.

Download Alert Disaster for Android ή iOS.

4. Zello PTT Walkie Talkie
During disasters, communication is the key to survival. Zello ensures communication between you, your friends and your relatives. During emergencies, it provides low-latency audio communication, such as radio broadcasts, through which you can talk to up to 2500 people on private and public channels by simply tapping and talking.

Zello requires an internet connection, but it can easily work on a slower internet connection, even on an 2G network. You can also check the status and availability of your friends and watch the voice history. Best of all, it is totally free for personal use.

Advantages:
Quick communication.
Can speak up to 2500 contacts.
Disadvantages:
It is useless without an internet connection.
Instantly plays recently received audio messages in a chat without notification or feature .
It does not support the Greek language.

Download from here the Zello PTT Walkie Talkie for Android ή iOS.

5. Earthquake Network - Realtime alerts (Earthquake Network - Real Time Alert)
The "Disaster Alert" application described above, keeps you informed of natural disasters near your area. However, an earthquake is a type of natural disaster that can only be done with a timely warning.

The free version of the application can detect real-time earthquakes using smartphone networks, alert you to an earthquake a few seconds in advance, show you reports from other users, automatically send emails and SMS with your coordinates, let you know about earthquakes from national and international seismic networks, give you a history of earthquakes between 2000-2017, talk to chatrooms to exchange information during earthquakes.

Advantages:
Ability to alert before the earthquake hit
Allows you to set customized alerts
Disadvantages:
It will not always notify you before the earthquake and sometimes also lags (up to 5-8 minutes).
It does not support the Greek language

Download the Earthquake Network from here for Android.

6. Life360 Family Locator
Probably the best application to keep your family safe and connected. Life360 helps you create groups of people of your interest, such as your family or friends. You can easily track the position of people in groups and even contact them directly from the application. Through a custom map you can track your family footprint in real time.

The application also maintains a complete history of all people in the group. Even if you lose a connection with someone, you can still watch its last available location. Best of all, the tracking and communication features are completely free.

Advantages:
It offers all the features you need to keep the family connected.
Most essential features are available for free.
Disadvantages:
It offers better tracking when connected to WiFi (confirmed by developers), the connection mobile phone may display inaccurate information.

Download Life360 Family Locator here for Android ή iOS.

7. Google Maps (Google Maps)
In a natural disaster, you may need to travel to a safer place and a good GPS application with offline maps will be your best friend when the internet stops working. Although there is plenty, we recommend Google maps as they allow you to download the map of a country along with full navigation. Her other major competitor, Here WeGo unfortunately to launch, needs to be connected to the internet.

Advantages:
Most detailed maps that work offline
Completely free
Supports the Greek language
Accepts voice commands
Disadvantages:
You will need to refresh the maps each month, otherwise they will expire

Download Google Maps from here for Android or for iOS.

summarizing
Getting informed about natural disasters and maintaining communication with your family and friends is the key factor in minimizing the impact of a natural disaster. It is not necessary to install them and use them all. Choose the ones that suit your needs, install and unnecessary to be.

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Written by Dimitris

Dimitris hates on Mondays .....

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