Apps to help you in case of hurricane evacuation
Getting ready for a hurricane doesn’t just mean boarding up your windows and loading your home with supplies. Preparing your phone with applications that can help you weather a storm could make it your most effective tool.
Here are some apps to check out for the 2016 hurricane season.
Beaufort County SC Emergency Management
Available for: Android and iPhone
Cost: Free
The Beaufort County SC Emergency Management app is perhaps the most important one to have downloaded before a storm. It was designed to help users generate a plan prior to any hurricane evacuation and to direct them in case of and during an emergency. The app is tailored to residents of Beaufort County and contains relevant addresses and phone numbers of area hospitals and public safety agencies.
The most useful feature of the app is the ability to create your plan using questions and prompts set up by BCEMD. Once a storm is imminent you can deploy that plan.
The app includes current weather conditions, an evacuation map, shelter locations, alerts, emergency contact information and a place where you can let officers know you’re safe or if you need help. You can even set a meeting place outside the county, notify out-of-town contacts and share your status with others.
A “Need to Know” section includes information on hurricanes and earthquakes, preparedness for families and for their pets, and crime prevention tips.
One possible drawback: The app requires an unusually large amount of memory onto your smartphone.
Red Cross Hurricane App
Available for: Android and iPhone
Cost: Free
The Red Cross hurricane app is a one-stop shop to plan for and track a hurricane. The app allows users to check National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane maps and other storm data. The app also lists open Red Cross shelters in the area and gives tips to prepare for a storm, like what to pack for an evacuation or what to put in an emergency kit.
The app also has a flashlight function for use in case the power goes out, and an alert function to notify friends and family through social media, email and text messaging to let them know you’re safe.
WebMD
Available for: Android and iPhone
Cost: Free
Having first-aid supplies is a must when preparing for a hurricane, but they’re not as much help if you don’t know how to handle a medical emergency. Similar to Wi-Fi finders, first-aid apps are readily available on both types of phones. However, the WebMD app is among the best, offering advice for diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries.
The app has guides on how to treat all types of ailments with minimal equipment, along with a tool to identify types of pills by their shape, color and imprint. The app’s database is saved to the phone, so it will still function even if the storm knocks out Internet access.
Users can also search for nearby physicians, hospitals and pharmacies through the WebMD app.
Hotels.com
Available for: Android and iPhone
Cost: Free
A consolidated version of the Hotels.com website, the app allows travelers to find and book rooms in 290,000 hotels worldwide at “secret prices.”
The app can filter search results by price, available deals or by hotel ratings, and will show possible discounts through local daily deals and other promotions. Hotels.com also offers deals to users who sign up for a site account.
Home Inventory Photo Remote
Available for: iPhone
Cost: Free
Android equivalent: MyHomePro: Home Inventory ($3.99)
If an evacuation is ordered, it’ll mean leaving many prized or large items at home, making them susceptible to damage from the storm.
Having a list of the important items you leave behind is a good first step to getting back on your feet after the storm. The Home Inventory app allows users to build a digital database of items in their homes by entering their information and pictures. The app has options for users to categorize those items by where they are located in the home and in user-created collections and groups. In addition, users can scan the bar code of an item or its packaging to automatically add necessary information to the user’s inventory.
Home Inventory also offers a companion app, called the Home Inventory Mobile Back-up. That app helps the user create a Dropbox account to save the inventory online rather than to the phone or computer, limiting the chance the inventory will be lost if those items are damaged.
ICE: In Case of Emergency
Available for: iPhone
Cost: Free
Android equivalent: ICE: In Case of Emergency ($3.99)
Most smartphones have an “in case of emergency” contact numbers, but they’re usually buried within the phone’s contact list. In the event someone needs to reach your emergency contact, it could be impossible if the phone is locked.
The ICE app, in addition to storing contact information, has a feature that projects you emergency contact information on the phone’s lock screen, giving you peace of mind even when your phone is password protected.
ICE also stores all pertinent medical information — blood type, birth date, medical conditions, medications, allergies and other data — making it a handy database for emergency responders to access or for you to refer to.
RepairPal
Available for: Android and iPhone
Cost: Free
Having car trouble during hurricane season, or need a tow in an evacuation? RepairPal gives users an estimate for a repair and a list of local mechanics based on the phone’s GPS location. The app offers quick access to roadside assistance if it’s needed, and the user can track the car’s repair history through the app.
Surfline Surf Report
Available for: Android and iPhone
Cost: Free
In a coastal area like Beaufort County, an app to track ocean waves is a must for hurricane season. Surfline’s app tracks the changing wave heights, swell direction, wind direction and wind speed for thousands of locations worldwide. Locally, Surfline updates locations on Fripp, Hunting and Hilton Head islands every six hours. Surfline’s app also offers a five-day forecast of surf conditions in the area, which could come in handy as you plan for an advancing hurricane.
Aug. 20, 2015 A look at Beaufort County's hurricane vulnerabilities | READ
This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Apps to help you in case of hurricane evacuation."