Checklist
| Tips for Emergency Use of Mobile Devices | |||||
| Updated: | |||||
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Date Complete |
Does Not Apply |
Action | Comments and Follow up | ||
| Program a list of emergency phone numbers in your device | |||||
| Enable your device to receive emergency alerts | |||||
| Know how to send text messages | |||||
| Know how to use the camera and how to send pictures and videos | |||||
| Store important documents in “the Cloud” which can be accessed by any mobile device or computer (especially important if your device stops working.) | |||||
| Evaluate and know how to use emergency apps that make sense for you | |||||
| Get a power back-up system for your device | |||||
| Bookmark emergency resource mobile sites for quick access | |||||
| Prepare a “No Service” backup plan | |||||
| Conduct personal skill drills periodically to refresh your use skills for methods you don’t often use | |||||
| Update apps, group lists and operating system periodically to insure they will work when needed | |||||
Basic cell phones, smart phones and other mobile wireless devices like tablets are a big part of our lives. We rarely leave home without them and we often store important information on them. In an emergency they can be a communication life line. These devices, however, should never be the only communication method you depend on in an emergency.
There are many ways you can quickly get and give emergency information. It pays to prepare your devices for small emergencies, as well as larger emergencies. Small emergencies can include a medical emergency, a traffic accident, being trapped in an elevator, or stuck on the road for hours, and a power outage that may last up to two days. Examples of larger emergencies include a strong earthquake or major storm effecting a large area and sometimes causing you to have to shelter in place for many days, perhaps without power.
Develop or strengthen your mobile device skills before an emergency. This is important because during emergencies learning and remembering can be more difficult due to high levels of stress. These skills include knowing how to use more than one way to communicate (text, email, pictures, videos).
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