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 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