Smart phone apps are available that could potentially save your life:Part 2

Smart Phone application

Ezra Boyd---(Reprint with permission) Our last post described a handful of helpful Android apps that you could install on an old phone and then use without an active data connection.  With these apps, any old smart phone could be an important part of your emergency kit in your car, boat, hiking pack, etc.  This post builds on the previous post by describing a handful of apps that bring additional functions when there is access to a cell and data connection.

Obviously, communications, as the most basic function of a mobile phone, would be a priority.  If you have a cell connection and you need emergency help, then it goes without saying that you’ll use phone to call for help.  Calling 911 is an obvious first choice, but there are situations where that may not be possible or is not enough.  For example, if you are trapped in a valley you might have a weak signal that can’t support a phone call but could support other methods of communication.  In such situations, it’s important to keep in mind that text messages sometimes go through when voice calls can’t.  However, text-to-911 still isn’t fully implemented, so you’ll likely have to text friends and/or family!!!   In addition, the third medium of communication — social networks such as Facebook and Twitter — let you reach a large audience with an emergency message and they have technologies that let you post messages via texting.

When you get into the realm of communicating a personal emergency via social networks, one could imagine wanting a simple method to post an emergency message with your precise location information on your social networks.  One such app, GPS Status & Toolbox, provides a relatively straightforward method for going so.  While it is a full-on GPS app with lots of technical information that most users will likely find confusing, it is good to know that it’s ‘Share’ feature is easy to find.  Once you press the share button, it gives you the usual options for sharing — email, text, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Skype, LinkedIn, etc.  Figure 1 below shows the results of sharing my location and call for help via text and Facebook.  It’s hard to imagine a more effective way to letting your friends and family know that you urgently need their help and where you need that help.  If you get nothing else out of this blog post, then just take a good look at this app.

[caption id="attachment_350" align="aligncenter" width="238"] App for phone that could save your life.[/caption]

Now that you’ve gotten your message out there, you might want to sit tight and wait for help… unless there is hazardous weather on the way.  That’s just one reason why it’s a good idea to have a good weather app installed on your phone.  In our experience,Wunderground Weather App and WeatherBug are both useful and feature rich apps, though that doesn’t mean the others aren’t good.  One point to keep in mind — in addition to the major, national weather apps you might want to also install the weather app from one of your local news channels.

Finally, never forget that with internet access you gain access to a web of online guides to help you through just about any and all emergencies.  While the offline guides described last time provide alot of information, the web provides endless information.  For medical emergencies, apps like WebMD and the Red’s Cross First Aid App (both apps work offline but have additional capabilities when online).  And, of course, there’s always YouTube, where you can find videos on repairing your immobile auto, boat, or bike or how to stabilize an injury.  In closing and  just for fun, here’s a video of McGyvor rescuing a hostage from a jungle camp by making a plane out of bamboo and duct tape.  But, before you try that at home or anywhere else, make sure you first watch the Myth Busters test the concept.

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Ezra Boyd is a hazards geographer and a co-founder of DisasterMap.net. He has a Ph.D. in geography with a minor in disaster science from Louisiana State University.  He has taught geography at Southern University of New Orleans and disaster management at LSU.

Here's how to turn your old smart phone into a potentially life-savingdevice

Ezra Boyd----If you do not know it already, at very least take note of the fact that you can make 911 calls on nearly all modern phones regardless of whether that phone is connected to an a active service plan.  If the phone can connect to the cell networks, that’s all you need to make an emergency call.  But, if you read on, you will see there are many potential life saving functions that your old smart phone could fulfill.  In fact, some apps can help you get out of a bind without even when your stuck in a remote location without a data connection.  With the offline apps described below, an old smart phone left in your glove box or backpack or tackle box could be the one tool that helps you get out a dangerous, life threatening situation.

There are a number of apps that provide various functions useful in a personal emergency without needing a data connection.  Probably one of the most important functions to finding your way out of a difficult situation is knowing and mapping your location.  Most Androids and iPhones have excellent GPS capabilities, but the standard apps either require an active data connection or do not give the user straightforward control over offline maps.

Figure 1: Screenshot of the OSMAnd location map using offline maps that I had previously saved to my device. It looks like I got off the hiking trail (the dashed line) at some point, but if I
keep walking forward I will be back on it in about 500 ft.

 However, a great little app calledOSMAnd Maps and Navigationprovides superb GPS functions and easy to use offline maps.  In fact, it was this app, my old phone, and my girlfriend’s glove compartment that got me thinking and eventually inspired this article.  It is an excellent and powerful app.  If you have not installed it yet, I hope you do soon.  And, make sure to go ahead and download the offline maps for the states that you frequent the most.  The free version of the app lets you download and save for offline use the Open Street Maps for up to 10 states.  Based on user submitted data, Open Street Maps includes decent (but improving) coverage of hiking trails, and so it certainly has place in any hiker’s emergency kit.  By the way, if you want to help build Open Street Maps coverage OSMAnd makes it easy to contribute your GPS tracks to Open Street Maps.

Figure 2: OSMAnd Screenshot of the coordinates for my current location.

Beyond knowing your location, your particular emergency may require skills specific to that situation.  Because you cannot remember all the emergency guidebooks out there, it is a good thing that are tons of offline apps for that.

For some reason, the Army Survival Guide app was actually one of the first apps that I remember installing when I got my first Android a few years ago.  (I guess I was looking for something exciting to read.)  This app, provided by third party app developer Appopus.com, reproduces the “U.S. Army Field Manual 3-05.70: Survival” and includes important survival skills such as shelter, fire, food, and water.

Figure 3: U.S. Army Survival Guide figure showing how the apply a pressure dressing to an
injury.
Figure 4: U.S. Army Survival Guide figure showing how to make a shelter in a desert location.
Figure 5: U.S. Army Survival Guide figures illustrating methods to use a signal mirror to help
search teams find you.



Figure 6: A partial list of emergencies included in the Red Cross First Aid app.

To go along with the survival guide, numerous developers provide first aid guides. We suggest the First Aid app published by the American Red Cross because of the agency’s professionalism and reliability.

These are just two of the free emergency guidebook apps that are available.  We could certainly list plenty more free and low cost apps that provide guides on various specific emergency skills.  If you spend just a few minutes thinking about your daily activities, the hazards of your activity zone, and the potential things that could go wrong, I’m sure you will find that there is an app to help you get through that situation.  And, don’t forget that the various ebook merchant apps (Google Play Bookstore, Amazon, Kindle, etc.) include access to numerous free and low cost guidebooks.

Many emergency situations require some type of measurement, but it’s hard to know exactly what measurements in advance.  Luckily, the app developer Smart Tools provides a whole host of free apps that add a various measurement tools to your old Android. Their tools include a compass, a ruler, distance measurement, a vibration meter and a protractor.  Many of their apps are free, a few cost $.99, and for $2.50 you can purchase their Smart Tools Package.

Figure 8: A simple protractor is one of many tool apps included in the Smart Tools app selection. These apps are free or low cost and you never know what one will help get you to safety.

Finally, we have to mention that there are plenty of flashlight apps with emergency lighting and sound capabilities.  If your emergency has left you immobilized and your search party is close, bright flashing lights and emergency sounds may be what gets you noticed.  You or your kids have probably played around with those already.  Just keep in mind that those functions could save your life one day.

Naturally, other useful apps provide additional emergency functions when you do have a data connection.  Also, you will need certain accessories, particularly power, to make the most out of your old phone turned emergency device.  We’ll look into these topics soon with separate posts.  In meantime, we want to hear back from you and if you have any experience or advice feel free to leave a comment below.

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Dr. Ezra Boyd ,co-founder of DisasterMap.net, is a hazards geographer and disaster scientists who resides near New Orleans. He recently earned his PhD from Louisiana State University, and his dissertation presented a comprehensive assessment and analysis of deaths associated with Hurricane Katrina and the catastrophic failure of the Federal levee system for southeast Louisiana.  While at LSU, he participated in theTeam Louisiana report for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and co-authored the Health Care and Disaster Planning book for the Louisiana State Medical Society.  His research on the preparations, response, and impacts of Hurricane Katrina has been published in Risk Analysis, Public Performance and Management Review, andRisk, Hazards, and Crisis in Public Policy.