7 Ways to Charge Up and Connect After Disaster
Products and tips for communicating and keeping essential items running till the power's back on
Houzz Contributor. I'm a Silicon Valley-based writer, columnist and blogger, covering technology and culture. http://elgan.com
Houzz Contributor. I'm a Silicon Valley-based writer, columnist and blogger,... More »
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As we learned from Hurricane Sandy, disasters can suddenly transform a modern area into a primitive one — no roads, no gas, no electricity, no Internet access and no phone service.
And no place is safe from the possibility of natural disasters. The East Coast and Southeastern coastal areas of the U.S. are vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding. The Midwest has to worry about tornadoes. Out West, people need to be concerned with fires and earthquakes. In Hawaii and other coastal regions, tsunamis are a threat. Small towns can be cut off from outside help. City residents can be trapped by gridlocked streets.
The real-world consequences of such outages can suddenly reveal the dependence of each modern convenience upon the others. For example, the grocery store may be open, but without Internet or phone access, its credit card machines won’t work. (Solution: Keep cash in your emergency kit).
If you have a generator, you also need gas — and the gas pumps won’t work in a blackout.
If you have cell phone service, you need electricity to charge your phone.
If you’re relying on candles during electrical outages, you put yourself at risk of fire. (Many homes burned down in the wake of the Sandy disaster.)
And what do you do about all that food in the fridge?
Real preparedness means all the bases are covered, that you’re ready to live in reasonable comfort and security without road access, electricity, phone service, Internet access and gasoline — all at the same time and for many days in a row.
Staying charged and connected is one of the biggest concerns when the power goes out. Here are some technology tips and products that can help.
And no place is safe from the possibility of natural disasters. The East Coast and Southeastern coastal areas of the U.S. are vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding. The Midwest has to worry about tornadoes. Out West, people need to be concerned with fires and earthquakes. In Hawaii and other coastal regions, tsunamis are a threat. Small towns can be cut off from outside help. City residents can be trapped by gridlocked streets.
The real-world consequences of such outages can suddenly reveal the dependence of each modern convenience upon the others. For example, the grocery store may be open, but without Internet or phone access, its credit card machines won’t work. (Solution: Keep cash in your emergency kit).
If you have a generator, you also need gas — and the gas pumps won’t work in a blackout.
If you have cell phone service, you need electricity to charge your phone.
If you’re relying on candles during electrical outages, you put yourself at risk of fire. (Many homes burned down in the wake of the Sandy disaster.)
And what do you do about all that food in the fridge?
Real preparedness means all the bases are covered, that you’re ready to live in reasonable comfort and security without road access, electricity, phone service, Internet access and gasoline — all at the same time and for many days in a row.
Staying charged and connected is one of the biggest concerns when the power goes out. Here are some technology tips and products that can help.
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In an emergency, a smart phone can be a lifeline. Assuming you still have voice and data connection, you can call for help, get important information, get real-time maps — even use the phone as a flashlight.
But none of this works if your phone’s battery is dead.
The first thing you should do in an emergency is conserve phone battery power. If you need to be able to receive calls, close running apps and turn off location services (which burn through your batteries in their constant hunt for satellites).
If you don’t need to receive calls, put your phone into “airplane mode,” which turns off all location and wireless services and doubles or even triples your phone’s battery life; turn off “airplane mode” only as needed.
Charge up in the car. Make sure your emergency kit has a power inverter, so you can charge your phone with the car’s cigarette lighter outlet. A car is an under-appreciated piece of survival gear that can give you shelter, warmth, a radio and electricity — the engine is also a generator that charges the car battery and can power your gadgets.
Get a hand-cranked charger. You should also have a way to charge your phone without home or car access. Solar chargers abound, but they’re not a good choice for emergencies. For starters, you want the option to charge indoors, at night or in bad weather. Solar chargers are finicky about having the panel facing direct sunlight.
A better solution is a hand-cranked charger, which gives you juice anywhere at any time. Be sure to get one with a built-in radio and flashlight.
The American Red Cross FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM NOAA Weather Radio with USB Smartphone Charger and LED Flashlight has a long name, and an even longer list of features.
One small benefit is that it has a glow-in-the-dark handle. The device also has USB charging for your phone and other gadgets, a radio, a solar panel to augment the hand crank, an LED flashlight and a red flashing emergency beacon.
This one gadget will guarantee that you’ll at least be informed and illuminated, with a charged phone. (Order ahead: At this writing, this item is on back order with projected 10-day shipping.)
But none of this works if your phone’s battery is dead.
The first thing you should do in an emergency is conserve phone battery power. If you need to be able to receive calls, close running apps and turn off location services (which burn through your batteries in their constant hunt for satellites).
If you don’t need to receive calls, put your phone into “airplane mode,” which turns off all location and wireless services and doubles or even triples your phone’s battery life; turn off “airplane mode” only as needed.
Charge up in the car. Make sure your emergency kit has a power inverter, so you can charge your phone with the car’s cigarette lighter outlet. A car is an under-appreciated piece of survival gear that can give you shelter, warmth, a radio and electricity — the engine is also a generator that charges the car battery and can power your gadgets.
Get a hand-cranked charger. You should also have a way to charge your phone without home or car access. Solar chargers abound, but they’re not a good choice for emergencies. For starters, you want the option to charge indoors, at night or in bad weather. Solar chargers are finicky about having the panel facing direct sunlight.
A better solution is a hand-cranked charger, which gives you juice anywhere at any time. Be sure to get one with a built-in radio and flashlight.
The American Red Cross FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM NOAA Weather Radio with USB Smartphone Charger and LED Flashlight has a long name, and an even longer list of features.
One small benefit is that it has a glow-in-the-dark handle. The device also has USB charging for your phone and other gadgets, a radio, a solar panel to augment the hand crank, an LED flashlight and a red flashing emergency beacon.
This one gadget will guarantee that you’ll at least be informed and illuminated, with a charged phone. (Order ahead: At this writing, this item is on back order with projected 10-day shipping.)
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Of course, a fully charged phone is worthless for communication if the wireless carriers are non-functional. Fortunately, you can prepare for that, too.
There are three basic ways to communicate in an emergency without landline or wireless phone service.
The first is short-range communication. A low-cost option is walkie-talkies. Some of the better models have very long ranges, making them super useful in an emergency.
Walkie-talkies have two advantages in a disaster: They let multiple people in the area talk to each other, so you can check on nearby family and friends even if both parties have no cell service. Second, they let you connect to strangers in the area either looking for help or offering it.
A good option for walkie-talkies is the Motorola Talkabout MT352 because it's weather-proof, has long battery life, boasts a range of up to 35 miles, and comes in a pack of three. That lets you keep two in the house and give the other to someone in the 35-mile range.
There are three basic ways to communicate in an emergency without landline or wireless phone service.
The first is short-range communication. A low-cost option is walkie-talkies. Some of the better models have very long ranges, making them super useful in an emergency.
Walkie-talkies have two advantages in a disaster: They let multiple people in the area talk to each other, so you can check on nearby family and friends even if both parties have no cell service. Second, they let you connect to strangers in the area either looking for help or offering it.
A good option for walkie-talkies is the Motorola Talkabout MT352 because it's weather-proof, has long battery life, boasts a range of up to 35 miles, and comes in a pack of three. That lets you keep two in the house and give the other to someone in the 35-mile range.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Another option many people don’t know about is a satellite device that lets you send text messages from your cell phone even if your phone can’t connect to the Internet or phone service.
Take the DeLorme inReach as an example. You can use this little gadget without a cell phone to send SOS messages and broadcast your location. Or you can connect it via Bluetooth to your iOS or Android phone and send two-way text messages. It’s a satellite device, so it works from absolutely anywhere.
Take the DeLorme inReach as an example. You can use this little gadget without a cell phone to send SOS messages and broadcast your location. Or you can connect it via Bluetooth to your iOS or Android phone and send two-way text messages. It’s a satellite device, so it works from absolutely anywhere.
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The most complete and reliable method of communication, albeit the most costly, is a full-fledged satellite phone that lets you make calls and surf the Internet without needing wireless cell towers.
You can get pre-paid accounts, so you’re not paying a monthly bill when it’s not in use. However, be aware that most pre-paid satellite plans have expiration dates.
One great option is a product called IsatPhone Pro Satellite Phone, and 1000 Prepaid Minutes Service Bundle, which is available on Amazon.com.
In addition to the phone and 1,000 pre-paid minutes, you get a waterproof carrying case and all the accessories. The phone itself is resistant to water, freezing and shock, and has great battery life.
You can get pre-paid accounts, so you’re not paying a monthly bill when it’s not in use. However, be aware that most pre-paid satellite plans have expiration dates.
One great option is a product called IsatPhone Pro Satellite Phone, and 1000 Prepaid Minutes Service Bundle, which is available on Amazon.com.
In addition to the phone and 1,000 pre-paid minutes, you get a waterproof carrying case and all the accessories. The phone itself is resistant to water, freezing and shock, and has great battery life.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Even if you have your phone charged and you're ready to function without the carrier or cell towers, you still have to worry about food in the fridge going bad and other everyday household electrical needs.
While a full-blown gasoline-powered generator is great, you might instead opt for a backup powerpack — a giant battery designed to give you power when you need it.
A good option is the Duracell PowerSource 1800, an indoor backup power source that can juice your fridge, computer, lights or the sump pump you’ll need to keep the basement from flooding.
By the way, if you hesitate to invest in this gear because of the cost and rarity or unlikelihood of disaster, consider one more fact. Each of these products is super useful during travel and other recreation.
Hope for the best, but always prepare for the worst!
How to Pick the Right Generator | More guides to disaster recovery
While a full-blown gasoline-powered generator is great, you might instead opt for a backup powerpack — a giant battery designed to give you power when you need it.
A good option is the Duracell PowerSource 1800, an indoor backup power source that can juice your fridge, computer, lights or the sump pump you’ll need to keep the basement from flooding.
By the way, if you hesitate to invest in this gear because of the cost and rarity or unlikelihood of disaster, consider one more fact. Each of these products is super useful during travel and other recreation.
Hope for the best, but always prepare for the worst!
How to Pick the Right Generator | More guides to disaster recovery
Ideabook updated on Nov. 19, 2012.
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I kept my analog landline and I have a working corded phone attached to it. Unless there is a major catastrophe, your landline will usually work.
Keep a good supply of candles, oil for lamps and batteries for lanterns. I still have a couple fluorescent lanterns from when I stocked up for Y2K - remember that? :-) I have a nice little LED headlamp so that I can read in the evening.
When I bought my house, I made sure it had city water and sewer and ran a natural gas line so that I could cook and have hot water. I also have a grill that I can use and a working fireplace.
You need to think about what you would need to be comfortable and what is practible for you. As long as you plan ahead, you can deal with a lot of what life throws at you.
One last suggestion - if in doubt - evacuate.
Sandy arrived in Week 4 of our personal power disruption (hundred-year-old house, old wiring, cheap landlord), and it was very hard to go from 3 working outlets back to none. We were more delighted than I care to admit when we had those 3 outlets back, a week later. We realized that we have not a single radio in the house, and even the radio apps on iPhones and iPads were inoperative, because - duh - cell towers and Internet providers were also damaged by Sandy. It was Friday or Saturday before we had more than one flickering bar on the cell phones. Using the car to charge phones is not necessarily the smartest thing to do - what do you then do when the car runs out of gas? Definitely charge what you can while you're in the car anyway, but don't run the car in the driveway JUST to charge the phone. And nearly every news story I listened to while sitting in gas lines suggested going to www.F-U.com for further information. That really chapped my ass, thank you very much! And there was no central repository of information! Nowhere! Even my all-time favorite people-to-ask had no answers. NO ONE had information, and if they did, there was no way to share it, apparently, except face-to-face.
Finding out about all the lovely technology that will help one survive a disaster like Sandy - albeit after the fact - is a mixed blessing, since buying most of this stuff is not an option without breaking into bigger piggy banks than those to which I have access. But I plan to stockpile (that's another word for pack-rat) certain non-perishable goods, like batteries and lanterns, and I will certainly fill the gas can BEFORE the next storm. On the other hand, those crank-up flashlights and lanterns are, in my experience, a waste of money, time, and energy, because they produce only a faint glow - not quite enough to keep from falling down the stairs, and nowhere near enough to read by. Maybe next time I'll evacuate myself instead of waiting for someone to tell me I must.
I would add to the list of things to have before a storm, especially urban dweller like myself, a bike with INFLATED tires and a hand bike air pump. My bike's tires were flat and I planned to fill them with air the day before the storm but then I thought, power will only take a day to restore. WRONG! More like 5 days. Without public transportation up and running for several days, it would have been a much easier way to get around the city or get out, which is what I will do next time.
Not high tech but also life-savers were enough toilet paper and had santitizer. (Sorry to lower the tone of the debate). And more wine...
It's important in situations like this to prioritize power use. What do you need the most and what can you live without? It was actually a bit of a shock when the power came back on (no pun intended). It's funny how quickly our interpretations of reality change when faced with a disaster like this.
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