Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
In general, preppers seem to be more resistant to new technologies than the average person. It takes them a lot longer to ditch their flip phones and upgrade to smartphones, and they're far less likely to fill their homes with devices like Amazon Echo, Bluetooth speakers, or smart light bulbs.
This makes perfect sense. Preppers are preparing for a time when these technologies could become obsolete, so they prefer to spend their time practicing basic skills rather than fiddling with the latest gadgets, and I don't blame them.
But because of this, most of the preppers I speak to have no idea how many useful emergency and disaster-related apps you can find in the iTunes and Google Play stores. I'm not exaggerating when I say that some of these apps could literally save your life.
Although there are dozens of great survival apps, here are 9 of the very best (in alphabetical order).
1. Companion: Mobile Personal Safety
Companion is an app that allows you to send your contacts information about your whereabouts if you are not able to speak.
For example, if you are walking along and the app suddenly senses a quick change in your direction or speed, it will alert your designated contact’s phone and even pinpoint your GPS location.
Even if you are not in any serious trouble, if your designated contact calls you and asks if anything is wrong, you can assure them that everything is fine. This app is particularly popular among young women who live alone or go to college.
Update: Unfortunately, this app is no longer available.
2. Disaster Alert
Disaster Alert is without question the best smartphone app to have for natural disasters. The app immediately alerts you to any active hazards that are going on around the world or in your general area, including things like earthquakes, wildfires, volcanos, storms, droughts, and flash floods.
Available in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store.
3. Family Locator
Family Locator is a tracker app that keeps a record of your designated contacts and places them on a map. This way, everyone knows where everyone else is at any given time.
This is a great app for families because it allows you to keep track of your kids at all times and for your kids to keep track of you (if you allow your kids to have phones). You can also send automatic alerts and messages with this app.
Available in the Google Play Store, but there's a very similar one called Find My Family in the iTunes Store.
4. ICE – In Case Of Emergency
The ICE app essentially works like an emergency card on your phone. It allows emergency responders to check the information on it in the event that you are unable to communicate or are unconscious.
With just a quick glance, first responders and paramedics will know all of your important medical information such as allergies and prescriptions, and they'll be able to contact your family members.
While you should still have a physical emergency card copy on your person as well (such as in your wallet), this is still a great app to have.
Unfortunately, this is no longer available in the Google Play Store, but there's a very similar one called ICE Medical Standard in the iTunes Store.
5. Kitestring
With Kitestring, you don't actually need a smartphone, just a phone that can text. Technically, it's not an app. Rather, it's a service that checks up on you when you are out and alerts your designated contacts if you don't respond.
You can even give the app a heads up that you are meeting up with someone new or going out of town. The app will continue to check up on you, and if you don’t respond, your chosen contacts will be alerted.
Available on the Kitestring Website.
6. Red Panic Button
This is perhaps the most simple emergency app that’s out there: the app consists of, as the name suggests, a big red panic button. When you press the button, the app immediately sends an emergency message to your designated contacts.
The app is also GPS based, so your contacts will be able to pinpoint your location.
Available in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store.
7. SafeTrek
SafeTrek is very similar in concept to the Red Panic Button app, but it still works a little differently. Like the Red Panic Button App, SafeTrek consists of one button. However, after pressing the button, you must continue to hold it until you ‘ve reached a safe location.
If you let go and fail to enter the deactivation code within a matter of seconds, the app will alert the police. This would be a great app to have while walking through an unsafe neighborhood.
Available in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store.
8. Siren GPS
Siren GPS is very similar in concept to SafeTrek. It will send out an SOS message to paramedics, firefighters, and police officers all at once or separately (as there is a button for each of them).
The app also allows you to create a profile with all of your personal info, and responders will receive your attention as soon as you send out for help.
Available in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store.
9. Trusted Contacts
Trusted Contacts is a personal safety app offered by Google that will allow you to designate some of your contacts as ‘trusted’ (hence the name of the app).
These trusted contacts will then be allowed to view your activity status, and you can share your location with them if you feel threatened at any time.
One of the best aspects of this app is that it will continue to work even if your phone is not online. The same thing cannot be said about several other apps.
Available in the iTunes Store.
Conclusion
Like I said, I can understand and appreciate why preppers don't want to be too reliant on the latest technologies. But on the other hand, if you want to be prepared, you may as well use every tool at your disposal, and many of these apps could save your life in a dangerous situation.
