Getting Ready For Hurricane Irma

Right now, Hurricane Irma is barrelling through the Caribbean region, and it appears that the storm is still retaining its Category 5 status. As it makes its way to the United States, it is important for people to be prepared, especially with regards to staying connected so that they can be reached when and after Irma hits. For tips on how to prepare yourself, scroll down below.

• Keep mobile devices adequately charged. Gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, radios, and flashlights are rendered useless if their batteries are not sufficiently charged, and when the storm hits, power could be in limited supply. As early as now while there is still plenty of power, make sure to charge all mobile devices. 
• Do not waste battery power. It is also important to conserve battery power in order to optimize their usefulness. It would be a good decision to minimize apps running in the background and to use Wi-Fi search functionalities only when needed.
• Prepare a list of emergency contact numbers. The most obvious phone numbers to list are those of the police, fire department, and rescue agencies. Of course, it is also important to include contact information of family members, relatives, neighbors, and even co-workers. The list can be made on a mobile device or it can be physical (notebook, paper -- preferably those not easily damaged by water).
• Minimize phone calls, text instead. Text messages are more likely to get through clearly during severe weather. Furthermore, texts do not eat up as much battery power than phone calls. If you have to call, make sure the duration is not longer than expected, and the reception should be clear enough, so as not to cause disrupted or even lost messages.
• Stay tuned for emergency alerts. America’s public safety system includes deployments of wireless emergency alerts (WEAs). These alerts are free of charge and are delivered to people’s mobile devices in times of emergencies and calamities. If you have disabled these messages in the past, now is a good time to enable them again.
• Take advantage of mobile apps. There are a variety of apps existing today that can give update information regarding the weather and even provide severe weather warnings. Knowing the status of the weather can help you evaluate your situation and even guide when you decide to evacuate. There are also apps for aid and relief organizations like the American Red Cross. Most mobile devices have built in flashlight apps, so in case your regular flashlight gives up, you always have a spare ready.