Top Emergency Smartphones Apps

With about 40 percent of Americans now carrying a smartphone, the number of “apps” that allow us to check our travel reservations, manage our social media or play games is growing daily. But there are also growing numbers of apps aimed at helping people understand or survive an emergency situation.

Here’s a look at some of our favorites.

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, located in San Francisco’s East Bay, recently added a free app, Fire Department, for the iPhone that gives residents a virtual window into the department’s 911-dispatch center, providing real-time information on emergencies or disasters in the community. Users can view active incidents, pinpoint locations on an interactive map and view a log of recent incidents and photo gallery of major events.

Another app for the iPhone, Emergency Radio, lets users listen into police, fire, emergency medical services, Coast Guard and other first responder frequencies. Included are descriptions of codes to help understand what’s happening in your community. The $2.99 app also provides a link to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s constant weather broadcasts. This may come in handy to help monitor severe weather conditions in your area.

Help, I Crashed My Car, a free app for users of Droid smartphones, helps you to fill out an accident report following a fender bender and then with one click lets you send three simultaneous emails to a family member, insurance agent or company or even your preferred auto body repair shop.

For medical professionals, the Emergency Medical Spanish Guide, for the Blackberry, helps non-Spanish speaking hospital and clinic personnel gain vital medical information from Spanish-speaking patients. The questions are phrased to gain a yes or no answer to help make sure information is clearly communicated. The app costs $6.99.

Smartphones continue to entertain us, help us with our daily tasks and still make phone calls. Now they may also help to save lives.
 

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