Mobile Resources & Prep for Hurricane Irene

Are you prepared for Hurricane Irene? Craig Fugate, Administrator at FEMA (on twitter @craigatfema), warns that Irene can have an impact well inland. He also advises people to use the mobile resources from FEMA and the National Hurricane Center.

FEMA is working hard to get preparedness information out on all channels, including mobile.

Tips to Prep Your Mobile Phone

• Keep your wireless phone batteries charged at all times.
• Have an alternative plan to recharge your battery, such as using your car charger or having extra (charged!) batteries.
• Keep your wireless phone dry.
• Have a family communication plan in place. Designate someone out of the area as a central contact.
• Program all of your emergency contact numbers and e-mail addresses into your mobile phone.
• Forward your home number to your wireless number in the event of an evacuation.
• Sign up for emergency text alerts, track the storm and access weather information on your wireless device.
• Use the camera on your phone and send photos of damaged property to your insurance company.
• Use texting rather than calling in an emergency. You’ll have a better chance getting through as well as freeing up voice lines for emergency personnel. (Thanks to AT&T, USAA and CTIA for these tips.)

Check out Craig Fugate as he talks about Hurricane prep and mobile resources on the FEMA website. See more on preparing for an emergency on Ready.gov.

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Be sure to check out the Making Mobile Gov Project. Help us help agencies work together to make a more open, innovative government to meet 21st century citizen expectations. You can vote on ideas and add your own on our dialogue.
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**reposted from the Mobile Gov Blog from the Office of Citizen Services & Innovative Technologies at GSA**