Apps and gizmos can enhance disaster survival kit

People here are fond of saying, “Lucky we live Hawaii.” On Oahu, we’ve been exceptionally lucky to have avoided a serious natural catastrophe as witnessed recently in Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida. We had a scare back in 2009 with an earthquake that took the grid on Oahu down for a day. However, that will be a picnic compared with what could happen if we get pummeled by a storm the likes of Harvey, Irma, Maria or Iniki.

When you prepare a survival kit, in addition to food, water, medical kit, etc., you’ll also need electronic gear. My colleague Rob Kay and I tested equipment and apps that you might put on the list.

Red Cross apps: The Red Cross has a number of mobile apps that include first aid and emergency “events” such as hurricanes, earthquakes and other disaster scenarios. They also provide preparation advice for disasters. The emergency apps are fully integrated with 911, free of charge, and work both with Apple and Android platforms.

Emergency radio: When the grid goes down for an extended period, the emergency broadcast is essential. You need a radio that can receive AM/FM and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) channels. The brick-size Midland ER310 ($55) runs on crank, solar, battery (rechargeable or standard AA) or USB power. It’s solidly built, water-resistant and even has a 130-lumen flashlight that will act as a strobe. It has an easy-to-read backlit LED display and comes with a three-year warranty. It can be charged either slowly with its built-in solar screen or more rapidly from your wall plug. Its 18650 lithium-ion batteries also can serve as a modest power bank to recharge your smartphone or other small devices. Another cool feature: When NOAA issues a weather alert, the radio puts out an alarm (and flashing display) so you’ll see it.

Lantern: Don’t even think about kerosene. Nowadays LED lanterns are the safest way to go. We were impressed with the 30-day Duro Lantern ($46), which is bright and incredibly efficient. It’s also adjustable, providing everything from a romantic glow to an SOS flashing strobe. The 30-day moniker is appropriate — it runs on three D-cell alkaline batteries for up to 30 days on low setting (30 lumens). At the high setting it will crank out 700 lumens. The 30-Day Lantern comes with a lifetime warranty and has been thoroughly vetted. It was the “Editor’s choice” in Popular Mechanics magazine in 2012.

If you prefer a rechargeable model, consider the Spright Solar USB LED lantern ($25). It has an integrated solar panel that will allow you to recharge its lithium-ion battery with the sun or via USB port. We liked this model as well, but note that it doesn’t have the run time of the 30-day unit. When not on emergency duty, it works wonderfully as an area light in the home. The lantern’s cover is collapsible for easy storage and has a luminescence so it will glow green in the dark.

Electronic lighter: Every disaster survival kit needs a lighter. There are advantages to the electronic variety versus matches or the classic BIC lighter. Electronic, aka “plasma,” lighters are flameless and windproof. (Think Nikola Tesla in your pocket.) They are easy to recharge and don’t require fuel. Because there’s no flammable gas, they won’t leak or create a large flame and a potential hazard. We tested the TekFire ($25), which resembles an old-fashioned Zippo lighter. It has a flip top and a rubberized outer layer. The TekFire generates a tiny plasma arc, bridging two electrodes, that lasts up to 10 seconds. The disadvantage is that the electrodes are fragile and placed about a quarter-inch apart. This doesn’t leave you a lot of latitude, especially if you’re trying to position it in a narrow spot. Works great for lighting tinder. It comes with a small USB cable for recharging. It’s priced under $25.

We’ll have more survival kit ideas in future columns.

Mike Meyer is chief information officer for Honolulu Community College. Reach him at mmeyer@hawaii.edu.