Best Disaster Preparedness Apps
Nowadays nearly all of us have the ability to carry an entire libraries worth of information around with us in our pockets - and receive timely and important emergency information in ways never even dreamed of less that 20 years ago. Take advantage of that fact and have a few emergency apps on your phone just in case.
This list originally appears on the US Dept of Health and Human Services website: https://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/disasterapps.html and has been reorganized for non-professional users.
U.S. Federal Organizations
CDC
By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC mobile app provides health and safety information related to emergencies and disasters.
FEMA
By: Federal Emergency Management Agency
FEMA app and mobile enhanced web page provide government disaster response information. Users can also upload and share disaster photos to help emergency managers.
American Red Cross Suite of Apps
First Aid by American Red Cross
First Aid by American Red Cross provides free lifesaving first aid instruction and disaster preparedness information, including videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice.
Red Cross Emergency
Red Cross Emergency is an “all-inclusive” app that combines more than 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts from natural to man-made, giving users real-time information about incidents that are about to occur in their location.
Earthquake - American Red Cross
Earthquake - American Red Cross app provides step-by-step instructions on what to do before/during/after an earthquake. It also includes an "I'm Safe" feature to notify family and friends that you are okay.
Flood - American Red Cross
Flood by American Red Cross app provides flood warning alerts, location of open shelters, information about dealing with floods and power outages and a customizable "I'm Safe" notification.
Hurricane - American Red Cross
Hurricane by American Red Cross app provides access to local and real time information on what to do before, during and after hurricanes, including an "I'm safe" messaging alert.
Tornado - American Red Cross
Tornado by American Red Cross app provides access to local and real time information on what to do before, during and after a tornado, including an audible siren when NOAA issues a tornado warning even if your app is closed.
Wildfires by American Red Cross
- Wildfires by American Red Cross shows where NOAA has issued wildfire warnings, notifies you when a new wildfire occurs and gives you a current view of the wildfire's track and perimeter. You can also let loved ones know that you are safe even if the power is out and learn what steps you should take to prepare your family, home and pets.
Surveillance and Alerts
National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center mobile enhanced Web page provides access to critical hurricane advisories and marine forecasts.
National Weather Service
National Weather Service mobile enhanced Web page provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States.
Disaster Alert
Disaster Alert provides access to information in both a list and on an interactive map about active hazards occurring around the globe.
Outbreaks Near Me
By: HealthMap
Outbreaks Near Me provides real-time, searchable disease outbreak information for your neighborhood on interactive maps.
FluView
By: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
FluView tracks influenza-like illness activity levels across the U.S.
Humanitarian Kiosk
By: OCHA, United Nations
This app provides a range of up-to-the-minute humanitarian related information from emergencies around the world
ECDC Threat Reports
The ECDC Threat Reports app gives you direct access to key updates and reports on communicable disease threats of concern to the European Union.
Family Reunification
ReUnite
By: National Library of Medicine
ReUnite provides ability to upload missing and found person information for family reunification during and after disasters. It provides structured information to the National Library of Medicine's People Locator service.
TriagePic
By: National Library of Medicine
This app is for use by hospital staff to reunify friends and family during a mass disaster. It is a reporting and tracking tool that allows staff to capture photos and brief information (name, age, gender, etc.) on disaster victims as they arrive at the hospital. This information on victims is stored in a database that may be searched by staff for family reunification purposes.
Apps for Disasters in Libraries
LibraryFloods
By: National Library of Medicine
LibraryFloods covers basic steps for recovering collections after a water emergency in your library.
ERS: Emergency Response and Salvage
By: National Center for Preservation Technology and Training
ERS: Emergency Response and Salvage outlines critical stages of disaster response for damage to collections and significant records. It is based on the Heritage Preservation's Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel.
- Install (iPhone/iPad)
Medical and Health Information
PubMed
By: National Library of Medicine
PubMed Mobile provides access to more than 21 million citations for biomedical literature fromMEDLINE, life science journals, and online books.
LactMed
By: National Library of Medicine
LactMed provides access information about maternal and infant drug levels and possible effects of vaccines and radiologic agents on lactation and on breastfed infants.
MedlinePlus
By: National Library of Medicine
MedlinePlus provides access to consumer-oriented health information on disaster topics in English and Spanish.
mTBI Pocket Guide
By: National Center for Telehealth & Technology
mTBI (Tramautic Brain Injury) Pocket Guide provides access to clinical guidelines for assessing and treating service members and Veterans who have sustained a mild TBI.
Drug Shortages
By: Food and Drug Administration
This app from the FDA allows users to quickly identify current drug shortages, resolved shortages, and discontinuations of drug products, helping health practitioners made quick decisions about patient treatment.
MMWR Express
By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The app provides access to full reports and available summaries from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) which contains timely, authoritative, and useful public health information and recommendations from the CDC.
Responder Support and Safety
Med Field Ops
By: Northern New England Metropolitan Response System
Mobile Medical Unit Field Operations Guide was developed for the Northern New England Metropolitan Response System but is applicable to other response teams such as MRC, CERT, DMAT and others. The app contains access to packing lists, deployment guidelines, treatment reference, and more.
OSHA Heat Safety Tool
By: Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
The app calculates the heat index at work sites, and, based on the heat index, displays a risk level to outdoor workers. It also provides protective measures such as training on heat illness signs and symptoms and monitoring each other for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.
CDC TravWell
By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This app, designed for international travel, provides destination-specific vaccine recommendations, a travel checklist and a healthy travel packing list. You can also use this app to store travel documents and records of immunizations and to set reminders for getting vaccine boosters or taking medicine.
AFN-TIPS
By: Hawaii Emergency Preparedness System of Support Project at the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawai‘i
This app is intended to support first responders and others who are assisting individuals with access and functional needs in times of crisis.
Show Me for Emergencies
By: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
This app is for emergency workers and people with communication needs such as difficulty understanding English, hearing impairments, and cognitive disabilities. It uses easy-to-understand icons for two-way communication during an emergency.
RRAIN
By: University of Washington Health Sciences Library
Response and Recovery App in Washington (RRAIN Washington) is designed to help first responders in the State of Washington access disaster information resources on a mobile device.
Psychological Health Tools
SAMHSA Behavioral Health Disaster Response
By: Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
This app will connect behavioral health responders to evidenced-based behavioral health resources for use in the field. Users can access pre-loaded resources when Internet connectivity is limited, locate nearby treatment facilities, search for key materials and share information with colleagues and survivors.
PFA Mobile
By: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
PFA Mobile assists responders who provide psychological first aid as part of an organized response effort. The app was funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD in partnership with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Department of Defense's National Center for Telehealth & Technology (T2), and the VA’s Patient Care Services.
PTSD Coach
By: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
PTSD Coach provides users with information about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including educational resources, information about professional care, a self-assessment tool, opportunities to find support, and tools to help manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD.
Provider Resilience
By: National Center for Telehealth & Technology. U.S. Department of Defense
Provider Resilience gives frontline providers tools to keep themselves productive and emotionally healthy as they help service members, veterans, and their families. The app also features stress-busting and compassion satisfaction-building tools.
Responder Self Care
By: University of Minnesota School of Public Health
This mobile app aids those deployed to emergency response events in maintaining their own physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
Help Kids Cope
By: National Child Traumatic Stress Network
This app helps parents, caregivers, teachers, and emergency preparedness professionals talk with children about the disasters they may face and how to best support them before, during and after an event.
CBRNE and Hazardous Substances
WISER (includes CHEMM)
By: National Library of Medicine
WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) assists first responders in Hazmat incidents, with features including substance identification support, containment and suppression advice, and medical treatment information. Content from CHEMM (Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management) is included in this app.
Mobile REMM
By: National Library of Medicine
REMM (Radiation Emergency Medical Management) provides guidance about clinical diagnosis and treatment of radiation injuries during radiological and nuclear emergencies. It was developed by the National Library of Medicine and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
ERG 2016
By: National Library of Medicine and U.S. Department of Transportation
2016 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) from the PHMSA (U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) provides first responders with a go-to resource to help deal with hazmat accidents during the critical first 30 minutes.
CDC Blast Injury
By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This application is designed to help healthcare providers and public health professionals treat injuries, prepare for blast events, and save lives.
TOXNET
By: National Library of Medicine
TOXNET from the National Library of Medicine is an easy to use, mobile-optimized Web interface covering toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health and related areas.
CAMEO Chemicals
By: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
CAMEO Chemicals is a tool designed for people involved in hazardous material and incident response and planning.
Internal Contamination Clinical Reference
By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This app estimates reference concentrations of radionuclides in urine assuming intakes equal to one Clinical Decision Guide (CDG) for each radionuclide. It is intended for clinicians, health professionals, radiation safety officers, medical and public health laboratory specialists, or any other professional interested in internal contamination with radioactive materials and their medical therapy. The app is to be used for educational and informational purposes only.
Laboratory Response Network Rule-Out and Refer
By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This app from CDC allows sentinel labs to access important information regarding six potential bioterrorism agents, including information about biosafety, shipping and select agent compliance associated with each pathogen.
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards Mobile Web Application
By: National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health
This app provides general industrial hygiene information for workers, employers, and occupational health professionals. The Pocket Guide presents key information and data in abbreviated tabular form for 677 chemicals or substance groupings.
