The novel coronavirus has given us all a crash course in emergency preparedness—or, more specifically, in how unprepared most of us are. Many of us are just now scrambling to learn how to stock a 14-day pantry, assemble a bug-out bag, or create a makeshift quarantine room.
But the most critical emergency response tool is already in your pocket. While your supplies will be stored away in your home or car, your phone is always with you. Loaded with the right apps, it can be the most important life-saving device in your emergency arsenal. There are a lot of emergency response apps out there, though, many with similar features, and it can be overwhelming trying to separate the truly disaster-ready from the duds. So, we did it for you, narrowing it down to a handful that cover the essential bases for getting you through just about any crisis.