Through the use of everyday technology, we can prepare for, adapt to, and recover from disruptions brought on by emergencies and/or disasters.

With effective planning, it is possible to take advantage of technology before, during and after a crisis to communicate with loved ones and manage your financial affairs.

There are a number of ways to become "tech ready" to include your cell phones, important records, and social media.

Use your cell phone’s text messaging capability to receive text message updates from FEMA (standard message and data rates apply).

• To sign up to receive monthly preparedness tips: Text PREPARE to 43362 (4FEMA)
• To unsubscribe (at any time): Text STOP to 43362 (4FEMA)
• To learn what other lists are available: Text INFO to 43362 (4FEMA)

Download the FEMA App
Download the FEMA App to access disaster preparedness tips, build your personal emergency kit, and look for open Disaster Recovery Centers along with open shelters.

Bookmark Your Browsers
Bookmark useful websites so that you don’t have to go searching for them in a disaster.

Follow emergency management agencies (like @FEMARegion3), local officials, and news organizations on social media as another way to stay informed during an emergency.

Notification Systems
Local emergency management officials often have notification systems. Opt-In to a distribution for your community. To find out if your community offers such services, contact your local office of Emergency Management.

Further Steps for Your Cell Phone

• Keep your contacts updated across all of your channels, including phone, email and social media. This will make it easy to reach out to the right people quickly to get information and supply updates.
• Learn how to send updates via text and internet from your cell phone to your contacts and social channels in case voice communications aren’t available.
• Text messages and the internet often have the ability to work in the event of a phone service disruption.
• Program "In Case of Emergency" (ICE) contacts into your cell phone so emergency personnel can contact those people for you if you are unable to use your phone.
• If you are evacuated and have call-forwarding on your home phone, forward your home phone number to your cell phone number.
• If you don’t have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster.
• Store your important documents such as personal and financial records in a password-protected area in the Cloud or on a secure flash drive.
• Remember important documents, such as:
  • Personal and property insurance
  • Identification: Driver's license/passport (for family members, as well)
  • Banking information
  • Your pet's veterinary medical records

• Sign up for Direct Deposit and electronic banking through your financial institution so you can access your payroll funds and make electronic payments regardless of location.