Turning your Android Phone into a survival tool

In the midst of a major disaster, it’s likely that if cellphone towers aren’t destroyed or disabled, they will be overloaded. So it may take a while to get help. However, if you’re an Android user, you may have a survival tool right at your fingertips. And yes, it’s all in the apps.

There are some great apps which can teach users how to survive on their own. For isntance, the US Army Survival Guide is available and it’s free. In it’s 23 chapters, it contains information on Basic survival medicine, the psychology of survival, building shelters, fire craft, procuring food and more. Survival is broken down into cold weather, desert, and tropical situations, making contact with strangers and spotting survivor behavior. There are also several appendixes breaking down plants into safe and poisonous, dangerous animals, and even teaches evasion.

Another good resource is Boskoi, a free mobil app which teaches users about the edible landscape around them. Using a mashup of Google Maps, Boskoi plots edible nuts, fruits, herbs, birds and animals, even fungi. And Boskoi is crowd sourced, meaning that users contribute to the database to keep it up to date all around the world. A great tool for those looking to just get a little further down the road.

Another good app is ICE: In Case of Emergency. ICE stores valuable contact information on local first responders and hospitals. But it can also provide crucial medical information should you be unconscious. Information on allergies, your specific medical condition, and even what medications you’re taking. Crucial information when having to treat you and you can’t answer for yourself.

Lastly, users can even start a fire with their smartphone. After collecting tinder, kindling and wood, users can start a fire with the cellphone battery and some steel wool. Using the contact points of the battery, you make an arc with the steel wool. In time, the wool will begin to smolder and eventually catch fire. One the wool is smoldering, users can light the tender and slowly build it up with slightly larger sticks until a fire is achieved. It takes practice, but it works.

And smartphones can be used to call, but they also can carry a wealth of information that when used right, can keep you alive. As long as the battery is charged, you have that information at your fingertips. Knowledge is power. And someday, that little green robot could save your life.

[via Red Ferret]