In recent years , the U.S. has been hammered by a salmagundi of natural catastrophe causing damage to property and threatening lives . There were so many tornadoes , flash floods , fires and hurricane in 2018 , for exemplar , that the year saw the fourth - highest figure of billion - dollar weather - related disaster . It also was the fourthly - costliest for such disasters , with an estimated $ 91 billion in damage . Hundreds of thousands of masses had their life and livelihoods turned upside down . If you have a plan for an off - the - grid emergency , you may ascertain the prophylactic of your kin , home or property . New emergency preparation technology can help keep you dependable in a survival spot .
Many of these gadget premiered at last twelvemonth ’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas , Nevada . They highlight solutions to fundamental components of hand brake preparedness . Most notably , the outcome featured communication , emergency kindling and signaling , back - up power , solid food planning , water , and disaster monitoring and judgement twist .
Communications
When the power goes out and you ’re forced to take shelter or evacuate , you need to keep informed , situationally mindful and connected . Communication capabilities are a key part ofemergency preparedness . John D. Ivanko
ION Audio Survival Scout Solar Powered Speaker
TheSurvival Scoutspeaker developed by ION Audio is design to be the high - tech modern evolution of the Graeco-Roman emergency hired man - crank radiocommunication . The comparatively stocky , 81⁄2 - by-8 - by-9 - in Survival Scout keeps you informed on severe conditions development from the safety of shelter without the pauperism for office , cellular connectivity or an cyberspace connectedness .
The speaker comes fit with standard AM / FM radio . It also has seven specialNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationweather bands for emergency brake weather condition notifications . The loudspeaker system ’s port also includes an aux input and Bluetooth connectivity for pairing with fluid electronics . It features a built - in LED light strip , too .
The rugged Survival Scout features an IPX4 water - resistance valuation and offers a wide salmagundi of options to keep its 2,300 - mAh battery charged . These includes a build - in solar panel , standard wall outlet charger and even a hand dynamo shabu .

With USB port turn up on the front of the speaker , the capture electricity can also be used to tear a telephone or nomadic electronics for an emergency call .
Cat Rugged Smartphone
A cell earphone is indispensable during an emergency . But barrage fire life and durability during a tragedy can be a job .
Less so with aCat phone . The ultradurable midrange Cat S41 smartphone feature an extremely durable and grippy safety face with a monolithic 5,000 - mAh barrage . It can provide as much as 38 hours of lecture time .
Furthering the tough design , the S41 also sport MIL - SPEC specification . It has an IP68 waterproof rating , too , allowingfull submersion in up to 6.56 feet ofwater for an hr .

John D. Ivanko
This off - grid Kentucky homestead is an Amish paradise .
Emergency Lighting& Signaling
Lighting is cardinal for navigation and safety . But when calamity strikes , you do n’t want to flub with complicated , operose or potentially unsafe kerosene or gas lanterns .
LuminAID PackLite Nova USB
Emergency light does n’t get much simpler than thePackLite Nova USB , an inflatable waterproofed solar lantern by LuminAID .

A sunny solar day to charge and a press of a push is all it takes to get the PackLite Nova USB to produce as much as 75 lumens of safe light for five hours with an array of inner light-emitting diode lights . It make only a couple of seconds and a few puffs of melody to amply blow up the lantern . This allow for buoyancy and protection .
Power & Batteries,Recharging with the Sun
nomadic stamp battery sprightliness can be a precious resource if force is taken out for an lengthy period of clip . preserve a lowly battery banking company on hand can help , but it ’s impermanent . So keep them appoint with some solar power for pinch preparedness .
Sunnybag Iconic Solar Backpack
Many emergencies ask evacuating or move to consecrate shelter . In these post , staying equipped , prepared and connected while on the go are your keys to safety .
With build - in charging capability and as much as 1,220 cubic inches of storage distance , Sunnybag ’s line of solar backpackscan be the perfect bag for carrying full of life supplies and keeping communications online when on the move .
Sunnybag ’s Iconic fashionable solar packsack fits laptops as vainglorious as 17 inches . It is build with stout polyester fabric and mount an admit 7 - watt solar control board on the bag ’s exterior . The internals of the Iconic feature a mixed bag of zippered pockets for convenient packing .

John D. Ivanko
It also features cushiony compartments for pad , laptops and other fragile product . Sunnybag has exhaustively padded the section of the pocketbook that roost on your shoulder and back for added comfort during traveling .
The solar energy glean from the extraneous detachable solar panel outputs via a USB nag that sits in one of the Iconic ’s internal compartments . While outside on a cheery day , two hours is all it take for the 7 - watt solar panel to fully reload a modern smartphone .
Mobile devices already in full charge ? The Iconic ’s solar instrument panel easily connects to a portable USB electric battery banking company to store the surplus power for succeeding use .

John D. Ivanko
For those look to go light , Sunnybag alsoproduces the Explorer+ . This small knapsack can accommodate 15 - column inch laptops with a total volume of 915 cubic in and a detachable 6 - watt solar panel .
Solar thermic systems ignite your water with the sun .
ToughTested Bigfoot
TheBigfoot solar battery bank building from ToughTestedkeeps mobile electronics charge and link for parking brake situation . With a massive 24,000 - mAh home battery and 400 - mAh solar control board for inactive recharging , the Bigfoot can charge up anything from peregrine electronics to lowly laptop computer using its built - in USB and USB - C port .
It ’s build to be dependable in approximate conditions when needed most . The Bigfoot weighs 1.65 pounds and is built with study charge card , have arctic covers on charging port and bumpers to protect the battery bank from downslope . Also , its IP67 rainproof military rank means the gadget can be safely submerge under 3 foot of water for as longsighted as 30 minutes .
The Bigfoot also admit a potentially life - carry through feature . The solar power bank ’s design incorporates a built - in leave flashlight with a special mode that blinks out the SOS pattern , on repetition .
With a full bang , it can create this emergency signal for an estimated 88 continuous hour .
Cooking &Water Purification
When traditional refrigeration and power goes out , emergency preparedness requires asolid plan for safely cooking . You also need to prevent intellectual nourishment from spoiling . Solar ovens put up one of the easy ways to fudge unfermented green groceries , meats and other perishable food .
you may even pasteurise body of water without the need for gas , Grant Wood or any electrical energy . John D. Ivanko
GoSun Sport Solar Oven
TheGoSun Sporthas a uniquely minute folding design that take into account for impressive portability . Its cardinal 2 - foot long and 2.1 - inch wide cooking bedchamber with a brace of fold - out solar reflector wings that concentrate solar energy , allowing the oven to reach temperatures as hot as 550 level Fahrenheit .
Perfect for safely cook a luscious repast of meats , get or even pastry using cheerfulness .
Solavore Sport Solar Oven
TheSolavore Sportfeatures a more traditionalboxy solar oven design with a fold - out reflecting telescope . It leave significantly more oven space while maintaining a max temperature of 300 degree Fahrenheit .
The Solavore Sport ’s design allows it to pasteurize water in a pinch . It heats pee for an extended period of metre and authenticate rubber with a piddle - pasteurisation index .
Here are 6 tip for using an ag drone on a small farm .
Monitoring &Damage Assessment
In the prompt aftermath of an emergency , safely inspecting the situation and assessing damage can be all-important for deciding the proper course of action .
Over the retiring five years , consumer drone pipe with photograph and 4 K television capabilities have explode in popularity . And now prices are more affordable , too .
Drones furnish a quick way to get an eye in the sky and investigate emergency situations . you’re able to refresh livestock and assess buildings , all from the safety of your front porch .
progressively , people use drones to entrance ethereal documentation of damages , a potentially valuable plus for expediting insurance assessments .
DJI Phantom 4 Pro and DJI Spark
The more democratic drones includeDJI ’s Mavic and Phantom 4 Prolines with price range from $ 1,000 to $ 2,000 . DJI ’s $ 400 Spark drone fits in the palm of your hired hand .
These drones provide as much as 30 minutes of flight clip . They also pop the question technologies such as GPS stabilization and collision - avoidance systems that help make drone flights promiscuous and good .
Water Supply
Most multitude “ hold out off the control grid ” do so with photovoltaics powering their home . But these systems often still bind into the grid .
In the event of a power outage , power system - tied system go down as well . Then , pump water from a well or letting it flow from a faucet is no longer potential .
Why not take your water supplying off the gridiron as part of youemergency preparedness , too?John D. Ivanko
Zero Mass Water SOURCE Hydropanel
Zero Mass Waterhas engineer a safe , sustainable and loose way to provide sportsmanlike drink water to your habitation with their SOURCE Hydropanel .
Their proprietary collection organization can bewitch between 8 to 20 , 16.9 - oz. bottles of water per day , depending on the climate where it ’s located . Unlike well pump , the seed is completely self - power thanks to a built - in solar control board , with an intragroup battery to office moisture collection on cloudy days .
This article appeared inLiving Off the Grid , a 2019 specialty publishing raise by the editors and writers ofHobby Farmsmagazine . Living Off the Gridincludes stories on permaculture , growing plants without seeded player and retentive - term produce storage . you may buy this loudness , Hobby Farmsback issues as well as special edition such asBest of Hobby FarmsandUrban Farmby followingthis link .