Technology Ports in a (Fargo) Storm

Last night Fargo was hit with a blessing in disguise. A storm that included a Tornado Warning swept through town, knocking out power and sending even the most stubborn of us to our basements.

The bright side: no loss of life and everybody is the wiser for having gone through it.

Technology does more than allow us to play Angry Birds at 2am in bed. It can be a life-saver during bad storms—literally. Here are three things I wouldn’t be without:

1. A Smartphone with a charged battery. Until last night I didn’t appreciate that my phone should be fully-charged—even on weekends. But when the power goes out, it still allows access to the internet and thus—the weather updates.

2. Twitter or Facebook. Follow the right people, and the weather updates come pouring in (pardon the pun). Radio people (DJ’s) seem to be the best weather spotters. I was amazed last night how many people were without a radio with batteries—and had only their smartphone to receive weather updates. About 45 minutes before the storm last night there were already warnings…including my own: “The worst weather in the USA is headed right here, right now: Link to NOAA Weather Shot

Early on, Twitter was filled with updates like this one from @timfroggy: “Tornado spotted near the Kindred area. The inclement weather is working its way into the Fargo-Moorhead Area.” And I actually learned there was a real Tornado Warning because I follow @Bob95fm. @XCelEnergyND was continually updating throughout the evening where they were working to restore power.

3. Instant Radar. This app for the Droid worked perfectly last night. I recommended this in an earlier blog (Top 10 FREE Android Apps for Daddy) for the same reasons I recommend it now: it’s just “instant radar”...no ads that take forever, no video, no temperature, nothing—but it loads faster than my cat when thunder strikes. You can find the app online here: Instant Radar App

Disclaimer: None of these things are as important as a good AM radio with batteries, three good flashlights, a secure place to go and not just “Well, I think we’d…” Today you have most of the technology any weatherman would use right at your fingertips. In times of trouble, you have the tools to keep you and your family informed.