Jason Cook

Technology Engagement Coordinator, John Knox Village

We are three months into the “season.”

Unfortunately, I am not talking about the season of gifts, although many of the items I’m writing about are actually great gifts.  The season I am referring to is hurricane season.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is a good place to get information on hurricanes, the season runs from June 1 until November 30.  As a tech person who had to go five days without electricity during one of our previous storms, I was traumatized and decided to get some gadgets and make plans to be sure, if this were to happen again, I would be prepared.

Solar Power Bank

The first thing I got was a solar power bank.  This device ranges in price from $20 to $200, depending on the size of the battery and other features.  This power bank will allow you to charge your phone a few times before the bank needs to be recharged.  Since it has solar panels, you are able to charge it during the day even when there is no electricity.

Rechargeable Fan with a USB Plug

The second item I put in my hurricane kit was a rechargeable fan with a USB plug so it would fit in the power bank.  This means when I went to bed at night, I would plug in the fan to the power bank and it would have enough power to keep me cool all night between the battery in the fan and the power bank.

Rechargeable AM/FM Radio

The final gadget I added to my kit was a rechargeable AM/FM radio.  After the hurricane there is a pretty good chance that there won’t be any internet or cell phone service for a few days.  Having the radio will allow you to hear the news and get information you might need.  

If you noticed, all of these options do not require regular batteries.  This allows you to avoid panic-buying that often occurs when a hurricane is approaching.

Download Some Entertainment

The final piece of advice I would offer to keep yourself entertained would be to download some games, music and movies to your mobile device so that you have something to do even without a signal.  If you download these items and store them on your device, you will have access to them even if there is no cell or internet service.

Preparing for storm season by including a few simple tech devices as part of your hurricane kit, you can rest easier knowing you’ll be able to stay as comfortable as possible, and most importantly, stay connected.

JKV’s ‘IT’ Guy

Always an industry leader and at the forefront of innovation, John Knox Village is one of the only senior living Life-Plan Continuing Care Retirement Communities in the nation to provide a dedicated full-time employee to assist its residents with technology issues on every platform from mobile phones and tablets to laptops.

JKV Technology Engagement Coordinator Jason Cook provides residents with personal assistance, as well as classroom-style training.  Overwhelmingly, the residents are thrilled and grateful to have Jason on the JKV Team and see the value in the important work he does.

Contact us today to learn more about John Knox Village or to schedule a visit.