Rick Stonell: on Disaster Preparedness

Your cellphone’s battery will lose its charge at the least convenient time - this is as guaranteed as Death and Taxes. I also guarantee that you’ll want to make calls during a disaster.
Fortunately, there are a few solutions to this variation on Murphy’s Law

1. CPS Cellboost phone charger

Cellboost phone chargers are basically big disposable batteries - they come in a variety of models, each with a different plug to fit a different type of cellphone.

We found them very easy to use - they just plug in to the phone, with a reassuring “click” and a very solid. They are also relatively cheap ($10 or less) and easy to purchase (Walmart and Radio Shack sell them).

Best of all, they work as promised, giving an hour (or more) of extra talk time, and up to 60 hours of standby time. You can even use the phone while the cellboost is plugged in.

Unfortunately, they’re not rechargeable. But we do think that they are a good investment for anyone who travels. Here at rick-stonell.net, we recommend them for inclusion in a car kit. They have a shelf-life of two years, so you can keep an unopened one in your glove compartment - see the manufacturer’s website for specifications

2. The SideWinder cell phone charger

Even lower-tech. This is a pocket-sized unit that you power yourself.

Two minutes of “winding” with the hand-crank and you have 6 minutes of talk-time and up to 30 minutes of stand-by.

The only downside is that some cellphones need special adaptors

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