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Staying safe during weather events? There's an app for that

A person cools off amid searing heat that was forecast to reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit on July 16, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
A person cools off amid searing heat that was forecast to reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit on July 16, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The extreme heat that has been blanketing parts of the country for the last month is just one of the extreme weather events we’ve seen this summer.

In late June, wildfires in Canada sent so much particulate matter to the northeast that parts of New York spent at least one day in virtual darkness. And now, Vermont continues to clean up and rebuild after severe flooding in July destroyed streets and buildings across the state.

While it’s impossible to predict with certainty where the next event will be, it is possible to take precautions to help ensure safety and quick recovery for those in affected areas.

New York Times tech writer J.D. Biersdorfer joins host Robin Young to discuss some of the ideas in her recent article “A Tech Checklist for the Dark Side of Summer Weather” that details how technology, from apps to scanners, can help during crises.

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This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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