chaosmagnet’s First Draft List of Apps to Equip Your Smartphone to Survive:

• Web browser — particularly important for gathering information
• A good weather app — not essential when one has a working web browser but works a lot better for me
• Navigation app — I use one (Waze) for when I’m driving (and when I’m double-checking the route chosen by a cab driver or ride share driver) and another one (MotionX GPS) with offline maps if a data connection is unavailable
• Communications apps — low bandwidth data may be available when voice is not, being able to communicate with your friends and family via multiple means can be very useful
• First aid reference apps
• Survival/CERT reference apps
• Reading/games/other distractions apps — to stave off boredom when battery life isn’t an issue
• Travel apps — Sometimes in an urban environment rapidly finding and booking a hotel room, getting a ride share pickup, and so on, can make things a lot easier

It’s been said and is worth repeating: The smartphone shouldn’t be a crutch that you use to excuse yourself from being willing to act to preserve your safety (mindset), aware of your surroundings, knowing what to do, practicing your skills so that you know how to do it, and having the right gear available to support those things. But it can be a useful tool, particularly in urban and suburban environments, that makes things a lot easer.