50 Survival Uses for Your Smart Phone

While some things make me leery about using a smart phone (example here), they are pretty much an ubiquitous part of life these days.  On the bright side, there are dozens and dozens of ways to use your cell phone in a survival situation...

1. Make a call to a friend or 911 for help.
2. To send text messages when cell calls aren't going through.
3. As a flashlight with the appropriate app.
4. As a compass with the appropriate app.
5. To send and receive money.
6. To pay for things instead of using cash or credit cards.
7. To take pictures to document car accidents or other incidents.
8. For directions (using Google maps, etc).
9. As a tracking device if you are incapacitated. 
10. To receive Amber alerts and other emergency alerts.
11. To track disasters happening anywhere in the world.
12. Hopefully, one day, to listen to FM radio.
13. For entertainment (watch Netflix, listen to music, play games, etc).
14. As a repository for your survival books.
15. To send emergency alerts to friends and family.
16. To start a fire with your cell battery.
17. As a place to store your important files and documents.
18. To follow emergency information sources on social media (example here).
19. To set off a panic alarm in an emergency.
20. To put an "ICE--in case of emergency" contact in case you are incapacitated.
21. As a phone book for all of your contacts.
22. To learn first aid skills from an app.
23. As a step-by-step guide for what to do after a car accident.
24. To access the internet (and, for example, find a shelter after a disaster).
25. To alert people that you are safe after a disaster.
26. To identify edible plants in a survival situation.
27. To check the weather.
28. To call 911 even if the cell phone doesn't have a service provider.
29. To create a hot spot for your internet devices.
30. To provide disaster-related info to researchers (like this earthquake app).
31. To listen to emergency service providers (fire, EMS, police) in real time.
32. To take care of all of your travel needs in case you need to evacuate.
33. To connect with FEMA before, during, and after a disaster.
34. To find evacuation routes and avoid traffic issues with the appropriate app.
35. As a radiation alarm with the appropriate app.
36. To determine if you are too drunk to drive with the appropriate app.
37. To make money with the appropriate app.
38. As a signal mirror.
39. As a flashing signal.
40. To find the nearest gas station.
41. To find emergency social service assistance (food banks, shelters, etc).
42. You can hide emergency cash in your cell phone cover.
43. As a spying gadget (note this may or may not be legal where you live).
44. To track and assist the elderly when you can't be with them.
45. To track and assist family members/children when you aren't with them.
46. To prevent suicide.
47. To improve your health and fitness (the top seven causes of death are health-related).
48. To track the spread of illnesses around the world.
49. To track (and learn about) medical conditions with the appropriate app.
50. Even a broken cell phone can be useful during an emergency.