As Doomsday believers prepare for the end of the world Dec. 21—according to Mayan prophesy—they are stocking up on supplies of all sorts. A must-have for the apocalypse is the American Red Cross FRX3, a rechargeable radio by Eton that not only tunes into AM/FM reception, but all seven National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather band stations. The device also offers an alert system that automatically broadcasts emergency weather—think hurricane, tornado and other severe storm—alerts in the user’s area.

Don’t worry about the batteries running dead, either. Not only does the device use AAA batteries and DC power—complete with a mini-USB—the radio is equipped with a solar panel, as well as a hand turbine that, after one minute of cranking, offers 10 to 15 minutes of radio and flashlight use. Users can also charge their smartphones on the radio by simply plugging their phones into the USB port.

Other features of the American Red Cross FRX3 include a glow-in-the-dark locator, headphone outputs and AUX inputs. The radio weighs just over 1 pound, so it can easily be carted along if the user is looking for help—or the remnants of civilization.

[Image via Eton]

Samantha Lile

Samantha Lile is a 2002 Missouri State University graduate of journalism and mass media. She has served as a reporter and editor for various newspapers throughout her journalism career. She made the leap into writing full-time after working for a major financial institution since 2000.

Because of her banking background, Samantha is knowledgeable in finance reporting, but is also strong in commentaries, personal profiles, youth studies, horticulture, history and entertainment-related works.

Samantha lives in Ozark, Mo. with her husband of nine years, four dogs and two cats.

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