3 great agency apps
Apps track agency status, help treat PTSD and allows you to improve the science of weather forecasting.
Agencies have some 150 mobile applications available on USA.gov and scores more from third parties that rely on federal data. Here are three of our favorites:
1. OPM Alert. Fresh from the app store this summer, OPM Alert provides the operating status of federal government offices in the Washington, D.C., area and can even alert users of status changes. It hit No. 1 in news apps for iPhone in June.
2. PTSD Coach. This app, created by the departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, offers a wide range of resources for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder — both before and after they choose to seek treatment. Features include self-evaluation, coping techniques and information on where to receive professional help.
3. mPING. Remember the old saying, "Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it"? With this app, you can! Created by the National Severe Storms Laboratory, the University of Oklahoma and the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, the Meteorological Phenomena Identification Near the Ground project, or mPING, collects precipitation reports from users and compares the information to what radars have detected to develop new forecasting techniques.