Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Phasers

Starfleet hand phasers have many uses as survival tools.

Of course, stranded officers could use them to hunt for food, but they could also be used to heat up rocks as Wesley did in Final Mission to keep himself and Captain Picard warm (as well as several other examples). If the phaser was turned up to a higher setting, it could completely vaporise the rock, allowing officers to drill themselves out of a cave if the entrance collapsed.

They could also be used in more unique survival situations. In Discovery's first episode, Captain Georgiou used a phaser to reopen a well, letting the water flow again. La Forge used one to melt silver ore into climbing equipment in the Next Gen episode The Enemy, to get himself out of a pit.

Aside from their use as tools, Starfleet hand phasers got their energy from small power cells, which could be used to power communication equipment and other machines.