Social Media: Communication Hub for Disasters?

When disaster strikes, emergency trackers and responders realize people are probably more likely to reach for their phones or computers to text, tweet and update their status on Facebook and look for ways to get and give help. Because of that, national agencies are continuing to develop ways to better integrate social media into their plans.

In a half-hour, live-streamed talk hosted by Facebook, representatives from the American Red Cross, National Weather Service and Department of Health and Human Services emphasized the importance of social media, especially after Tuesday's earthquake jammed phone lines and impending Hurricane Irene, which could become a Category 4 storm.

While agencies are fully aware of social media's power to convey information as disaster unfolds and in its aftermath — Joplin was touted as a successful example — they're preaching to people to use it before the worst happens, to prepare for it. They can have at the ready evacuation routes, shelters and safety tips. And lists. Lots of to-do lists, emergency kits...