Social Media Can Save Lives

Just like million of Floridians, I also had an evacuation order from my apartment days before Hurricane Irma hit. It is shocking and scary to face the fact that there is nothing you can do to stop a natural disaster from destroying trees, homes and even lives. Fortunately, the hurricane didn’t hit as strong as it was expected in Miami, so there were no major losses. However, this experience demonstrated that social media is the most powerful resource of communication during natural disasters.

One day before I was told I had to leave my apartment, I packed my bags and decided to go on a road trip with my friends and family. Classes were cancelled and the sense of fear was in the air, so we thought we would take this unfortunate event and hopefully turn it into a fun holiday. Our plan was set and we were ready to go but there was no gas in any of the gas stations we visited. This was the first of many times that social media came to our rescue. We searched in Twitter and Facebook and encountered posts that said where we could get gas and how long the lines were.

Our road trip included Orlando, Alabama and Kentucky. As you can imagine, we spent a lot of hours inside a car where there was no television. The only devices we had were our phones, tablets and laptops which kept us informed and updated.

In my opinion, it is faster to look up information online than to hear it from the television, because in your device you have the power to select and give priority to the information you want to gather. Plus, nowadays you get notifications or text messages as soon as something happens. For instance, Miami Dade College had outstanding communication with students via text messages, emails and even phone calls.

I also realized how essential it is for everyone to have access to internet and power. At many stops we made, shops opened their doors to lend chargers and wifi to evacuees in case they had worried relatives, needed medical assistance or wanted to volunteer. It was heart-warming to see strangers help and thanks to social media now everyone can help. For example, sharing telephone numbers (of where to call for help) can make a big difference and perhaps save someone’s life.

Social media may have its pros and cons, but in emergency situations it is a life-saving tool. This is why we must embrace its power and be part of communication strategies that not only keeps us informed, but also lets us help others.