Let me preface this piece by saying my thoughts and prayers go out to the millions of people in the northeast who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy over the last week. I hope that everyone can quickly and easily recover from this tragic event. The human spirit is, as always, amazing. We’ve seen many events that showcase the spirit of brotherhood – and even heroism – through the media. Thousands of miles away on the West coast, the updates pouring in from social media were a vital lifeline of information for many friends and relatives for those affected. Two of my own team members are in New York, and I was grateful that even without electricity and internet, they both updated their Facebook and Twitter accounts to say they were okay.
The use of social media and new technology in these situations has proven to be even more crucial for spreading important emergency warnings and reports to millions of people without power, clinging to the last few bars of battery life on smartphones. Many political officials, organizations, and news networks took to social media sites as a means of disseminating important information to users that were or would be affected and possibly in danger. Throughout the week FEMA, the MTA, the NYC Mayor’s Office, and many other official twitter accounts reached over half a million Twitter followers, as they all collaborated and worked together to coordinate efforts of warnings, updates, and disaster relief.
The Mayor of Newark, NJ even tweeted to his community to come to his house, where he had power, food and a place to recharge (both electrically and spiritually).
While local and national news outlets certainly tried to keep up with the news as quickly as possible, often times the “average Joe” was able to provide more current and informative updates. Many users even took to social media to inform friends and family where to get gas, which has become a precious commodity due to shortages. Friends would comment on statuses with things like “Still gas left on BP on Flushing Ave, 2 hour wait so hurry” or “Just re-fueled our generator if anyone needs heat or food.” The outpouring of support and information from friends and neighbors has allowed us, as a society, to do what we do best – to connect and help one another, even complete strangers.
Social Media has taken the stage, front and center – and it has proven itself to be more than a hobby or an app. It has turned into a vital tool that ties us together on every level – professionally, personally and from community to community. We have even seen social take to the cloud – and the crowd – through crowd funding opportunities, like KickStarter and Indiegogo. While many opportunities exist to support New York and New Jersey – one of my favorites, from a grassroots point of view is by a young woman, coincidentally also from San Francisco https://www.indiegogo.com/NewYorkIGotYourBack. My team and I sent our donation this morning.
As with 911, know that we’re here for you New York and New Jersey. We’ve got your back.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of the All Access Group, LLC
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The storm is just now starting to come ashore, and it has already done a tremendous amount of damage all along he east coast. For example, earlier today an 80 foot section of the Atlantic City boardwalk was spotted floating free down the streets of Atlantic City.