geekvishal
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- 5 Oct 2012
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Many East Coast residents are still reeling from Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. The devastation in the region was extreme — it took lives, destroyed property, rendered people homeless and plunged millions into darkness this week. (New York City, one of the hardest hit areas, managed to bring power back to all of Manhattan, but it may not be able to restore full power to all of its residents until November 11.)
As unbelievable as it was, it could’ve been far worse if not for some proactive thinking: Electric companies pre-emptively shut down grids to mitigate potential damage, emergency responders and relief organizations strategized and assumed key locations, and political leaders took to the news media, radio, social media and other Internet services to broadcast information and enact curfews. We know what happened next — floods, blackouts, property damage and, most tragically, injuries and deaths. (As of this writing, it was reported that the storm claimed 106 lives in the U.S. so far.)
Hopefully the count will remain steady as workers move forward in this recovery period. In the mean time hurricane stories continue to emerge. It’s hard not to facepalm over a few things (like the crazy New Yorker who jetski’ed in the East River as the storm worsened), stare agape at monstrous — and eerily fitting — circumstances (such as flood waters unearthing coffins in Crisfield, MD, on the eve of Halloween) or weep empathetically at the profound tragedies some folks have suffered (like the Staten Island mother whose young sons were ripped out of her arms by the swirling flood waters).
In times like these, it’s natural to rally together and talk about things like courage, generosity and the enduring spirit of mankind. Some may choose to do so by “getting in touch,” sitting it in a circle holding hands and singing Kumbayah. No judgment here, if that’s your thing, but this is a tech site, and we have a different way of doing things. We’re interested in questions like, “How did technology serve or fail people in this crisis?” “What did they do in the face of that?” And, “What, if anything, does that say about us, as human beings?”
It’s a look at tech, yes, but surprisingly it’s also a look at the nature of people, and what they do when they’re suddenly thrust into extraordinary circumstances with — and without — their technology.
Things Technology CAN Do During a Disaster
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Allow Us to Give And Receive Support
Naturally Twitter and Facebook were swamped with updates from survivors and messages offering support and help. That’s partly due to the fact that many people — even some suffering power outages — still had a data connection. In fact, quite a few reported that cellular networks were their only means of communication after the lights went out. Apparently, with 25 percent of the cell towers in Sandy’s path taken out by the storm, three-quarters were still operational. Landlines fared even better — and may become the primary communications tool, if the cell carriers’ back-up generators run out of fuel before their local power grid gets restored.
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Credit and Detailed Version of This Article
Many East Coast residents are still reeling from Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. The devastation in the region was extreme — it took lives, destroyed property, rendered people homeless and plunged millions into darkness this week. (New York City, one of the hardest hit areas, managed to bring power back to all of Manhattan, but it may not be able to restore full power to all of its residents until November 11.)
As unbelievable as it was, it could’ve been far worse if not for some proactive thinking: Electric companies pre-emptively shut down grids to mitigate potential damage, emergency responders and relief organizations strategized and assumed key locations, and political leaders took to the news media, radio, social media and other Internet services to broadcast information and enact curfews. We know what happened next — floods, blackouts, property damage and, most tragically, injuries and deaths. (As of this writing, it was reported that the storm claimed 106 lives in the U.S. so far.)
Hopefully the count will remain steady as workers move forward in this recovery period. In the mean time hurricane stories continue to emerge. It’s hard not to facepalm over a few things (like the crazy New Yorker who jetski’ed in the East River as the storm worsened), stare agape at monstrous — and eerily fitting — circumstances (such as flood waters unearthing coffins in Crisfield, MD, on the eve of Halloween) or weep empathetically at the profound tragedies some folks have suffered (like the Staten Island mother whose young sons were ripped out of her arms by the swirling flood waters).
In times like these, it’s natural to rally together and talk about things like courage, generosity and the enduring spirit of mankind. Some may choose to do so by “getting in touch,” sitting it in a circle holding hands and singing Kumbayah. No judgment here, if that’s your thing, but this is a tech site, and we have a different way of doing things. We’re interested in questions like, “How did technology serve or fail people in this crisis?” “What did they do in the face of that?” And, “What, if anything, does that say about us, as human beings?”
It’s a look at tech, yes, but surprisingly it’s also a look at the nature of people, and what they do when they’re suddenly thrust into extraordinary circumstances with — and without — their technology.
Things Technology CAN Do During a Disaster
.
Allow Us to Give And Receive Support
Naturally Twitter and Facebook were swamped with updates from survivors and messages offering support and help. That’s partly due to the fact that many people — even some suffering power outages — still had a data connection. In fact, quite a few reported that cellular networks were their only means of communication after the lights went out. Apparently, with 25 percent of the cell towers in Sandy’s path taken out by the storm, three-quarters were still operational. Landlines fared even better — and may become the primary communications tool, if the cell carriers’ back-up generators run out of fuel before their local power grid gets restored.
.
Credit and Detailed Version of This Article
