Knowledge is power when it comes to getting ready for crisis situations, and understanding the most effective ways to keep abreast of emergencies can help communities stay safe during disasters. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently educated students at Kansas State University about methods for learning about crises when they arise, according to WIBW.
At the ReadyCampus function, the government representatives informed individuals that Facebook and Twitter are resources that allow rapid access to updates on developing emergencies.
"So if a person wants to find out if a tornado might be coming through the area they could turn on the television, they could turn on the radio and they probably should, and they probably will continue to that," said Amanda Bicknell, an external affairs specialist. "But if they signed into Twitter they're going to get that information really, super fast and it's going to be in chronological order and it's going to come from trusted sources."
Participants also had the opportunity to get acquainted with responses they may anticipate from disaster management groups during dire scenarios.
Administrators may also consider other electronic means of swiftly communicating vital information during crises. For instance, officials can quickly disseminate time-sensitive updates with emergency messaging via an alert and notification system such as Omnilert. Schools use the platform to publish emergency updates across all of their communication assets, such as Twitter, Facebook, email, PA systems, desktop alerts, digital signage, the school's website, and more.
