Private Sector, 1: FEMA, 0
Social media is [sic] often recognized narrowly as a way to connect with friends, or to share and read the news. Yesterday it was demonstrated that social media can serve as a medium of mobilization for disaster relief, helping Americans all over the country reach out and help those affected by the tornado in Oklahoma on Monday.
Shortly after the destructive twister tore through the town of Moore outside Oklahoma City , conservative radio personality and talking head Glenn Beck used Twitter to organize a “convoy of hope” to travel to Oklahoma to provide early disaster relief. Within hours, Beck’s team had used Twitter to locate trucks and supplies, and they were on their way, arriving in the Moore area bearing food, water, and diapers.
UPDATE: I neglected to give the source. It’s here.
READER COMMENTS
Daniel Kuehn
May 22 2013 at 10:40am
“Private Sector, 1: FEMA, 0”
I had no idea relieving hardship was a competition 🙂
ColoComment
May 22 2013 at 10:55am
How else might one evaluate the actual efficiency and effectiveness of FEMA but in comparison with real alternatives?
Also, I don’t recall anyone cutting FEMA any slack after hurricane Katrina. Why should it be any different now?
Mark Brophy
May 22 2013 at 1:04pm
FEMA has been cut lots of slack. Katrina was many years ago and FEMA still exists. Why hasn’t it been abolished?
MG
May 22 2013 at 1:06pm
Relieveing hardship is indeed a competition when FEMA deprives me of the use of some of my money, and the time it will now take me to earn that additional money, in the best way I can to relieve hardship. Worse, every time I see the final tally on disaster relief bills, that bear no relation to the relief provided, the good samaritan in my conscience grows a little more cynical, detached.
Aaron Zierman
May 22 2013 at 2:41pm
Are you trying to say that charity doesn’t need to be forced? Help can arrive (and arrive more efficiently) from outside the government? How absurd! 😉
David
May 22 2013 at 5:46pm
Within a day of the disaster donations started to come in.
Chesapeake Energy: $1 mill
Devon Energy: $2.5 mill
Kevin Durant: $1 mill
Along with many other monetary contributions cars where lined up for blocks dropping off supplies at donation locations.
Y.T.
May 23 2013 at 6:59am
Social media is very helpful to get in touch with families and friends during disasters. When a strong earthquake shook Japan in 2011, people posted on Twitter to let their followers know that they are safe. A 500% increase in Tweets from Japan in the moments after the earthquake.
Bri
May 23 2013 at 5:19pm
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