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One of the lessons Hurricane Katrina taught Mississippi, is being prepared by keeping the lines of communication open.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has been using social networking and micro-blogging tools to reach people with important hurricane preparedness information.
The agency launched a YouTube page, a Twitter account, and Facebook page to better serve a growing generation of people who may not get information and news through traditional means.
Mississippi Emergency Management Director Mike Womack said,
We have to pay attention to the way people are communicating with each other and be a part of that dialogue.
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, communication to the coast was severely disrupted. There was a lack of information, which left many wondering where to go for help.
Mike Womack said,
Since the information we release will help people protect themselves and survive a hurricane, we need to be accessible to the public and send messages in as many different ways as we can.
The agency has more than 500 followers on Twitter and the number is growing. http://twitter.com/msema
In addition to its main twitter page, MEMA has launched separate Mississippi Interstate and Highway twitter pages to further help the public if evacuations are necessary.
For more info: Mississippi Emergency Management Facebook Page Mississippi hurricane preparedness guide
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