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Should We Call 9-1-1 or Just Tweet About the Fire?
March 14th, 2009
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by Warren Whitlock · Filed Under: Twitter · Twitter Stories
Public safety officials are starting to rely on Twitter to find out what is going on.
CNN admits that it’s faster than waiting for the news
Police and fire departments are using Twitter
“We think the police department has an obligation to get information out to the community through whatever means or mechanisms we have at our disposal,” said Lakeland Police Assistant Chief Bill LePere. “Traditional media releases, expecting the local print media to pick it up and run it in the newspaper tomorrow, is 24 hours too late.”
Read the rest of the story on CNN
I think that it’s awesome public officials and safety officers are utilizing Twitter to keep in contact and keep folks up-to-date about goings on. But if Twitter replaces 911, I’m moving to Mars. In an emergency, one should immediately call 911, then tweet later if they so choose. Twitter is a great way to keep people up-to-date on road closures, construction, traffic, snowfall, weather, etc. But I don’t think it’s a great resource for emergency handling.
Even for those who are used to coming up with a message in 140 characters or less, dialing 9-1-1 is and always will be quicker than typing a tweet.
~Zsolt
http://twitter.com/LightningZsolt
@lightingZolt
911 can be on button on a phone.. but how about the cell phone app that will
1- dial the hotline and feed them your location
2- tell your tweeps what is up
3- include a GPS location
4- turn on your web cam and send a feed
It’s not a choice between A or B.. we will have them ALL
@Warren, correct.
There is no doubt that a mix of phone and twitter is most effective. That’s why the question of choice between 911 OR twitter makes no sense. How dare we compare 911 and twitter in case of extreme emergency??!
I strongly advise kids and twitter freaks to FIRST dial 911 prior to twitting about the details of the fire when choice between both devices is in the balance.
The many uses for Twitter has YET to be fully discovered & utilized.
The only limits – are imagination.
The possibilities – are endless!
Now that Ashton Kutcher showed Oprah how to Tweet, greater awareness will be spread very rapidly across our culture, and we’ve only begun to see just how powerfully this tool can be utilized.
@CoachDeb
http://TribalSeduction.com
Author of The First Book on Twitter:
http://TwitterRevolution.com
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I do think twitter is a killer app. A perfect complement to blogging. I tweet all the time and I’m pretty sure I’m addicted