Twitter and situation awareness

Posted by Andrew Gilmartin at Monday, February 02, 2009 |
Twitter is a group communication tool used to convey a general sense of awareness to a group of people. It has mostly been used as a tool within social groups but has started to become more widely used. One area that is getting attention is how it can be used during disaster response.

After New Hampshire's December 2008 devastating ice storm the local electric utility, Public Service of New Hampshire, used twitter to keep customer's abreast of ongoing work to reestablish power. In a state where 65% of customers were without power getting Twitter messages on their cell phones was helpful and oddly comforting. For more information listen to Jon Udell interview with PSNH's Martin Murray.

Rhode Island's Department of Transportation recently starting using Twitter also. See RIDOT Launches Four Social Media Sites. As I write this posting at 5:15 PM on 02 February 2009 I just recieved the tweet
@RIDOTNews Status Situation created: accident, left lane blocked on RI 10 southbound at Union Avenue in Providence
Nice to know now to perhaps take 95 South to leave Providence. Thank goodness I am not taking 95 North because this tweet just came in
@RIDOTNews Status Situation created: accident, right center lane blocked on I-95N at Exit 23 - Route 146 North; State Offices
I have always hated Exit 23.
Monday, February 2, 2009

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