Social Media Solidarity in Sandy’s Wake

02 Nov Social Media Solidarity in Sandy’s Wake

On Top Visibility’s Long Island offices were fortunately undamaged in Hurricane Sandy’s wake. We are lucky to have power here, but a lot of our homes do not – some of us have even emptied our gas tanks and are finding it difficult to get to work.

There is a definite haze of confusion and panic around the island. We are now experiencing what life is like without access to the products and services that allow our lives to function: fresh food, gasoline, electricity, cable & Internet.

Without electricity we cannot communicate or call for help. Cell phones are a savior, playing a crucial role in this disaster.

Social media has proven to be an extremely effective way of receiving news & updates for your area. You can connect with government agencies, news outlets, and other victims on a local level using #hashtags.

News 12 Long Island and Newsday’s Facebook pages are very timely and useful – there you will find LI’ers providing live tips (where to find gas, ice, an open grocery store) and comforting support within all of the posts on these pages.

If you are a business owner and are lucky to have electricity, harnessing the power of social media can be extremely lucrative during this time (especially for restaurants, convenience stores, etc). Let your customers know that you are open, what payment types you can currently accept, and what products you have in stock. If you have the outlets & space, transform your business into a charging station and invite the local community to recharge.

If we work together, we can get through anything.