Hurricane Sandy: Resources on Twitter

Monday, 29 October 2012

As Hurricane Sandy bears down on the east coast of the U.S., here’s a roundup of accounts suggested by local and state government officials you can follow to get real-time emergency information, plus tips for using Twitter during a crisis.

In the event that power (and the Internet) are down, you can still get alerts from accounts on Twitter using your mobile device through text messaging (SMS):

Receive Tweets via SMS: Even if you don’t have a Twitter account, you can receive Tweets from any Twitter user directly to your mobile device. Just text ‘follow [username]’ to 40404 if you are in the U.S. For example, to follow FEMA (@fema), text ‘follow fema’ to 40404. Text notifications work with every major operator in the U.S. Learn more at our Help Center and find the shortcode or longcode for your country here.
Set text alerts from your computer: When you are logged in to Twitter, you can turn on SMS notifications for a user from your computer. Simply click on their name or avatar, then click on the person icon and select “Turn on mobile notifications” from the drop-down menu. Whenever that user tweets, you’ll receive it as an text message on your phone. More information on receiving text notifications is available here.

Here are some Twitter accounts and hashtags to follow from the states most affected by the storm:

Connecticut: @ctdemhs, @GovMalloyOffice, @CTRedCross, @CTLightandPower, @UnitedIllum, #CTSandy
Delaware: @DelawareEMA, @GovernorMarkell, @DelmarvaConnect, #SandyDE, #StormDEDistrict of Columbia: @DC_HSEMA, @mayorvincegray, @DCGovWeb, @PepcoConnect
Maine: @MaineEMA, @Governor_LePage, @Mainegov
Maryland: @MDMEMA, @MDNG, @governoromalley, @themdta, @MDDisabilities @MarylandDHMH,@BACOemergency, @DelmarvaConnect, #MDSandy
Massachusetts: @MassEMA, @NWSBoston, @MassGovernor, @massgov, @mbtaGM, @MassDOT, #MASandy, @notifyboston
New Jersey: @CMCGovernment, @NJOEM2010, @CityofNewarkNJ, @camdencountynj, @CityofHoboken, @RedCrossNorthNJ, @JCP_L, @ACElecConnect, @CoryBooker, @PSEGNews
New York: @NewYorkCares, @NWSNewYorkNY, @NYCMayorsOffice, @NYGovCuomo @femaregion2, @redcrossny, @redcrossmetroN, @ConEdison
North Carolina: @ProgEnergyNC_SC, @NCGovOffice, @NCEmergency, @DukeEnergyStorm, @NCPublicHealth, @NCDOT
Pennsylvania: @PhilaOEM, @philly311, @GovernorCorbett, @PhiladelphiaGov, @RedCrossPhilly, @PPLElectric, @AllentownMayor
Rhode Island: @RhodeIslandEMA, @LincolnChafee, @AmtrakNEC, @RIDOTNews, @RIPTA_RI, @nationalgridus, #SandyRI
South Carolina: @SCEMD, @postandcourier, @SC_Cert, @NWSCharlestonSC, @WYFFNews4, @DukeEnergyStorm
Vermont: @vemvt, @GovPeterShumlin
Virginia: @GovernorVA, @DomVAPower, @NBC12, @VDEM

Other useful accounts to follow:

Our @gov account has also compiled a list of widely suggested emergency and local accounts to follow: https://twitter.com/gov/sandy. We’ve also launched a #Sandy page where we will surface relevant and timely Tweets and information throughout the storm: twitter.com/#sandy

Finally, we’ve offered Promoted Crisis Tweets to @RedCross, @FEMA, @NYCMayorsOffice, and @MDMEMA to help in keeping people in Sandy’s wake updated. If you represent a local or state authority assisting with Sandy recovery and would like to participate in this pro bono program, please contact us.

Posted by Gabriel Stricker (@gabrielstricker)
VP, Communications