Behind the Effective Emergency Preparedness During Hurricane Matthew

During Hurricane Matthew people in the U.S. relied on cell phones to stay up to date with the hurricane’s path, as well as to receive critical messages from local authorities, the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Despite inevitable widespread destruction, emergency preparedness strategies were effective, evacuations ran smoothly and many properties, businesses and lives were saved. Effective mass emergency notification was at the heart of the success, before, during and after the storm. One of the most effective components in assuring people remained connected was mass text messaging

Despite the torrential rain and wind during the hurricane, most cell phone services in the U.S. were able to withstand the catastrophe. Large cell providers such as AT&T and Verizon had successfully prepared for the storm with back-up towers to maintain service, and some even offered free service for counties expected to be directly impacted by the storm.

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