Emergency Online Communities: Building Social Networks to Help the Disadvantaged During Disaster Recovery

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Online social networks could help with communications and recovery for people with disabilities following major natural disasters, or even terrorist attack, according to a research paper in the International Journal of Emergency Management.

In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, other natural disasters, and even technological emergencies it has become obvious that there is a serious need for disaster and emergency preparedness for people with disabilities. Following Katrina and Rita there was inadequate access to medical equipment, medicines, accessible communication media, assistive technologies, personal assistance, and even shelter.

The aftermath of recent major earthquakes in Chile, China, and Haiti reinforce the global perspective on this issue. Emergencies and hazard events pose not only physical and material problems for people with disabilities but can have significant psychological impact on vulnerable populations. As such, they require effective communication networks and infrastructure to mitigate disruption to social environments.