In a world where many things could go wrong in split seconds, having a first hand information about the crisis from loved ones is the way to go. Facebook has now integrated its revamped crisis response feature with WhatsApp.
The response crisis feature is a disaster-reporting tool and communications feature. So far, it has been used in 300 crises in over 80 countries. The company announced several updates including a WhatsApp integration
What this means is that users can now alert their loved ones about a crisis via the instant messaging app. Formerly, this service was available only on Facebook and replies to requests on Facebook’s crisis response page could only be sent via Facebook messenger. To find help through you community using the feature, you can select the service you want to find help for and scroll through existing posts to see what types of help people in the area are offering.
Since the feature was launched, it has been updated many times to keep people updated. This feature has helped many people to stay safe and keep in touch with loved one during a crisis. To make it even better, the largest social network has integrated the service to WhatsApp.
“Our priority is to build tools that help keep people safe and provide them with ways to get the help they need to recover and rebuild after a crisis. We hope this update makes it even easier for people to get the help they need in times of crisis and will give businesses and organisations and opportunity to build stronger communities around them,” Facebook said in a press release.
This new update allows the social network to provide whatever information to the state and local officials and also to federal relief agencies such as Direct Relief and the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation. This way, agencies which can provide immediate help are updated.
In addition, the social network says it is updating its disaster maps to make it more accurate in collaboration with agencies such as the International Displacement Monitoring Centre, Gadgets 360 reported.
Crisis Response was borne out of the need to support people who need help in times of a disaster. In a world where everything is going virtual, it will be out of place to not create a room for people to get help online in times of natural or man-made disasters and terror-related incidents.
Although due to a low penetration of mobile devices and poor network connectivity in some regions that had been gravely affected by earthquake, many of the people in that location might not benefit from this tool, overall, the service will take off some pressure off an overloaded infrastructure.
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