This on line article tells about the Red Cross's use of social media in order to keep people informed before, during, and after a disaster.

That the Red Cross is using social media sharing sites like Utterz, Flickr, and YouTube (they even have a Twitter account) is not surprising. We reported in April on a study that appeared in New Scientist magazine that found that social media sites, blogs, and instant messaging services are better at connecting people and providing warnings during emergencies than traditional sources of such information.

www.readwriteweb.com/archives/social_media_red_cross_floods.php

How can we do better in this regard?