f Social network to the rescue: rabies victim found via Facebook! at Stephenson blogs on data dynamite et al.

« Domestic One Laptop Per Child: get ‘em quick for disasters! | Home | Myanmar shows again that communication technology trumps evil »

Social network to the rescue: rabies victim found via Facebook!

By WDavidStephenson | September 24, 2007

Our intrepid Canadian correspondent, Hal Newman, reports in from north of the border with this great example of social networking during an emergency (while also supporting Stephenson’s Law #3:in a crisis, turn communications over to the 15-25 year olds)!

When Toronto Public Health officials couldn’t locate a woman who needed shots because she’d handled a rabid bat, they tried the phone book, police, Google, etc., and came up empty.

Then they turned to Facebook, and found her within an hour.

Ironically, because health officials are blocked from accessing Facebook, the intrepid sleuth had to get special permission to use it!

Tell a friend:

Technorati tags:

Topics: technology, empowering public, collaboration, e-gov transformation, networked security | |