Smartphones Save Lives in Tornado-Ravaged South

The tornadoes which laid waste to much of the South last month were truly devastating, both in their sheer power, and in the toll that they took in lives and property.  As bad as the situation was, things could have been worse.  Early warning systems such as alarm sirens have been in place for decades in "Tornado Alley" and other twister-prone areas.  According to the New York Times, current early-warning systems have lost their effectiveness for a variety of reasons.  Often, sirens cannot be heard inside of buildings, or frequent false alarms have desensitized the populace.  These factors serve to render conventional warning sirens ineffective.

Fortunately, the next generation of tornado-warning technology has emerged.  Companies issue automated call-outs to cell phones if a tornado is detected within a certain vicinity.  The storms are tracked using GPS technology, and devices within the predicted storm track are called with a recorded warning.  Social networks such as Twitter are also being used to spread the word about fast-moving storms.  Given the speed at which information technology continues to improve, it is safe to say that twister-tracking and early-warning technology will also make strides.  Hundreds of lives saved by something as simple as a mass text message.  Amazing, isn't it?