how Facebook saved the day.... by Maree Robertson on Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:06pm
How Facebook Saved the Day
I can personally attest to the critical significance of Facebook during the Brisbane flood crisis on 2 accounts:
1. The Brisbane City Council website crashed on Tues arvo, my brother told me by text about the Queensland Police Service FB page, I joined it & then was able to get instant updates re road closures etc to pass on to those in the flood zone (including myself); it’s hard to believe I’m proud to say I’m now a fan of the QLD Police, but I am J
2. Even more miraculously, on Tues nite at 11.30pm I was 'unwinding' after I'd packed my own stuff up high, & evacuated myself from my Fig Tree Pocket ground floor flat to my mate’s place at Kenmore Hills. I had shopped for a few days of being flooded in, & prepared for possible guests, but as it turned out, my close friends were all ok & on higher ground than me.
I logged onto Facebook at 11.45pm, to ‘unwind’ after a big day, & saw a Status Update from a colleague & old (but not close) mate Jan…it said she needed a place for 2 adults & 3 dogs...I commented saying they could come here to my mate's place in Kenmore Hills, but I didn’t know where they were (I thought they lived on the Sunshine Coast). A mutual friend Mary posted a comment saying ‘they’re in Chelmer” which I knew was right in the flood zone, so I commented back asking Mary for Jan’s number, she posted it, & I sent a txt to Jan making the offer, she txt back at 12.12 am saying “thanks mate – will let you know!”.
At 6.30am that morning, my phone rang & it was Jan, saying her husband was coming with the dogs, leaving her to pack more. I told her not to separate from him… & over the next few hours, we had a few phone calls while they gathered last minute stuff, & me & the boarders we already had here (Robin & Bess) got the downstairs room ready for a family of 5, & the backyard whippersnipped for a doggagerie J
At around 11.30, they arrived, & Jan had a water mark to the waist of her T-Shirt (she had saved her folk CDs by floating them out in a wheelie bin!).
We saw on the news the following day, the water came a foot inside their house, & they are still cleaning the mud off today. The dogs are well & truly in doggie heaven, & we have shared many a meal & laugh over the last week.
There are lifelong friendships forming between us all, and an extended community of folks who’ve helped with cleaning, removing ruined stuff, washing, etc etc….
And if I hadn’t logged onto Fb that night, & Mary was on as well… & Jan hadn’t posted her ‘blurt’ asking for help…who knows where they would have ended up…almost certainly not together, which of course is the single best approach to minimize trauma.
Dave & I & the others who’ve helped have only given according to our ability, to those according to their need… Jan & I have discovered we share this saying, as we do many other thoughts & feelings…
The silver linings are in abundance, but so is the grateful appreciation for the modern connectivity that CAN transcend & transform an isolating crisis with such ease.
I already loved Facebook, it’s capacity to connect me with cyber-support has helped me deal with serious mental health issues, but now I’m even more of a fan, cos I think it saved the day, & most likely more than a few lives…
Maree gave me permission to use her story. I came across another great example of Facebook's usefulness in flood on the first day back at school. The principal told us that families from the local community who were badly flooded were very keen that their children return to the normal routine of school, but also that the people in the community were supporting each other particularly through Facebook. I can see that for those very bleak nights when you can't sleep, to be able to go on line and find someone also awake to talk with would be a huge consolation.
I watched this on TV and thought of you! How cool to have the youtube thing here! You have leapfrogged me in internet savviness! (wink!)
ReplyDeletehow Facebook saved the day....
ReplyDeleteby Maree Robertson on Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:06pm
How Facebook Saved the Day
I can personally attest to the critical significance of Facebook during the Brisbane flood crisis on 2 accounts:
1. The Brisbane City Council website crashed on Tues arvo, my brother told me by text about the Queensland Police Service FB page, I joined it & then was able to get instant updates re road closures etc to pass on to those in the flood zone (including myself); it’s hard to believe I’m proud to say I’m now a fan of the QLD Police, but I am J
2. Even more miraculously, on Tues nite at 11.30pm I was 'unwinding' after I'd packed my own stuff up high, & evacuated myself from my Fig Tree Pocket ground floor flat to my mate’s place at Kenmore Hills. I had shopped for a few days of being flooded in, & prepared for possible guests, but as it turned out, my close friends were all ok & on higher ground than me.
I logged onto Facebook at 11.45pm, to ‘unwind’ after a big day, & saw a Status Update from a colleague & old (but not close) mate Jan…it said she needed a place for 2 adults & 3 dogs...I commented saying they could come here to my mate's place in Kenmore Hills, but I didn’t know where they were (I thought they lived on the Sunshine Coast). A mutual friend Mary posted a comment saying ‘they’re in Chelmer” which I knew was right in the flood zone, so I commented back asking Mary for Jan’s number, she posted it, & I sent a txt to Jan making the offer, she txt back at 12.12 am saying “thanks mate – will let you know!”.
At 6.30am that morning, my phone rang & it was Jan, saying her husband was coming with the dogs, leaving her to pack more. I told her not to separate from him… & over the next few hours, we had a few phone calls while they gathered last minute stuff, & me & the boarders we already had here (Robin & Bess) got the downstairs room ready for a family of 5, & the backyard whippersnipped for a doggagerie J
At around 11.30, they arrived, & Jan had a water mark to the waist of her T-Shirt (she had saved her folk CDs by floating them out in a wheelie bin!).
We saw on the news the following day, the water came a foot inside their house, & they are still cleaning the mud off today. The dogs are well & truly in doggie heaven, & we have shared many a meal & laugh over the last week.
There are lifelong friendships forming between us all, and an extended community of folks who’ve helped with cleaning, removing ruined stuff, washing, etc etc….
And if I hadn’t logged onto Fb that night, & Mary was on as well… & Jan hadn’t posted her ‘blurt’ asking for help…who knows where they would have ended up…almost certainly not together, which of course is the single best approach to minimize trauma.
Dave & I & the others who’ve helped have only given according to our ability, to those according to their need… Jan & I have discovered we share this saying, as we do many other thoughts & feelings…
The silver linings are in abundance, but so is the grateful appreciation for the modern connectivity that CAN transcend & transform an isolating crisis with such ease.
I already loved Facebook, it’s capacity to connect me with cyber-support has helped me deal with serious mental health issues, but now I’m even more of a fan, cos I think it saved the day, & most likely more than a few lives…
Love & Peace, Maree
Maree gave me permission to use her story. I came across another great example of Facebook's usefulness in flood on the first day back at school. The principal told us that families from the local community who were badly flooded were very keen that their children return to the normal routine of school, but also that the people in the community were supporting each other particularly through Facebook. I can see that for those very bleak nights when you can't sleep, to be able to go on line and find someone also awake to talk with would be a huge consolation.
ReplyDelete