Crime & Safety
Mobile Alerts: How to Activate Twitter for Maryland Emergencies
Get reliable information during times of crisis from public agencies and organizations.
Perhaps you already rely on Twitter for breaking news but did you know there's a new system that will also send an alert to your cellphone in case you miss an important tweet in your timeline?
The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is one of the participants in Twitter Alerts, which will send a text message or app notification directly to your phone—plus the tweets appear on your timeline highlighted with an orange bell icon.
The new feature launched Sept. 25 to help "users get important and accurate information from credible organizations during emergencies, natural disasters or moments when other communications services aren’t accessible," according to the Twitter blog.
The feature was put to the test just a week after its launch when the U.S. Capitol went on lockdown on Oct. 3. For those who subscribed to alerts from the United States Senate Sergeant at Arms Office, they received special alert tweets as the incident unfolded.
Currently, MEMA is the only Maryland participant in the Twitter Alerts program. To subscribe, go directly to the account’s setup page at https://twitter.com/MDMEMA/alerts.
You can also follow Maryland Patch on Twitter to get updates from around the state.
TELL US: What do you think of the idea of alerts sent to your cellphone? Tell us in the comments.
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