How Technology Helps States, Evacuees Prepare for Hurricane Dorian

As we head back to our desks after a long holiday weekend, Hurricane Dorian is here to remind us that above all else, it's the season of tropical storms in the Atlantic.

Once categorized as a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest category on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, Dorian has downgraded to a slow-churning Category 3 hurricane that has caused severe damage to the Bahamas over a course of several days.

Though Dorian has only traveled 30 miles over the Atlantic in 30 hours, from midnight Monday to Tuesday morning, the United States is bracing for impact, including Georgia.

Gov. Brian Kemp has ordered evacuations for Georgians living east of I-95 in six counties along the state's coast. Kemp also traveled to Brunswick and Savannah, after issuing the evacuation on Sunday, to urge residents to leave the area. This marks the third hurricane to cause an evacuation of coastal Georgia since 2016. Experts are predicting Dorian will creep up Georgia's coast sometime Wednesday night.

Interstate 16 was opened to westbound travel only between Savannah, Ga., and Dublin, Ga., starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday for those fleeing the coast.

So what do acts of God have to do with technology? Well, each year, we get better and better at being able to track, prepare and recover from these storms with the use of technology.

Let's take a look at storm's that have rocked our coasts in recent years and how technology played a crucial role.

The American Red Cross' Hurricane app is a needed download if you or loved ones are located near the coast. It is equipped with weather alerts, live radar, preparation and aftermath material accessible without being connected to the internet, the option to notify to friends and family that you're safe across Facebook, Twitter, email and text all at once and locations for open Red Cross shelters.

Zello, a walkie-talkie app, has been used in past storms and hurricanes as a source of real-time updates and access to emergency information. The app allows users to send in audio questions and upload screenshots with updates or vital information.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Houston software developers created Houston Harvey Rescue, a rescue system designed to take on the backlog of emergency calls when developers realized 911 could not handle in the influx. According to Venture Beat, the site led to more than 7,600 active rescues.

Drones have also come in handy in documenting damage sustained by hurricanes without putting boots on the grand. Atlanta’s own startup Airbus Aerial aided during Hurricane Harvey and Irma by providing its library of aerial base maps and data analytics of affected regions to insurance companies.

Waze, a free traffic and navigation app, has been updated over the years to redirect drivers out of areas hit by a storm. In 2016 during Hurricane Matthew, my brother and I used Waze to help navigate out of the Georgia coast and around evacuee traffic, closed roads, detours and even downed power lines.

Of course, social media always plays a huge role in tracking what’s happening during the storm by those who choose not to evacuate and the immediate aftermath of the storm. Apps like Facebook, Twitter and Nextdoor were relied on heavily by Hilton Head Island residents when I was reporting on Hurricane Matthew for the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette. That also seems to be the case for Hurricane Harvey and Irma.

During Hurricane Florence in 2018, scientists at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory used high-tech sensors in weather balloons to track the storm's progress and collect data on the storm, to better prepare for future storms. The NOAA's Weather Radar Live app allows users to track the storm, even without internet connectivity.

GasBuddy is another app that can be used during evacuations to monitor the price of gas for price-gouging, see which gas stations are nearby and which stations are still open.

Atlanta's own Food Finder app and website can be utilized to find food pantries and other food resources in the area, for evacuees who might need assistance.

Airbnb has launched its Open Homes Program to help displaced residents and relief workers deployed to the southeast region impacted by Hurricane Dorian. The program recruits hosts who are willing and able to provide free housing to displaced residents, and disaster relief workers in the activation area. The company launched the program on Aug. 28 to assist those in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The new activation area includes the majority of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and parts of Alabama.

Across the Eastern coast of Florida and South Carolina, Lyft has partnered with United Way and 211s to provide discounted rides using code DORIANRELIEF for those evacuating to local shelters. The code is valued for two free rides up to $15 each, between now and Sept. 15. Uber is also offering free roundtrips (up to $20 each way) to help evacuees travel to shelters in Florida and other areas affected by the storm.