Technology Influence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology Influence - Assignment Example However, EM has over the years struggled with communication networks that are often jammed or destroyed in the event of adverse natural disasters. In the case of Hurricane Katrina, for example, many of the wireless base stations were grounded and telecommunication cables were destroyed (Coombs & Holladay, 2012). Jamming of the networks is occasioned by overloading of call centers such as the boosters installed exceed their capacity to complete incoming or outgoing calls. This is a serious challenge that not only impacts the direct victims of the disasters but also the emergency teams working to rescue lives and properties. Evidently, therefore, the conventional forms of communication, which mostly comprise of cable and wireless networks, are prone to jamming and distraction of pre-requisite infrastructure. The problem has further been aggravated by government reduction of budget allocated to FEMA which could have, otherwise, benefitted their efforts to reinforce telecommunication inf rastructure within the agencies involved in emergency management. Despite the above challenges occasioned by over-reliance in conventional communication systems, advancements in information and technology appear to offer solution to this same communication challenge. Undoubtedly, the advent of social media platforms of communication have tremendously resolved the barriers of jammed networks and destruction of infrastructure. As it stands at the moment, Facebook and Twitter are the two online social platforms with the highest number of subscribers. In the event of a disaster, the victims can easily update their statuses and, therefore, friends and family members can easily established the location of each other. Similarly, through the hash-tag feature that permits a trending topic to be easily accessed by millions across the globe, the various rescue agencies working in collaboration with FEMA can easily establish the location and the needs of the victims.