November 14, 2012 |[AP/Wide World Photos]| The aftermath of
Hurricane Sandy has shown that the nation needs to be more
prepared for emergencies, particularly when it comes to
communications, Darren Hayes, a professor at Pace University in
New York, writes for TheHill.com. In areas that lost power, some
utility companies lacked alert systems, and cellphone
communications were often scant. Radio reports were devoid of
specifics about local communities, Hayes says. Communications
problems could have been mitigated with a more effective use of
technology, he argues. The Long Island Power Authority
reportedly was using a 25-year-old mainframe computer system
that couldn’t track power outages, and its engineers were
working with paper maps and highlighters. The company’s mobile-
user website was inoperable for days. For problems like finding
gasoline, official communications were often unhelpful, so New
Yorkers turned to social media like Twitter and websites like
GasBuddy.com. Hayes argues for the introduction of c