Google Maps and Twitter were critical tools in getting emergency information out to those effected by the firestorms in Southern California this past week. KPBS, a public TV and radio station in San Diego, used a mash-up of fire information with Google Maps to tell residents which neighborhoods were to be evacuated, which roads were closed, and the location of the nearest evacuation center, Information Week reports . The station also had nearly 600 people signed up to receive Twitter updates on their cell phones. Regular Joes were running to the microblogging service Twitter to post their own news as well. Wired cited two such residents, Nate Ritter and Dan Tentler. Ritter, whose reports can be found here , posted every bit of news he heard from TV and radio, along with instant message and SMS text messages from friends, on the site. Tentler hit the streets, reporting what he saw on Twitter and on his Flickr page .
via Towletech
