As many of you know, Hurricane Dorian recently made its journey throughout the Caribbean, neared the US, and even affected Canada. In the days leading up to its close encounter with Southeastern U.S. (and other portions of the States for that matter), Google Maps was an essential and helpful resource in terms of getting prepared for the storm and keeping track. I wanted to share some examples of how it was helpful in my own preparations:
I’d been watching the movement of the storm for a while before it grew to the size and intensity that it did via my Google Pixel’s live wallpaper (highly recommend for the cool-ness of it), but once it got closer and warnings were issued, I knew official information was necessary. In the screenshot above, you can see Dorian in the red circle, as well as Florida and the Bahamas.
I then noticed that due to the possibility of the storm affecting my area, it was time to start monitoring official news and statements. That’s when I then noticed the Google Crisis implementation in the Google Maps app. Google Maps essentially would become a very useful tool as I worked to assure my household and my family and friends would be prepared.
The storm’s current location was projected within Maps, as well as the forecast track. Updates on the screen above were updated frequently and allowed me to keep up while handling tasks and moving around town. The ability to share location and to help others by reporting road closures are great calls to action for users during these situations and can help others.
In addition, other helpful, reputable links and resources were shared within this special section too.
Not a new feature, but one that is always helpful - Maps was critical during this time as there was a frenzy for gas. Lines wrapped around gas stations days leading up to the storm - utilizing Maps allowed me to see up-to-the-minute prices, and observe traffic around these stations to see if they were busy or not.
The messaging feature within Maps was helpful as many businesses were preparing for the storm too. Here, you’ll see I was able to see if one of my favorite shops would be open the following day (a weekend day). They were not going to be open, so I knew that if I wanted to get some of their items with the possibility of the storm coming that I would have to go sooner and not wait.
Dorian was a large destructive storm and while it ended up not directly hitting Florida, its effects were slightly felt in Hollywood Beach, FL, which is where I took the photos above. At the point I took these photos, the storm began making its turn north from the Bahamas where it remained basically stationary for over a day. The red flag on the lifeguard stand was an indicator to any visitors that the conditions were hazardous.
This was the first opportunity I had to utilize Google Maps in this fashion. While I hope that other storms avoid landfall anywhere in general, it is great to know that Google Maps is helpful in terms of providing updated information in regards to the hazard that is impending or occurring. As outlined by @AriMar a couple of months ago, the team at Google is committed to helping communities all over the world during times of need. Additionally, speaking of helping others, please consider our friends in the Bahamas and other areas that have been affected tremendously by Hurricane Dorian - you can help them recover by making a contribution to organizations such as the Red Cross, National Association of the Bahamas, or even any local organizations where you reside.