Helping people in a crisis through SOS Alerts

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In times of crisis, access to timely, actionable information is crucial. In addition to the work done by trained responders and volunteers on the ground, technology plays a vital role in providing information to help keep you and loved ones safe and informed.Google is committed to growing our ability to respond to global crises and to building tools and technology focused on those affected. To that end, we have developed SOS alerts – a new set of features in Google Search and Maps to help you quickly understand what’s going on and decide what to do during a crisis.

SOS Alerts activate during the most major natural, manmade, or humanitarian disasters. Before publishing an alert, we look at a number of factors, such as internet connectivity in the affected area, the availability of official content from governments and other authoritative organizations, and the impact of the crisis.

During a crisis, you may see an SOS Alert at the top of search results when searching for the incident or location. We aggregate information from first responders and local authorities as well as other Google products and services, such as Google News, Google Maps, Waze, and more. You’ll see maps, top stories and—when available—authoritative local information such as emergency phone numbers, websites, and translations of useful phrases. If you’ve installed the latest version of the Google app (Android and iOS) and your location is turned on, you may also get a notification on your mobile device that directs you to this information if you’re near the affected area.

If you’re outside of the crisis area, you may still want information. Searches for relevant terms or phrases (like the name of the event or location) will also show an SOS Alert that provides a timely overview of the situation, in addition to features such as donation opportunities. You also have the ability to toggle the affected user experience by clicking on “need local information” if, for example, you want to help out a friend or family member.

Caption: animated screenshot showcasing SOS Alerts on Android

Google Maps on mobile can also show SOS Alerts. In Maps, you’ll see a specific icon on the map and a tappable card with more information about the crisis, such as helpful phone numbers and websites. The map will also include real-time updates, like road closures and traffic and transit updates.

Caption: animated screenshot showcasing SOS Alerts on Google Maps for Android

As we’ve developed our crisis response products, we’ve worked closely with organizations and government agencies that are on the front lines of relief efforts, including the Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration and many others.

In addition to SOS Alerts and other crisis response features—including Google Person Finder, Google Crisis Map and Google Public Alerts—our philanthropic arm Google.org provides grants and volunteers for communities impacted by crises. We hope you never need to use crisis response features, but if you do, they’re designed to help keep you, and those you love, safe and informed.

Tap the Feedback link on any SOS Alert to let us know how we’re doing and if you have suggestions on how we can improve. We’d appreciate your input.

Check out The Keyword blog post on SOS Alerts for more info.