Text – Don’t Call, in the Aftermath of Sandy

Superstorm Sandy has hit the East Coast—hard.

In the wake of the massive floodings, property damage, and loss of life, officials are urging people to text, rather than call.

Why send a text instead of making a call? A couple reasons.

Texts are faster and easier to deliver than a call—they take up much less bandwidth on wireless networks inundated by emergency workers and people reaching out to family. Texting is a quick and surefire way to let everyone know you’re safe and sound, even if you can’t place a call, while clearing the way for emergency calls to get through.

Another reason: Texts take up significantly less battery life. For the more than 8 million without power, every bit of battery life counts.

From FEMA’s official twitter:

Phone lines may be congested during/after #Sandy. Let loved ones know you’re OK by sending a text or updating your social networks.

SimpleTexting, like many of the tech companies located in Lower Manhattan, has been affected by Sandy: Our office is without power or internet. Unlike many websites based in New York, our servers and service have gone unscathed—SimpleTexting stayed up throughout the storm and will continue to stay strong as always.

Remember, if you can, donate to American Red Cross Disaster Relief by texting “REDCROSS” to 90999. In times of need, we pull together—that’s what makes us strong.

 Image courtesy of MTAPhotos.