Intriguing tech idea for future disaster situations

[pegkerr]

Here is an article about a clever solution to the sort of problems we had with Katrina: a backpack that first responders can carry. The person wearing it generates electricity which is stored in the generator, just by walking. A cool idea.

What also caught my eye was a throw away line halfway through the article. hamsterwoman, you'd love this. Apparently, a hamster running on a wheel will generate enough energy to run a cell phone. That's what the cell phone companies need to start telephone service again: give everyone a hamster!

You are invited to leave a comment offering a suggestion that would help avoid the sorts of problems we saw with Katrina, the next time we face a disaster. What would you do differently? Be creative!

Comments

Two Thoughts

[tangel.livejournal.com]

1) Make sure emergency news is distributed clearly to as wide an audience as possible. Not only through TV but media that those who canna afford TVs and radios would have access to.

At home, in an estate, blocks of apartments/homes have a volunteer neighbourhood committee who are responsible for each group to distribute news. To -everyone- in that grouping, especially the old folks, those who don't have TVs. They go door-to-door.

2) Media should stop pursuing sensationalist stories and report facts and news. I try to keep an open mind about news reported on TV and in the papers but sometimes I get de-sensitised and dismiss the stories as 'stories to sell ads'.