How Microsoft Can Help You Prepare and Respond to a Natural Disaster

By: Molly Bull, Senior Communications Manager, Microsoft Disaster Response

Supporting humanitarian relief and disaster response efforts is core to our commitment to develop technology solutions, tools, and practices that can foster social and economic change. That’s why we want to make it easier for you to know about the latest tools and resources to help you be prepared should a natural disaster strike.

Starting today, you can now tune in to watch video interviews where we sit down with experts from Microsoft’s Disaster Response Program to get updates on what the company is doing to connect communities and enable responders at time of need. Every few months we will post a new video with topics that will help familiarize you with the program, and ways technology can help you prepare for and respond to natural disasters.

In our first video, we sat down with Harmony Mabrey, who manages operations and the partner alliance program on Microsoft’s Disaster Response team, to learn about the innovative work her team is doing to help provide software solutions to people who have been impacted by a natural disaster. For example, her team focuses on how Microsoft technology can be applied to help citizens reconnect with loved ones, help responders communicate and coordinate, and help businesses get back up and running.

One of the tools showcased is Microsoft’s mobile phone app HelpBridge, which launched earlier this year. Available on Windows Phone, Android and iOS devices, HelpBridge makes it easy to connect with friends and family during a natural disaster and enables you to give time, money and resources to support relief and rebuilding efforts by connecting users with 25 of the world’s leading disaster relief organizations. Drop by Microsoft.com/disasterresponse to learn more and let us know what you’d like to see featured in upcoming segments by commenting on the latest video or tweeting at @msftresponse.

 

Molly Bull is Senior Communications Manager for the Microsoft Disaster Response program. Bull works with non-profits, governments, and non-governmental organizations, as well as customers and partners, to support disaster preparedness and response efforts.