KANSAS CITY, Mo – Kansas Citians found a new way to get some help in dealing with all the snow the area has gotten: tweeting.
Banen Chaney said when her power went out at her home and her street needed plowing during the snow storm, she turned to Twitter to reach the city.
“I went to Twitter because I felt like they were more accessible that way. There’s actually somebody there answering that and there’s not somebody checking their e-mail immediately or checking their voice mail,” she said.
Chaney tweeted a day ago, “Alrighty… so it has been well over 12 hours. My house is still without power. Still no plow. I need superman (aka @MayorSlyJames) @KCMO.” The result?
“The first round of the storm I didn’t go to Twitter about it,”Chaney said. “My street didn’t get plowed and the second round of the storm, my streets were plowed, so I do, I think it helped,”
In fact, a three-man crew, including City Manager Troy Schulte, took a plow out Wednesday, responding to requests on Twitter to plow using #kcplowtweetalong.
The city’s editor Megan Kelly said she knows it’s not exactly fair for those who don’t use Twitter.
“I guess in a way the Twitter folks were a little lucky. But we were just trying to help whatever way we can,” she said.
It’s what other organizations are doing too. The Missouri Department of Transportation, or MoDOT, tweeted dozens of times during the storm.
Kelly said though it doesn’t reach all residents, it most certainly reaches its 7,500 followers.
“As long as the residents are listening and learning and getting informed this way, we’ll certainly continue doing so,” Kelly said.
At least that’s the case for Chaney, who’s street is plowed and who can now tweet, “After 28+ hours without power, I am able to turn a lamp on in my house. Things are looking up.”
The city said if they didn’t get to your street today using Twitter, your request has been forwarded to the 311 center. Workers also remind folks, they’re using all forms of communication.
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