Christophe Robert Laurent*, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium Stefaan Debrauwer, Onze Lieve Vrouw Hospital Aalst, Edegem, Belgium Track: Practice Presentation Topic: other Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2012-09-11

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Lately, mobile social media are increasing the levels and nature of communication at mass events. Certainly during disasters occuring at such occasions, the activity increases enormously. Both visitors and organizers are making increasing use of social media technology and communication to coordinate their moves.

The authors would like to elaborate on the fact that a new phenomenon is arising. The participation and collaboration efforts of people attending the events is rapidly crystallizing and converging during mass casualty events. The fact that social media channels are enabling participants and organizers to communicate in novel ways and to take measures that were not possible before the advent of these social media tools, exposes a new form of digital awareness and activity and a new views on crowd dynamics.

The fact that these disasters are very often Wexelblat disasters, or technology enhanced disasters, displays a distant relation or kinship to the spontaneous digital empowerment they now incite.
The use of RFID for access control, crowd dynamics and other applications show the potential victims are now empowered and able to augment their counter measures.

We would therefore ask for the occasion to launch the concept of Wexelblatt Preparedness. A concept in which the organizers and visitors are empowered to augment there preparedness by means of technology and social media.