In a bid to offer assistance, Google has rolled out a new feature on Search & Maps in the US that alerts users of wildfires. The company is doing more than offering tech assistance, see more in the article.
Bourne out of experiencing personal a life-threatening situation due to information gap; Yossi Matias VP Engineering & Crisis Response Lead at Google says the SOS alerts launched in 2017 were created to save lives.
In an article titled, Mapping wildfires with the power of satellite data, Matias writes; “Today we’re launching a new wildfire boundary map in Search and Maps SOS alerts in the U.S. to provide deeper insights for areas impacted by an ongoing wildfire.
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“In moments like a growing wildfire, knowing exactly where a blaze is underway and how to avoid it is critical. Using satellite data to create a wildfire boundary map, people will now see the approximate size and location right on their phone or desktop.”
No doubt, this is a useful tool for smartphone users. It keeps you out of danger and helps you guide loved ones and others to safety. The tool is currently being used during the spreading Apple, Pine Gulch, and Grizzly fires in Colorado. It is used to monitor how the wildfires are spreading.
Google’s SOS alerts are available on Search and Google Maps. This is not all that the search engine company is doing to help out during this disaster. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in a Tweet that the company and employees are also giving support relief efforts.
Additionally, Google also says that it has issued a grant to the Disaster Recovery Fund to help victims of the wildfires. You too can visit the page and see ways you can make a contribution.
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