Evacuation

Last night I was able to experience being evacuated from my home to a safer place because there had been an earthquake of 8.3 in Northern Chile. Around 9pm my host mom, Orfelina, came into my room and explained there was a terremoto very far from us but we need to move to higher ground because we are so close to the coast. After she explained this to me, she called her friends and family to make sure they were informed. Once we left the apartment building I immediately noticed large groups of people calmly and casually walking towards higher ground as if it was the norm. Once we had reached safety, everyone offered snacks, blankets, water, or even just a good conversation to one another. The culture in Chile is essential to marketing tactics for a business. I noticed people walking up the hill in their uniforms that were from McDonalds and other local restaurants. Businesses closed and allowed their employees to move to safety for precautionary measures. I assume if this were to happen in the USA similar measures would have been taken.  While waiting on the hill many people were being updated through their phones and social media, the police were too preoccupied to advise the abundant amount of people. For a situation like this, technology became an essential tool for communication to the people of Vina del Mar and most likely Chile as a whole. This reminded me of the Boston marathon. I was able to become informed immediately due to social media, phone calls, as well as word of mouth. Technology is one of the most effective ways of reaching out to the people.