Facebook integrates crisis response feature with WhatsApp

Facebook has added a WhatsApp widget to its crisis response tool, which is a disaster-reporting and communications feature where users can seek or offer help during emergency. The feature will now let users provide real-time information related to any disaster

This update will enable Facebook to share information with state and local officials, as well as federal relief agencies, said a TechCrunch report. The tool is being used in 80 countries for 300 crises.

Before this update was rolled out users could only get in touch with the company through Facebook Messenger app.

Facebook crisis response helps in determining if the user is safe or not during any natural or man-made disasters, terror-related incidents in the affected geographical area.

The other aspects of the feature include providing or finding help, raising money to aid those affected by crisis and sharing information about a crisis.

The social networking company is also widening its data for good tools and is working on updating its disaster maps so that they can be more accurate in collaborating with the agencies concerned.

Here's how to use it

Click on the crisis response icon which is present on the left side of Facebook homepage. To find the safety check, one has to go to crisis response and then select crisis page for a specific crisis. Once the crisis type is selected, users have to mark themselves safe through safety check on the top of the page.

According to Facebook, a safety check is activated when reporting agencies alert it of an incident such as an earthquake or any other natural disaster. If a lot of people in the area are posting about the incident, safety check gets activated and the people there can mark themselves safe.