As the East Coast regroups from the after-effects of last week’s hurricane, one thing is certain – a storm may close down businesses, stop public transport, and evacuate entire cities, but it sure doesn’t slow down social media.

Hurricane Irene, in fact, seemed to prove just how socially in-touch we really are. Warnings and updates were tweeted across the east-coast.  Mobile photos showed up on national news, as well as individuals’ social media sights. New Yorkers even used Foursquare to find evacuation centers. Hurricane Irene herself had a Twitter account, granting followers frequent updates to her whereabouts. Now that the storm has passed, we’re not just dealing with flooding and clean-up efforts. We’re realizing that social media is much more than just a marketing tool (although it’s definitely a good one). Social media may be the emergency “phone-tree” of the future, keeping us all connected – in good times and in bad. That’s why, without a social presence, you might be missing the storm.

And that’s not a good thing.