Today we launched MemStorm.com (mobile browser only) as a community service page for smartphone users to keep up with Memphis Storms who don’t use Twitter. Twitter users had an unfair advantage of keeping up in real-time with the recent storm as it rolled through the area.

It turns-out (only being slightly snarky here) that if the tornado sirens are blaring, and you have your family taking shelter somewhere in your house, it’s probably without the television or some other normally valid source of information about the storm rolling overhead.

For savvy Twitter users, they could keep up with the storm updates from weather authorities AND regular everyday people.  The reporting from “people on the ground” is invaluable and a huge sense of comfort.  You can get a good sense of the significance from Amy Howell’s post here. Within that you’ll see the origins of the Twitter hashtag “#memstorm” by Aaron Prather, CEO of @stiQRd, at IgniteMemphis and some cool quotes from our very own, Rachel Smith (who, yes, also happens to be the stiQRd COO).

Three days later, with the threat of another monster storm, Dave latched-on to a tweet by Aaron about taking a smartphone when seeking shelter. At that moment it was a very valid point, if you were using Twitter. But what if you weren’t on Twitter…  and thus idea for the mobile page MemStorm.com (for the Twitter-nots).

What’s the Point?
The point is that through a great deal of community participation and inspiration, we’ve created a tool that will not only serve some utility for a period of time, but also inspire other, even better things. Inspiration is what it’s about.
This is the “social” mindset in action that we often allude to at the Social Expedition, and it’s very exciting.

Who to thank? Lots:
Jonathan Chan, Phillip Black, Rachel Smith, Aaron Prather, LaunchMemphis,  Beth Sanders, Jason Miles, Justin Willingham, Seth Agranov, MemphisWeather.net, Amy Howell, Andy Glover, Alys Drake, Wings of Wolfchase, Memphis Light Gas & Water, and the Girl Scout cookies that fueled Dave Barger through most of this.