Thanks to the proliferation of handheld devices and social media such as Facebook and Twitter, people can share information instantly and succinctly. The December 8, 2011, shooting on the Virginia Tech campus underscores how important it is for information to go out quickly but accurately to help school administrators effectively manage a crisis. Because social media have become commonplace, school administrators should embrace them as a means to handle crisis communications effectively. Pew Research's 2010 national survey revealed that 50% of all adults use social media; 65% of adult Internet users use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. These findings clearly support the idea that schools should allocate resources to maintain a social media presence in general and as a part of an emergency-messaging plan. During an emergency, administrators who use social media in conjunction with voice, text, and Email emergency notification systems and sound security measures help ensure everyone's safety by keeping everyone informed with timely and accurate information.