<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e318af262fa811b37382b33-2000/p1290676.jpg" alt="Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer." />James Pasley / Business InsiderFox News anchor Bill Hemmer.<ul class="summary-list"><li>In January, Bill Hemmer took over Shepard Smith's slot on Fox News and now hosts "Bill Hemmer Reports."</li><li>He plays an important role as the chief news anchor of the president's favorite TV channel.</li><li>He's been on-air for the last 25 years, getting his start in local news in Cincinnati before moving to CNN and working his way up the ranks. In 2005, he jumped to Fox News.</li><li>After 15 years since joining the network, he's now leading the station's news coverage.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Bill Hemmer chooses his words carefully. In January 2020 he took over Fox News' 3 p.m. hour-long news slot. He was taking over from Shepard Smith, who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/09/business/media/fox-news-bill-hemmer-shepard-smith.html">resigned from Fox</a> after reporting for the station since its start in 1996.Hemmer has been an anchor at Fox News for 15 years, but this is the first time he's had his own show. In his career - much of it also at Fox's rival, CNN - he's covered atrocities like the Boston Marathon Bombing, the Haiti earthquake, and the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting. He's also covered a number of presidential elections.It's a high-stakes gig. Fox News is the president's favorite TV channel. And at times, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-shepard-smith-trump-news-coverage-2019-9">there's been tension</a> between Fox employees on the news side of the station, like Smith, and on the opinion side, like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity - to name two of President Donald Trump's favorite personalities. And Hemmer has been an important voice in informing Fox News' viewers about the coronavirus, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/live-blog-fox-news-coronavirus-town-hall-president-trump">interviewing</a> the likes of Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and <a href="https://video.foxnews.com/v/6143532753001#sp=show-clips">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the country's leading expert on infectious diseases.In an interview with Insider in January, Hemmer was enthusiastic about his role but careful about talking about whether he was nervous about taking over Smith's high-profile slot."Well," he said, "I want to get it right.""I've felt for a long time that your best preparation - sorry, your best defense - in this industry is your own preparation," he added.He's been preparing for quite some time. His life, he said, was full of "data points." There was the German professor who convinced him to get out of the US and move to Luxembourg. There was watching the Iran-Contra deal unfold on CNN in 1987, as well as the impact of an early "mid-life crisis" that saw him quit his job and travel the world, sending back dispatches that later won him two Emmys.Despite being in the public eye for 25 years, and unlike the opinion hosts he works alongside with at Fox News, he's managed to avoid controversy.On his <a href="https://twitter.com/BillHemmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a>, his most common tweet appears to be a simple, uncontroversial weekly reminder: "Friday, folks." And as he told the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/11/AR2010071103213.html">Washington Post</a> in 2010, "Knock wood, I think I've been lucky to, as my mother would say, be careful before you speak."Here's what his life and career have been like so far.

The life of Bill Hemmer, the least controversial personality at Fox News

Welcome back to <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/10-things-in-politics">10 Things in Politics</a>. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/10-things-in-politics">Sign up here to receive this newsletter</a>. Send tips to <a href="mailto:bgriffiths@insider.com">bgriffiths@insider.com</a> or tweet me at <a href="https://twitter.com/BrentGriffiths">@BrentGriffiths</a>.Here's what we're talking about:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-to-address-afghanistan-crisis-as-taliban-seizes-power-2021-8">Biden blames Afghan leadership in his first public comments since Kabul fell to the Taliban</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/madison-cawthorn-congress-north-carolina-big-tech-money-2021-8">A Republican lawmaker's war on big tech doesn't apply to his portfolio</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/biden-administration-will-advise-most-americans-receive-coronavirus-booster-2021-8">Most Americans will soon be advised to get COVID boosters</a></li></ul>With Phil Rosen.<hr />1. POTUS SPEAKS: President Biden says the buck stops with him. But his first comments since the Taliban retook Kabul <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-to-address-afghanistan-crisis-as-taliban-seizes-power-2021-8">included plenty of finger-pointing</a>. Biden is correct to spread some blame for a two-decade conflict led by four different presidents - but he has repeatedly said that it was his call to be the final commander in chief to oversee troops in Afghanistan. Not to mention, Biden and his top national security team also made confident predictions that have aged incredibly poorly. <ul><li>Here's what the administration was saying just weeks, even days ago: In July, Biden told reporters it was <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/08/14/1027696241/biden-said-the-u-s-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-would-be-safe-then-chaos-ensued">"highly unlikely"</a> that the Taliban would overrun the country. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified to lawmakers a month earlier that he wouldn't equate a US withdrawal "<a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-with-chuck-todd-of-meet-the-press-on-nbc/">with some kind of immediate deterioration in the situation."</a> Just last week, the State Department was promising that the US embassy in Kabul would remain open and <a href="https://www.state.gov/briefings/department-press-briefing-august-12-2021/">"our diplomatic mission will endure."</a></li><li>The White House has argued these predictions were so wrong because the Afghan security forces failed to put up a fight, and President Ashraf Ghani deserted his people. But needless to say, it's not going according to plan when a withdrawal <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/afghanistan-updates-us-airport-operations-continue-taliban-negotiate/story?id=79464831">ends with more troops than it began with.</a></li></ul>WATCH: <a href="https://www.insider.com/thousands-try-to-flee-the-taliban-in-afghanistan-2021-8">Thousands of people try to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban takes control</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/thousands-try-to-flee-the-taliban-in-afghanistan-2021-8"><div type="image" title="Insider video" height="734" width="1322" msid="85396868" hostid="261"></div></a>Biden remains defiant about his decision: "After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces," he said in his Monday speech. He conceded that the Taliban's advance "did unfold more quickly" than expected.<ul><li>As for the blame: The American people have often not been given the full truth about what became its longest war. The Washington Post documented this in detail <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-confidential-documents/">with its bombshell Afghanistan Papers</a>. These lies extended to the very Afghan security force Biden blames for failing to put up a fight. The Post reports that <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/afghan-security-forces-capabilities/2021/08/15/052a45e2-fdc7-11eb-a664-4f6de3e17ff0_story.html">top military officials long harbored doubts about a force the US invested $85 billion in arming and training</a>.</li><li>As for the end of the war, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-afghanistan-would-be-totally-different-with-him-in-charge-2021-8/">the Trump administration brokered the initial </a>agreement with the Taliban that promised a complete US withdrawal, a deal paved with the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners - <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-prisoners-peace-talks.html">some so heinous that Ghani initially refused to let them go.</a></li><li>Even fellow Democrats are taking the White House to task for the chaos: "If they had planned for every contingency, they would have gotten our friends and allies out a long time ago," Rep. Seth Moulton <a href="https://twitter.com/sethmoulton/status/1427439434459406340?s=20">told CNN.</a> Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, pledged to "ask tough but necessary questions about <a href="https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1427354101038333953?s=20">why we weren't better prepared for a worst-case scenario."</a></li></ul>Harrowing images show just how desperate Afghans are to leave: Some latched onto the outside of a plane that was taking off. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kabul-airport-people-fall-from-planes-leaving-afghanistan-videos-photos-2021-8">People appeared to later fall to their deaths as a result.</a> One military cargo plane, a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, squeezed so many people on board that it nearly set a record for how much it was over capacity, <a href="https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/inside-reach-871-us-c-17-packed-640-people-trying-escape-taliban/184563/">Defense One</a> reports. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/usaf-cargo-plane-640-afghans-fleeing-taliban-photo-2021-8">Some 640 Afghans were on board.</a><ul><li>Meanwhile, some Taliban fighters are <a href="https://www.insider.com/taliban-soldiers-kabul-amusement-park-bumper-cars-merrygoround-trampoline-2021-8">celebrating by riding bumper cars</a>.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/taliban-afghanistan-take-over-live-updates">Follow along for our latest coverage.</a><hr />2. More than 1,400 are dead after Haiti earthquake: Haitians scrambled to find survivors as a tropical storm threatened to make matters worse, The Post reports. "Schools, medical centers, churches, bridges, and more than 84,000 homes collapsed or were damaged in the temblor, which struck a region already battered by Hurricane Matthew in 2016." <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/16/haiti-earthquake-storm-victims/">Officials are worried about flash floods and mudslides.</a><ul><li>Local officials had to negotiate with gangs to get help: <a href="https://www.insider.com/haiti-hospitals-handle-influx-of-injured-following-the-earthquake-2021-8">Pain medication and other medical supplies are running low, according to doctors on the ground.</a></li></ul><hr />3. Most Americans will soon be advised to get COVID boosters: The Biden administration has decided that most Americans should get a booster shot eight months after they received their second shot, a change that could come as soon as next month, The New York Times reports. Officials could announce the guidance as soon as next week, but it would still require FDA sign-off. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/16/us/politics/vaccination-booster-shots.html">How the Delta variant is changing the White House's approach, including why officials are concerned about data from Israel.</a><hr />4. Republican lawmaker's war on big tech doesn't apply to his portfolio: Rep. Madison Cawthorn has positioned himself as a leader in the GOP's fight against major tech companies. But he's also recently made up to $100,200 in capital gains and dividends from personal stock investments in Amazon.com, Apple Inc., and Comcast Corp. Cawthorn's office declined to comment. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/madison-cawthorn-congress-north-carolina-big-tech-money-2021-8">He's far from the only lawmaker whose stock trades contradict their public positions.</a><hr /><div type="image" title="lake mead dry bathtub ring" height="1666" width="2222" msid="85396870" hostid="261"></div>5. Water cuts are coming to Arizona and Nevada after historic shortage: The federal government has declared a water shortage on the Colorado River. That's because Lake Mead, the nation's largest reservoir, is lower than it's ever been. This means the two states will face mandatory water cutbacks in January. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-declares-first-colorado-river-shortage-arizona-nevada-water-cuts-2021-8">Here's why the drought problems are just beginning.</a><hr />6. NY lawmakers reverse course on Cuomo impeachment: Top Democrats in the New York state legislature will complete their impeachment investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, reversing an earlier decision to halt the probe after he announced his resignation. The impeachment investigation also covers more than the attorney general's report that found credible evidence that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ny-lawmakers-reverse-course-will-finish-cuomo-impeachment-probe-2021-8">More on Cuomo's problems.</a><hr />7. Food stamps are about to receive their biggest boost ever: The Biden administration is overhauling the program once known as food stamps, providing a 27% bump in aid that marks the biggest-ever increase for the program, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/food-stamps-permanent-increase-biden-administration-25-percent/">CBS News reports</a>. The boost will go into effect October 1.<hr />8. Bob Dylan accused of grooming and sexually abusing 12-year-old girl in 1965: The music legend was accused of giving the girl drugs and alcohol before sexually abusing her at his Chelsea Hotel apartment, according to a new lawsuit filed in Manhattan. A spokesperson for Dylan vowed to fight the suit. <a href="https://www.insider.com/bob-dylan-sexual-abuse-allegation-lawsuit-12-year-old-girl-2021-8">More on the news.</a><hr />9. Tesla faces federal investigation over its autopilot system: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the US regulator for auto safety, said it's investigating the carmaker's system after identifying ten deaths tied to Tesla crashes. The probe will dig into claims that Autopilot sometimes struggles to identify parked emergency vehicles. Nearly 800,000 Teslas will be examined. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-new-autopilot-crash-investigation-models-safety-nhtsa-2021-8">So far, 11 Tesla crashes have been identified</a>.<hr /><div type="image" title="people hiking" height="1412" width="1883" msid="85396872" hostid="261"></div>10. Americans are looking to live near nature - nearly half of adults want to move somewhere with easy access to camping or fishing. The trend marks a fundamental change that has transpired amid the pandemic, said Dick's CEO. Outdoor-retail sales have surged and trickled down into sectors from fashion to real estate. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-want-fishing-camping-access-real-estate-fashion-trends-2021-8">See why the outdoors boom is here to stay.</a><hr />Today's trivia question: Today marks the anniversary of the conclusion of the Woodstock festival. Before it hosted the famous concert, what was the land used for? Email your guess and a suggested question to me at <a href="mailto:bgriffiths@insider.com">bgriffiths@insider.com</a>.<ul><li>Friday's answer: The Natural was written by former Census Bureau worker Bernard Malamud and later made into an acclaimed movie. <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2018/06/who-knew-famous-census-workers.html">Here are some other famous people who worked on the census.</a></li></ul>

10 Things in Politics: Biden shifts blames on Afghanistan

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LwDFZX" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d7b90f52e22af14fb49fe28-800/dripdrop electrolytes 2.jpg" border="0" alt="dripdrop electrolytes 2" data-mce-source="DripDrop/Instagram" /></a>DripDrop/Instagram</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>While we may brush off dehydration as an easily preventable problem caused by a hard workout or alcohol consumption, it can be a life-threatening issue in other parts of the world. </li><li><a href="https://amzn.to/2LwDFZX" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DripDrop</a> is an oral rehydration solution (ORS) originally created by a doctor to treat victims of cholera. It follows formulation guidelines set by UNICEF and the WHO and tastes better than previous forms of ORS. </li><li>In addition to cholera and natural disaster victims, it's used by firefighters, the military, and athletes to quickly replenish lost fluids. </li><li>DripDrop is also suitable for you and me. The individual powder packets contain essential electrolytes (and half the sugar of sports drinks) to help you recover from sickness, a workout, heat exposure, or a hangover. </li></ul>When you're dehydrated, you notice. You're thirsty, restless, and moody, and you might even faint. Whether you've just completed <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/products-i-use-to-stick-with-workout-routine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a tough workout</a> or woken up after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hangon-hangover-prevention-tablet-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Friday night out</a>, the first thing you probably do to replenish those lost fluids is reach for water or an electrolyte drink. While these instances of dehydration aren't usually life-threatening, the creator of electrolyte powder <a href="https://amzn.to/2LwDFZX" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DripDrop</a> has encountered plenty of other situations where it was. After witnessing a cholera outbreak in Guatemala, where children were throwing up from the bad taste of existing oral rehydration solutions (ORS), Dr. Eduardo Dolhun wanted to create an ORS that was both effective and tasty. <h2>What exactly is an ORS and how does it work? </h2>ORS stands for "oral rehydration solution" and is a balanced glucose-electrolyte mixture. It was <a href="https://www.unicef.org/sowc96/joral.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first created in the late 1960s</a> to treat the effects of cholera (vomiting and diarrhea) in Bangladesh and India. The mix of salts, sugar, and water work to counter dehydration symptoms by triggering water absorption in the small intestine. Through osmosis, sodium and glucose transport water from the gut into the bloodstream. Today, the World Health Organization and UNICEF <a href="https://www.unicef.org/supply/files/Oral_Rehydration_Salts(ORS)_.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommend a specific ORS formulation</a> for effective treatment of clinical dehydration. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LwDFZX" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d7b903e2e22af0a56388a15-800/dripdrop electrolytes.jpg" border="0" alt="dripdrop electrolytes" data-mce-source="Amazon" /></a>Amazon</div></div></div><h2>DripDrop as an ORS </h2>DripDrop follows this recommended formula and comes in single-serving sticks in three flavors (watermelon, lemon, and berry). Each 10-gram serving contains 35 calories and seven grams of sugar, which is half the sugar of a comparable serving of a sports drink like Gatorade. Since its introduction, DripDrop has been used to treat dehydration in the victims of natural disasters like the 2010 Haiti earthquake and <a href="http://am.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/14/reporter-notebook-in-pakistan-a-life-can-be-savedin-15-minutes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan floods</a>.The ORS is also carried by firefighters, US military medics and troops, and athletes. It's "<a href="https://www.nsfsport.com/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Certified for Sport</a>" by NSF International, a program trusted by the MLB, NHL, NFL, and PGA, among other sports organizations. <h2>Trying DripDrop for ourselves </h2>All these high-intensity uses of DripDrop have us reassured of its efficacy - if it's being used to save children's lives and fuel professional athletes, it's good enough to use on our sick and hungover days. Since it comes in individual packs, it's convenient to store in my bag or desk. As long as I have access to water, I can make myself an electrolyte drink and rehydrate myself. I always drink water throughout and after my workouts, but I noticed that taking DripDrop helps me recover even faster. I also like that it tastes as good as a sports drink, but isn't as caloric or sugary. My editor also found it to be helpful as she recovered from a bout of the stomach flu, which left her nauseous and dehydrated. She said the taste wasn't overwhelming, even when her stomach and palate were sensitive. <h2>The bottom line</h2>DripDrop is a highly effective dehydration solution that's used all over the world for a variety of purposes. It's the best way you can replenish lost fluids, and this effect comes with no compromises - it's convenient to make and drink, it's healthier than sports drinks, and it tastes good. <h3><a href="https://amzn.to/2LwDFZX" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the DripDrop Electrolyte Powder Variety Pack (24-count) for $28.99 at Amazon</a></h3><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a> Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

This electrolyte powder is used by athletes and firefighters to rehydrate quickly - it also helps me curb dehydration from alcohol, workouts, and sickness

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50562934.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" />Social media, which became galvanized during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, is a bullhorn of support in aiding humanitarian work every time a country has been struck by national catastrophe, a terrorist attack or refugee crisis ever since. 
 
Recently, UN sent 44 aid trucks to the beseiged Syrian town of Madaya, where children and adults are dying of starvation. Even as international agencies, NGOs and governments play their part, 2015’s unfortunate events saw common people using social media not only display support, but become active participants by sharing information and extending aid. This new platform of sensitive humans across the world emerged as the new forum for collective intelligence, social convergence, and community activism in the hour of need. Here’s how: 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=syrian+refugees">Syrian refugee crisis</a> 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50562736.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
Even as the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-un-security-council-discusses-starving-besieged-areas-of-syria-2016-1?IR=T">UN, Germany, and Europe</a> as a whole, have been hailed as the saviours of refugees, another less talked about silent saviour has been the social media. There are various Facebook pages that provide crucial information to refugees, which include instructions on what they should carry during their journey and which officials they should contact. There are numerous groups on Facebook such as the ‘Syrian Refugee Helpers in Istanbul’, which allow volunteers and activists to gather on a single platform and organise their efforts effectively in order to cater to the needs of refugees. Besides, CNN noted that there is a section of <keyword id="973200" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Syrian-refugees">Syrian refugees</keyword> which has made use of social media to make the migratory journey somewhat more organised. Syrian youth is making use of the internet, Facebook in particular, to issue distress calls while they’re at sea. They have the phone numbers of the Greek and Turkish police and once they arrive at their desired destination, they know exactly where to go and what to do. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/An-online-insurance-portal-set-up-a-toll-free-helpline-to-help-Chennai-flood-victims-with-their-claims/articleshow/50109916.cms">Chennai floods</a> 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50562687.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
Floods in Chennai spelt doom for the people of the city, but social media was a force in Chennai which emerged more powerful than the rains pounding the city. While bridges collapsed, floodgates opened and people were confined to their homes, citizens came together on social media – Twitter and Facebook – to coordinate efforts to send or seek help with accommodation, food and rescue relief. From sharing Chennairains.org, a <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword> spreadsheet listing helpline numbers, aid offers and requests, rescue requests, volunteer details and accommodation details to provide necessary information to volunteers to a crowdsourced effort to map inundated roads in Chennai, along with information on vulnerable and water logged points and flood relief camps, many such initiatives by the people (updates by independent weather blogging community, portals sharing info on stranded residents, rescue operations, resource requirements) put together made social media act as the savior for victims in their hour of need as more and more Indians reached out to help, and the donations were directed in the right places. 
 
<keyword id="779649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="nepal-earthquake">Nepal earthquake</keyword> 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50562801.cms" /> 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Major-magnitude-7-4-earthquake-rattles-Nepal-again-Tremors-felt-across-North-India/articleshow/47245551.cms">As the catastrophe hit the state</a>, several projects started by Nepal’s youth were a kind of rolling coverage with added information — useful data that people from around Nepal and the world could use to direct their help quickly and effectively, during a period that was otherwise characterised by chaos. The hashtag #nepalphotoproject and its matching <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> account gained widespread exposure. Started by a local photojournalist, it brought together images of quake damage that were seen by tens of thousands of followers around the world. The crowd-sourced pictures also gave people an insight into the degree of damage suffered in hard-to-reach regions. The posts often included links to reliable aid organisations or local volunteer groups. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/As-Paris-mourns-these-handwritten-notes-staring-out-of-the-windows-of-La-Belle-Equipe-cafe-is-a-totally-heartbreaking-sight/articleshow/49814913.cms">Paris Attacks </a> 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50562893.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
Amid the chaos of gunfire and explosions in Paris that left dozens dead, people used social media to share their sympathy, give advice, and open doors to their homes to others stranded in the French capital. The #PorteOuverte or the ‘open-door’ initiative connected people who were looking for shelter. It popped up on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and opened doors for those looking for support. 
 
(Image credits: Reuters)

How social media was used intelligently to extend humanitarian aid in 2015

<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5459090d6bb3f750236ccb40-1200-75/coming-homefull-width-post-page.png" border="0" width="1200" height="75" /><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5457f88269bedd335059ce57-612-459/screen-shot-2014-11-03-at-44745-pm.png?maxX=600" border="0" alt="Screen Shot 2014 11 03 at 4.47.45 PM" width="600"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He6_Aop6b5A">YouTube</a>Wood in a July 2, 2012 thank-you message to Team Rubicon volunteers.</img></div></div>Jake Wood had been out of the Marine Corps for only three months when one of the worst natural disasters in history convinced him that the skills he had honed in the military were still badly needed, even if he was no longer in uniform.
"I saw the Haiti earthquake, and sprung to action," the Iowa-born ex-scout sniper, who deployed to Iraq in 2007 and Afghanistan in 2008, told Business Insider. Within four days of the January 12, 2010, disaster, Wood, who held an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and was thinking about entering graduate school, had arrived in Port Au Prince with a small group of first responders organized through social media and connections from the military and college. A team of ex-Marine and Special Forces medics quickly ballooned into scores of former military personnel, eager to lend their abilities to the relief effort.
"People were drawn by seeing others take action," Wood recalled. After three weeks, his team had more than 60 volunteers from the US.
And nearly five years later, Team Rubicon - the organization that's grown out of those initial, somewhat impulsive efforts in Haiti - has 28 full-time employees on top of more than 20,000 volunteers through 10 geographic regions. Wood is the group's CEO. Team Rubicon had added more than 300 volunteers in the week before Business Insider spoke with him. 
They're all US military veterans, eager to dedicate their skills towards responding to humanitarian crises around the world.
Wood says that veterans already have a lot of the training and experience needed to be effective emergency responders. "People who were communications technicians have the ability to set up computer networks in tough environments," Wood says. "People that were combat engineers know how to build heavy equipment. Down the road, every function of the military has something that can be translated to a post-disaster scenario."
Team Rubicon has been sent to respond to crises that become major news stories. Wood explains that its efforts organizing nearly 3,000 volunteers after Hurricane Sandy, the "superstorm" that devastated the coastal neighborhoods of New York City, was his group's largest mobilization and earned plaudits from the National Guard, FEMA, and even former president Bill Clinton.
But it's also sent volunteers to situations that are far off the front pages: floods in Iowa, mudslides in California, or tornadoes in the midwest. Team Rubicon is now large enough that it can send volunteers nearly anywhere in the US, and even beyond.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5457f8a96bb3f76c7f59ce5d-513-385/screen-shot-2014-11-03-at-44054-pm.png" border="0" alt="Screen Shot 2014 11 03 at 4.40.54 PM">YouTubeJake Wood in Haiti</img></div></div></div>That's partly because Team Rubicon has an innate appeal to ex-military personnel. It allows them to continue to utilize their military skillset - while filling the emotional and psychic space that can sometimes feel empty or unsatisfied once a military career ends. 
"A purpose-filled life is the foundation for a healthy transition," Wood says. "We provide an option that is exciting and tangible to the returning veteran." A humanitarian crisis is "something that they can relate to" after the unique pressures of Iraq or Afghanistan. The aftermath of a flood or a hurricane presents a situation where veterans are clearly needed, and where their impact can be immediately seen.
"It's like standing back up on the wall," says Wood. "You have this veritable wall that the military soldier stands upon to guard and protect. It's getting back up on it, in a sense."
Returning veterans who need a "wall" to stand on can find it in disaster response. By tapping into that need, Team Rubicon is now large enough to be able to respond to everything from typhoons in southeast Asia to hurricanes in the US.
"You see a need and you want to help meet it if you feel like you are able," says Wood. "That's really how it started, and it's how its continued to grow."

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