A live camera at EB would be awesome. Cams are the way to go, over sensors.
I think this approach is probably the easiest and most flexible/powerful in terms of communicating updates-
http://www.fksa.org/showthread.php?t=8676&page=4
It can be accessed by phone via text alerts, the web, and can also be linked to email, twitter, you name it. Easy sign up, etc. as well.
http://www.textmarks.com/WINDY
Through use of the share feature, it can easily be linked to almost anything, including gmail.