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If it's important enough to not tolerate a 72-hour delay, email is a completely inappropriate medium through which it should be communicated. A competent worker would certainly be aware of that.

The medium is part of the message. Avoid sending the wrong message.

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What would the proper way be?

If it's urgent, drop a call.

Of course, plenty of people here would toss a fit if someone were to call their phone. It's also worth noting that your perceived crisis may not be my crisis.

There is a clear heirarchy of media ordered by immediacy. - face-to-face - phone call - text messaging (through whatever: SMS, IRC, message flavour of the month...) - email - longhand on stationery

Note that immediacy and importance are orthogonal.

If you don't want to use email, fine. But this is work, not your personal jollies. I'm sure this guy would have pitched a fit if the people below him decided not to see him in person until they ran 3 laps around the building, or whatever ridiculous requirement they dreamt up.

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