This presentation was given at the Whole Community Planning Workshop hosted by International Association of Emergency Managers in Partnership with FEMA Region 3 on April 30, 2013 at the Northern Virginia Criminal Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia. Montgomery County (MD) CERT successfully performed two initiatives during the March 6, 2013 snow storm (called "Snowquester" in the D.C. region). Initiative 1 had CERT members present in the local EOC to provide social media monitoring support while officials carried on with their primary duties. Initiative 2 tested the effectiveness of sending a mass notification message to CERT members, with minimal notice, to see how many SITREPS could be generated throughout the County.

1. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
CERT Role in Social Media
MonitoringSteve Peterson, President
Montgomery County CERT
A Time to Remember, A Time to Prepare ‐ Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop
Region 3 IAEM – USA, April 30, 2013

2. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Two Initiatives
1. Leverage CERT members as a resource for social media
monitoring within an EOC environment
2. Test effectiveness of sending and capturing SITREPS by CERT
members during an emergency

3. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Initiative 1 Background
• Forecasts showed the potential of a large snow storm to
impact the Washington, D.C. area
• CERT volunteers for social media monitoring effort were
identified and shifts assigned
– Three 8‐hour shifts
• On Wednesday, March 6th the EOC was activated
– CERT volunteers began social media monitoring at 5:00am

4. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Initiative 1 Outcome
Valuable SM Topics
• Road conditions
• Weather conditions
• Other EOC activations
• Photos of accidents
• Power company contact
information
• Power outage maps
• Hash tags to track
• Agencies to follow/like
Valuable SM Contributors
• Maryland Emergency Management Agency
• Weather Channel
• Montgomery County Fire and Rescue
• Baltimore County Police & Fire
• NBC 29 News
• Virginia Department of Transportation
• Maryland State Highway Administration
Most valuable contributions came in the morning
during the heaviest of snow

5. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Authoritative
Tweet
Posts
Tweets Tweets
Posts
ReTweet
ReTweet
ReTweet
ReTweet
ReTweet
Initiative 1 Strategy
GENERAL PUBLIC
COMMUNICATIONS
AGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS
GENERAL PUBLIC
COMMUNICATIONS
Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Authoritative
tweet from
officials
3
Posts
Tweets Tweets
Posts
1
provided verified
info for
2
ReTweet
ReTweet
ReTweet
ReTweet
ReTweet
4

6. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Initiative 1 Phases
• Planning
• Implementation
• Assessment
– Identified participants and obtained contact information
– Trained and studied lessons learned from past SM monitoring efforts
– Designated timeframe to monitor social media platforms
– Obtained contact information of newly identified participants
– Held hot wash
– Produced report within 72
hours of snow storm
The timeframe to monitor social media will
change based upon the scope, magnitude,
and complexity of the emergency.

7. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Initiative 1 Key Successes
• Pre‐established understanding
• Non‐disruptive EOC physical presence
• Disciplined in providing updates to EOC manager
• Overlap in shift times
• Same computer for each shift
• Assurance of member safety

8. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Initiative 2 Background
• Purpose: Test effectiveness of sending and capturing SITREPS
• Call for volunteers sent to all CERT members
• Sought specific information (template)
– Zip code
– Power
– Road conditions
– Obstacles (e.g., trees down)
– Other areas with problems

9. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
• 29 SITREPs received
– ~40% provided photos
• 9 different zip code zones
• Results provided
comprehensive picture of
weather conditions at
different times on March 6th
Map of Montgomery County, MD
This data was
available at the EOC
immediately
This data was
available at the EOC
immediately
Initiative 2 Outcome

10. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Initiative 2 Key Successes
• Multiple communication means utilized to send SITREPs
– Email, text messages, and social media (Redundancy)
• High number of contributors given minimal notification time
• Proved CERT members are valuable contributors
– Damage assessment?
– Crowdsourcing?

11. Montgomery County (MD) CERT presentation to FEMA Region 3 IAEM‐USA Whole Community Stakeholders Workshop – April 30, 2013
Summary
• Trustworthy and credible resource
• Trained and experienced
• Flexible to changing assignments
• Always available to provide support