The document outlines a six stage continuum for integrating social media into emergency management organizations. Stage 1 involves identifying social media as a business need and researching best practices. Stage 2 is limited social media use as a one-way communication tool. Stage 3 includes integrating social media into the strategic information plan and engaging key influencers. Stage 4 is conversational social media use to listen, learn, engage users, and counter misinformation. Stage 5 fully operationalizes social media across various applications and uses data from citizens. Stage 6 completely integrates validated external data and expands social media use across emergency management.

1. The social media for emergency management continuum has six stages of integration; those stages are outlined below with the
identified actions at each stage.
Stage 1 No Social Media: Social media has been identified as a business need by the organization. During times of crisis, social
media is proving to be an effective tool for communicating with organizations, public safety authorities, and citizens. It is now
the job of EOC to research best practices in the use of social media in emergency management.
Key actions supporting the continuum:
 establish senior government executives as champions for engagement
 Business case
 cost benefit analysis
 Social media strategy
 Pro charter
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Stage 2 Limited use of Social media: The first step is the acceptance of how social media platforms are used in emergency
communications. What this means to EOC’s is that the organization has to move at the speed of their audience and that means,
in some cases, using social media as an old-fashioned one-way communications tool. These tools become an extension of an
EOC’s alerting/notification processes.
Key actions supporting the continuum:
 Resourcing
 Policy change
 Policy guidelines
 Social media guidelines
 Social media checklists
 Communications strategy
 Crisis communications plan
 Strategic training strategy
 Crisis communication information system team
 Social media tools'
Stage 3 Interactive use of Social Media: EOC’s will integrate social media into a strategic web-based information strategy. At
this stage EOC’s will have a well-established understanding of what is being communicated when crisis happens and the staff
and leadership understand that monitoring is a key component to obtain situational awareness. EOC’s will begin to engage with
key "influencers" that can help shape public perception of their response.
Key actions supporting the continuum:
 Governance structure
 Social media web site development that is aligned with the EOC’s emergency communications strategy and social media
strategy
 business-driven IM/IT strategies
 communications manager, 1 social media specialist
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 15 temporary emergency assignment management system public information officers
 5 internal staff trained in the use of social media including leadership
 established private public partnerships with government and external organizations
 coordinated partnerships with key influencers and organizations
Step 4 Conversational use of social media: This is the first true stage of social media engagement, this is where EOC’s listen,
learn, and engagetheir users. EOC’s would have a full understanding of who their key stakeholders are and who may be helpful
to them in building relationships. EOC’s should go out and engage with communities on different social media platforms. At this
point in the engagement spectrum EOC’s should know who to interact with to counter false information and dispel rumors. The
primary aspect of this phase allows EOC’s to create a favorable public perception of their response.
Key actions supporting the continuum:
 Social media monitoring program
 Social media monitoring / management systems
 Social media technology strategy
 Social media engagement guidelines

2.  Situational awareness strategy
 Scalable social media strategy
 Social media measurement strategy
 1 FTE communications officer
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Step 5 Operational use of social media: EOC’s have now fully operationalized social media into multiple applications- such as
mobile applications and common operating pictures. This creates the provision of prompt, effective and accurate emergency
information that empowers citizens and volunteers to work with EOC’s. This means EOC’s become aware of, and use to some
degree, data provided by digital volunteers. EOC’s uses social media as a volunteer mobilization tool and is using data by
citizens and volunteers in affected areas. This improves EOC’s and societies situational awareness.
Key actions supporting the continuum:
 Alignment with the IM/IT Strategies
 prepare to support next generation devices
 mobile/location integration strategy
 Crowd source integration strategy
 Volunteer strategy
Step 6. Integrated use of social media: The last step in this continuum integrates the validation of user data, EOC’s have
trusted relationships and have worked with volunteer organizations to help train their people so they have confidence in the
information they provide. EOC’s would integrate external data streams and analyses in the EOC by using GIS-enabled software
and social media platforms.
EOC’s can now expand social media into all aspects of emergency management, including other programs, other governments
and branches with mandates related to emergency response and business continuity and global, community-based online
networks.
Key actions supporting the continuum:
 Alignment with the Canadian interoperability action plan for Canada / strategy
 Alignment with the IM/IT Strategies
 GIS integration strategy
 Volunteer employment policy change
 establish open source solutions guidelines
 establish open data policy