This document discusses the use of social media in emergency preparedness and response. It provides an overview of prominent social media tools and case studies of how different organizations have used social media during disasters. The benefits of social media include rapid information dissemination, accessibility when other systems are down, and addressing special audiences. However, social media can also spread misinformation. The document concludes by recommending that organizations start using social media by creating personal accounts to learn how the tools work before creating official presence.
Crisis Communication 2.0: Social Media in Emergency Preparedness & Response
1. 11/21/2011
Social Media In Emergency Preparedness & Response
Presented 11.17.11 To MRC Region I & II Summit
Arielle Slam & Alyson Cobb
Learn about social media and current trends.
Learn about prominent tools through case studies
of social media being used to engage the public
during a disaster.
Understand the benefits and barriers of social
media.
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“Social media are the electronic
tools, technologies, and
applications that facilitate
interactive communication and
content exchange.”
http://youtu.be/3SuNx0UrnEo
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Benefits Drawbacks
Rapid message Could spread
dissemination misinformation
Accessible when Collective error
traditional media and correction & verification
resources were not Casualties made public
before families knew
Provided reassurance
to friends and family
Crowdsourcing
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Updated frequently
Genre, professional, personal
Most recent entry first
Two way conversation
Easier to update than a website
Address special audiences
Functional needs
Special languages
60% of bloggers note they are blogging more than
when they started because it has proven to be of value
to their profession. State of Blogosphere 2011
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“The only way we all have to get
good information here is for
those who have it to share it. We
relied on others to give us
updates when they had info and
we do the same for others.”
–San Diego Resident
“Most of the news media…are
utterly clueless about anything in
rural areas. They constantly gave
out bogus information, like
locations and directions that
made no sense at all.”
- rural area resident
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Benefits Drawbacks
Address special Many competing blogs
audiences
Time intensive
Functional needs
Special languages
Localized information
No web development
skills needed
Fast
Seen as most reliable
source of new media
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Similar to traditional blogs, except that
content length is limited
Username Info
Hashtag location
Tweet/Retweet
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“There’s some evidence that as landlines and power supplies went down…people
still used their mobile phones to stay in touch via Facebook and Twitter.”
Benefits Barriers
Observation tool White noise
Short messages Short-term visibility
Easy to share links & Limited profile information
promote website
Viral messaging
Extensive networks
Easily adopted in crisis
situation
Good redundancy channel
Easy integration with other
technology
SMS friendly
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Buttons and badges
Widgets
Apps
Graphically links that
share information about
campaigns and causes
online
<!-- BUTTON EMBED CODE STARTS HERE --><a
href="http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp?s_ci
d=emergency_002" title="Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Prepared.
emergency.cdc.gov"><img
src="http://www.cdc.gov/images/campaigns/emergency/zombies1_
300x250.jpg" style="width:300px; height:250px; border:0px;"
alt="Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Prepared. emergency.cdc.gov"
/></a><!-- BUTTON EMBED CODE ENDS HERE -->
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Benefits Drawbacks
Easier functionality than Apps limited to those with
internet on phones smart phones
Apps can reach traditional Apps often require a
non-internet users developer to build
Facilitates unified message Apps & badges short life span
sharing
Can encourage viral message
dissemination
Can be used to gather
information from the ground
Added value to audience
Entertaining
Visually appealing
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Benefits Drawbacks
Public prefers visual Time to produce videos
information
Limited interaction
Can use and share
existing media
Can easily make
existing media
available to your
audience
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Location-based platforms
Typically on mobile phones & smart phones
Organizes and presents information specific
to your geographic location
Nearby places & resources
People nearby
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Benefits Drawbacks
Limit information to Privacy & safety
geographic area of considerations
interest
Adds additional
element to
information
Applications for
response efforts
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Population of ~1,080,000
During Irene, Fairfax County used:
Blog YouTube
Facebook Flickr
Twitter Ask Fairfax
CEAN (alert system) iPhone and Android apps
Website
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Launched emergency information blog
During Irene:
61 posts
50,668 views
77 comments
FACEBOOK TWITTER
During Irene: During Irene:
48 posts 60 Tweets
335,000 post views 333 retweets
336 shares 292 new followers
318 likes
91 comments
380 new fans
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Fairfax County’s text and e-mail alert
system
During Irene:
Approximately 3,000 new subscribers
YOUTUBE FLICKR
During Irene: During Irene:
5 videos posted 11 pictures posted
1,863 video views 5,766 views
Media outlets posted
videos on their sites
= further reach
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County’s website is
mobile-friendly
Developed a special
mobile emergency home
page
Developed iPhone and
Android apps
During Irene:
289 app dowloads
Many benefits to social media
Fast, wide, decentralized
It may feel overwhelming, but its doable
If not on social media, start exploring as
personal user.
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Consider relevance of social media to your
goals.
Set aside a few hours to a day to learn tool(s)
and create an account.
Start with a personal account.
Create a plan for how you will use tools.
Administrators
Content
policy
Arielle Slam Alyson Cobb
JSI Research & Training Institute JSI Research & Training Institute
aslam@jsi.com acobb@jsi.com
603.573.3341 603.573.3319
http://linkd.in/ArielleSlam http://linkd.in/AlysonCobb
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References
Terdiman, Daniel. Study: Wikipedia as Accurate as Brittanica (2005) http://news.cnet.com/Study-Wikipedia-as-accurate-as-
Britannica/2100-1038_3-5997332.html
Tinker, Timothy, et al. Expert Round Table on Social Media and Risk Communication During Times of Crisis:
Strategic Challenges and Opportunities. (2009) http://www.socialmediaandtechnology.com/
Krimsky, Sheldon. Risk communication in the internet age: The rise of disorganized skepticism. (2007)
Environmental Hazards. http://www.elsevier.com/locate/hazards
Sutton, Jeannette, et al. Backchannels on the Front Lines: Emergent Uses of Social Media in the 2007 Southern
California Wildfires. (2008) Proceedings of the 5th International ISCRAM Conference
Guion, Deirdre, et al. Weathering the Storm: A Social Marketing Perspective on Disaster Preparedness and
Response with Lessons from Hurricane Katrina. (2007) American Marketing Association, Vol.26 (1).
Palmer, Jason. Emergency 2.0 is coming to a website near you: the web spells a sea of change for crisis
management. How should emergency services respond? (2008) New Scientist 198.2654
http://www.newscientist.com.ezpr.oxy.lib.umb.edu
New tools a boon: Public health leaders using social media to convey emergencies. (2009) The Nation’s Health,
American Public Health Association www.thenationshealth.org
Underwood, Sarah. Improving Disaster Management. (2010) communications of the Acm. Vol.53. no.2 DOI:
10.1145/1646353.1646362
Palen, Leysia. The Emergence of Online Widescale Interaction in Unexpected Events: Assistance, Alliance &
Retreat (2008) CSCW, University of Colorado, Boulder
A National Survey of Social Media Use in State Government: Friends, Followers, and Feeds.NASCIO (2010):
http://www.nascio.org/publications/documents/NASCIO-SocialMedia.pdf
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