social media in emergency management

Social MediaIn

Emergency Management

Presenter: Chris Cree

I’m Chris Cree

• Navigator

• New Media Guy

• Translator

“I remove web technology barriers and translate geek-speak into everyday language so that organizations can reach more people more powerfully on the web.”

Social Media

• 6 years is “forever” in the web world

• Better Examples:

• Haiti Earthquake last year

• Japan Earthquake & Tsunami this year

Katrina is the Wrong Model

Red Cross SurveyJuly 2010

69% of US respondents said emergency responders should be monitoring social

media sites in order to quickly send help

74% expected help to come within an hour after their tweet or Facebook

post!

Why Social Media?

• The Internet is resilient

• Existing technologies often most effective

• Scalability

• Different devices & apps can work together

Why Social Media?

• People are already there

• In crisis will communicate in the same ways

• They can be resources instead of liabilities

• 2 way communication is way more effective

Why Social Media?

• Get more complete picture

• Your information will get out faster

• Reach more people

• Correct misinformation

Both PR & Operations

Think Mobile

• Smart phones are everywhere

• Cellular system recovers quickly

• iPads & Tablets powerful for responders

“One of the major lessons we learned from the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti was that even if the physical infrastructure of an area is completely destroyed, the cellular infrastructure may be able to bounce back quickly, allowing emergency managers to relay important disaster-related information and enabling the public to request help from local first responders.” --Craig Fugate

FEMA Administrator

• Japan cell towers relatively undamaged

Useful Social Media Tools

• Facebook

• YouTube

• Twitter

• Google Maps, Earth, MapMaker• Person Finder

Useful Social Media Tools

• TweetDeck

• HootSuite – www.bit.ly/hootste

• Google Alerts

• Twitter Search / Twazzup• TrackUR

Remember: Social Mediais Only a Tool

• Tools Change

• Today’s focus is Facebook & Twitter

• Next year there might be something new

• 5 years from now there certainly will

Be Flexible!

Questions & Discussion

Chris CreeWebsite: www.SuccessCREEations.comFacebook: www.Facebook.com/ChrisCreeTwitter: @ChrisCree

View these slides:http://cree.me/cemapres