emergency management in the age of social convergence

Age of Social Convergence:Age of Social Convergence:What it means for What it means for

emergency managersemergency managers Conference Board of Canada

October 2011

Patrice Cloutier

Progress: went from why to how … Progress: went from why to how …

It’s not just about social media (Twitter or Facebook) … tools not a strategy … Focus instead on what they allow: instantaneous sharing of info, perceptions, opinions … about the incident … about your response.

Remember MySpace ???

Remember … Remember …

It’s not your emergency! … it’s the public’s …People no longer just want to be victims or witnesses … they participate … are you ready?

The era of official agencies simply “pushing” out info is over! To be relevant, organizations also need to “pull” data in.

The age of social convergence The age of social convergence

What's driving this change?Mobile devices and technologies+ Social media platforms and sharing= Empowered citizens and volunteers+ Volunteer and data mobilization

First vector of change

Mobiledevices: phones,PDAs, tablets


First vector of change: mobile technologyGIS/GPS-enabled tech + sharing functions


First vector of change: mobile technologyCameras, vidcams, chat

People will share during

disasters


Second vector of change: social mediaSocial media in emergencies

People turn to whom they trust in

emergencies: family and friends ... and credible sources. How can you become a destination

for credible info?

Second vector of change: social mediaPeople sharing what they see and feel

Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator

Monitoring SM to adjust your response to better

meet local needs


First result: empowered citizenry/volunteersUsing technology to participate• Crisis mapping, crowdsourcing,

Next Debate: how do you integrate this in your EOC and

plans?

Second result: Tech and social media as mobilization/coordination tools• mobilizing people and data,

coordinating donations and recovery

The social convergence equationThe social convergence equation

MOBILE TECH AND DEVICES

SOCIAL NETWORKS

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

DATA/PEOPLE MOBILIZATION

=

Impact on crisis comms and management Impact on crisis comms and management

Challenges for emergency managers:• Crisis communications/emergency info• Data integration• Validation and control


Meeting increased expectations ...reacting within minutes … not hours.


Data integration: crowdsourcing, training and coordination issues

Key issue: are citizens/volunteers trusted

agents?


Validation and control: is the info on SM reliable?

Key issue: how do you deal with malicious intent?

• Info control being replaced by transparency and openness

• self-correcting aspect of SM (to an extent…)


Social convergence also brings opportunities …

Integrating social networks in EMIntegrating social networks in EM

A six-step approach

Moving from “why use social media” to “how can I use it?”

Baseline: no use of SMBaseline: no use of SM

Issues:

• no $$$, no time, no resources

• no policy

Solutions:

• Convince, lead by example

• provide case studies

• Show ROI

Limited Use of SMLimited Use of SM

• Some acceptance of SM by execs

• Use as emergency info tool to “push”

• Twitter as alerting/notification tool

Arguments:

• Twitter monitored for breaking news

• Growing % of audience want SM and web as main channel for emergency info

Interactive Use of SMInteractive Use of SM

• More than one SM platform + website

• Used mostly to “push” info out

• Basic SM monitoring as “reputation” management tool

Arguments:

• Learning who you should engage with

• Increasing your “reach” with web and key SM platforms

Conversational Use of SMConversational Use of SM

• Listen + Learn + Engage

• Identify and engage with key “influencers”

• SM monitoring as key EOC function

Arguments:

• First level of “real” SM engagement

• Key factor to help shape public perception of your response

Operational Use of SMOperational Use of SM

• SM monitoring not just a PIO function

• Awareness and some use of data/info provided by citizens/volunteers

• Moving into ops/plans/intel functions

Arguments:

• Broadening your operational picture

• Maximizing your relevance/effectiveness through the use of volunteers in tough fiscal environment

Integrated Use of SMIntegrated Use of SM

• SM in all pillars of EM and all functions of EOC

• Full mobilization and use of citizens/volunteers data and info … the power of the crowd/cloud

Arguments:

• Continuous engagement with communities and audiences, from preparedness to recovery

• Full community-based Situational Awareness

Examples of SM useExamples of SM use

Social Media and the Incident Management SystemSocial Media and the Incident Management System

Questions?Does the IC need to approve all tweets?Who does the monitoring? What section of the EOC? Or should it be the JIC?Is it a PIO function? ... and many more ...

Current trends in the use of SM in EMCurrent trends in the use of SM in EM

Case studies

A look at six very different disasters

Haiti: tech volunteers to the fore!Haiti: tech volunteers to the fore!

“The global response to the January 2010 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti showed how connected individuals are becoming increasingly central to humanitarian emergency response and recovery,” said Turner in the foreword of the study.

“Haitians trapped under rubble used text messaging to send pleas for help. Concerned citizens worldwide engaged in a variety of ways, from sending in donations via SMS, to using shared networks to translate and map requests for assistance,” he added.

Ted Turner, Chair, UN Foundation, Report on Haiti for the OCHA

Boulder/Fourmile Canyon Fire: tactical Boulder/Fourmile Canyon Fire: tactical applications of SM and crisis mappingapplications of SM and crisis mapping

SM as key EI tool + Twitter and pics combined on maps

First responders dispatched based on that data

The Aussie Experience: floods and a cycloneThe Aussie Experience: floods and a cyclone

•Crisis mapping and data integration•35 maps created by volunteers, media and agencies.•info and maps linked from official agencies• SM/volunteer-created sites often the only available info

“ … Queensland’s emergency services and the population at large took full advantage of the versatility and robustness of social media to prepare for and combat disaster …”

The Christchurch earthquake, Feb. 2011The Christchurch earthquake, Feb. 2011

Lessons learned from the September 2010 earthquake•integrated platforms: blog, twitter feeds, local news, maps, Facebook page. •outgoing and incoming communication, facilitating a dialogue rather than just unidirectional information flow

SM as COOP/BCP tools

Japan: the triple disasterJapan: the triple disaster

Twitter = only communication tool immediately after the earthquake; however, Twitter helped spread rumors and misinformation, causing people to panic in areas where there was no reason to panic, one solution: have the government itself use Twitter to offer reliable information.

Kobe City University Study

Tornadoes in the US: the SM storyTornadoes in the US: the SM story

Legacy media realize the impact of SM

Donations coordination

through SM

Hurricane Irene and SM: a turning point?Hurricane Irene and SM: a turning point?

Extensive use of SM by emergency management agencies, governments and NGOs.

Remember … Remember …

It’s not just about social mediaPeople want to participate, not just be victimsYou need to integrate the crowd/cloud data and info into your response

Patrice's blog:Patrice's blog:http://crisiscommscp.blogspot.com/http://crisiscommscp.blogspot.com/

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