1. SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNICATION IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY - IAEM Mary Kate Hudson FEBRUARY 2015

2. BRIEF INTRODUCTION Communication is critical before, during and after a disaster. We will discuss the importance of communication and mass/social media in the field of emergency management

3. COMMUNICATION FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS Open and clear lines of communication are used by emergency managers, mental health workers, victims/clients, firefighters, police and volunteers, during every stage of an event. It is more than just talking. It is understanding concepts, chain of command, preparedness, who to talk to, when to talk, and most importantly what and who to listen to. Looking at events such as 9/11, Katrina, Sandy Hook, VT shooting, Haiti and BP oil spill: Imagine how differently things would have been if communication was any worse/better

4. SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE FIELD TODAY Federal agencies and companies are now jumping on the bandwagon and realizing how powerful social media and the internet has become since its creation to inform the public with general information and emergency communications. http://govsm.com/w/Federal_Agencies FEMA has courses on social media: IS-42: Social Media in Emergency Management http://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=is-42 What counts as serious a social media platform? How to narrow it down? If you have one, do you need them all? LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, YikYak and Myspace?

5. SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE FIELD TODAY Before social media and internet How did people communicate to the public? Was it effective? Was there as much awareness and preparedness as there is now? What are the potential problems? Content? Real accounts vs “Trolls” and fake accounts – who to follow? Demographics? Can’t forget about those who don’t have social media or smart phones Looking into the future – how would you like to see social media being used (or not used) in our field? Will social media’s popularity end eventually? Should we prepare for it?

6. HOW YOU CAN PREPARE: BEFORE DISASTER Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers in your cell phone and in or near your home phone. Keep charged batteries and car-phone chargers available for back-up power for your cell phone. If you have a traditional landline (non- broadband or VOIP) phone, keep at least one non-cordless phone in your home because it will work even if you lose power. Prepare a family contact sheet. This should include at least one out-of-town contact Program “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) contacts into your cell phone and let those people know they are your ICE If you are evacuated and have call- forwarding on your home phone, forward your home phone number to your cell phone number. If you do not have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster. Have a battery-powered radio or television available (with spare batteries). Subscribe to emergency text alert services. Parents should sign up for their school district emergency alert system FCC.GOV

7. HOW YOU CAN PREPARE: DURING & AFTER A DISASTER If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1. If your area offers 3-1-1 service or another information system, call that number for non-emergencies. For non-emergency communications, use text messaging, e-mail, or social media - You can also use social media to post your status to let family and friends know you are okay. Keep all phone calls brief and conserve your cell phone battery Check Ready.gov regularly to find other helpful tips for preparing for disasters and other emergencies. If you lose power, you can charge your cell phone in your car. Just be sure your car is in a well-ventilated place.You can also listen to your car radio for important news alerts. Tune into broadcast television and radio for important news alerts. If applicable, be sure that you know how to activate the closed captioning or video description on your television. Immediately following a disaster, resist using your mobile device to watch streaming videos, download music or videos, or play video games, all of which can add to network congestion. Limiting use of these services can help potentially life-saving emergency calls get through to 9-1-1. FCC.GOV