1. 1 2010 Fire Season

2. 2 Launched BC Fire Info Facebook page in 2009. Posted news releases, little engagement. 2009 season revealed government information on wildfire impacts fragmented. Resulted in more integrated approach in 2010. Stronger Facebook,Twitter and YouTube presence. Creation of FireSafeBC.ca Took informed risks, built on recent experience.

3. 3 10,334 visitors. All wildfire-related info in one spot. Drove public to site for updates.

4. 4 More than 12,500 Facebook fans by peak season. Positive feedback. Sense of community. Gained attention of major media and other jurisdictions.

5. 5 What increased usage? Highly responsive. Up-to-the-minute info. Encouraged people to post comments and pics. Moderated and engaged in the discussions. Better use of video.

6. 6 Early activity -- wives and girlfriends looking for updates on firefighters. Posts from fire fighters. People sharing photos/stories of current conditions. Local governments posting updates. Isolated communities and first nations. Emergency response and community support.

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9. 9 Resourcing: significant, dedicated staff time. It’s like a 1-800 line but interactions visible to all. Responsiveness: requires ready access to information. Online tools need to keep up with the times. Need to educate program staff on merits. Requires coordination across agencies/level of govt.

10. 10 Need to train/set guidelines for staff. Social media platforms have limitations. Great tool for rumour busting. Great tool for communicating with First Nations. Helps to identify/drive service improvements. Can lead to better interagency coordination.

11. 11 Who will implement your plan? Will your content updates depend on others? What is your message? Who are your spokespeople? Do you have the most efficient work flow?

12. 12 In emergencies, if you are not using social media to help manage the event and get your message out, someone else will do it for you – whether you want them to or not. Your must be seen as the credible voice and source of information.,

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