Social Media in Emergency Management

Defining a New Era of Disaster

Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

Todd J. Jasper

• Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division at MSA, Inc.

• Emergency management consultant to agencies such as HHS, DHS, FEMA, USAID, and National Science Foundation

• Twitter: @toddjasper

WHAT IS

#SMEM?

Social Media:forms of electronic communication (such as Websites for social networking and micro-blogging)through which users create online communitiesto share information, ideas, personal messages,and other content (as videos)

More than 1.25 Billion!

More than 250 million!

500 million tweets daily

During emergencies , social media usage dramatically increases

During emergencies , social media usage dramatically increases

Why do people use social media during emergencies?

#SMEM Reasons

• Availability

• Convenience

• Social Norms

• Seeking Information

• Timely information

• Unique Information

• Unfiltered information

• To determine disaster

magnitude

• To check-in with family &

friends

• To self-mobilize

• To maintain a sense of

community

• To seek emotional support

UMD: Social Media Use during Disasters: A Review of the Knowledge Base and Gaps

Social media usage is prolific, across multiple platforms

Social media usage is prolific, across multiple platforms

Social media usage is prolific, across multiple platforms

Social media usage is prolific, across multiple platforms

Social media usage is prolific, across multiple platforms

Social media usage is prolific, across multiple platforms

Social media usage is prolific, across multiple platforms

Even the Pope is using social media now

Some examples…

“We’re going to get the victims out, we’re then going to conduct a sweep with EOD assets… we will then get people out of the

restaurants and bars. I need somebody up there to get on social media and let people know what we’re doing here–that we’re

sweeping the streets to make sure it’s safe first, and then we’ll get them out of the bars once we get it swept.”

The future of social media in emergencies…

More demand for connectivity

More demand for connectivity

More demand for connectivity

Cell on Wheels (COWS)

Rumor control

Rumor control

Rumor control

Rumor control

Changing the way emergency managers and stakeholders communicate

My pledge to the individuals andcommunities we serve is that ratherthan asking them to change the waythey communicate to fit our system,we will continue to change the waywe do business to fit the way theycommunicate. In doing so, we will notonly reach the largest possible audienceto share important information, but wewill help facilitate a two-waycommunication, engaging theindividuals, families and communities asa critical part of our emergencymanagement team.