How to use social media during Emergency?
“What will an emergency 2.0 resilient community look like?” is the article of Emergency 2.0 who talk over some scenarios of how a resilient community empowered with the knowledge to use social media and web 2.0 tools would recover from an emergency.
Emergency service/first responder agencies and local government
During the recovery phase emergency service agencies and local government are utilising social media to instantly broadcast real-time localised updates on infrastructure and essential services being restored. They are proactively issuing updates via a multichannel approach using both mainstream and web2.0 channels. Online community recovery information is provided via a number of platforms including websites, mobile friendly sites, smart phone apps and video sharing sites as well as social networking sites. They are also updating and monitoring the online real-time interactive community maps utilised by the public and other social media sites to inform the logistical and communications response.
Community agencies, NGOs, community groups and service clubs
Community agencies, NGOs, community groups and service clubs are using their social network sites to share official information from emergency agencies and to cross promote other agency and group activities. They also use their sites to rally and mobilise volunteers and to call for donations of household items. They are amplifying their appeal messages by posting them on the Facebook sites of local media and council. They are also utilising social media to provide local information and updates to emergency agencies and are updating the online real-time interactive community maps utilised by the public.
Government agencies and schools
Local councils and schools utilise social media to share community recovery information such as how to seek assistance (eg financial, material items, emergency accommodation, counselling) and how to donate (eg money, blood, material items) with links to key agency sites. They are utilising the power of social media to galvanise and mobilise volunteer armies to help with the recovery in their communities. Their social media sites also enable people to make direct appeals for help and others to directly respond. Councils are posting real-time localised updates on infrastructure and essential services being restored and utilising social media to monitor the needs of the community, to inform their logistical and communications response.
Business
Businesses that are impacted and need assistance are posting their requests for help on online billboards such as saveabusiness.com.au matching business needing help with those offering assistance. As businesses re-open, the local community is instantly informed via an online interactive community map and promotion on social networking sites of their local council and community newspaper. Those businesses that aren’t impacted are supporting their local communities by posting offers to donate goods and services on online community crowdmaps and billboards and directly contacting those in need.
