Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities

1. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities Survey Results on Use of Social Media during Emergencies by People with Disabilities CTIA, March 23, 2011

2. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities • Nationwide survey of people with disabilities • Conducted from November-January 2010-2011 • Focused on: • 1. Contacting 911 emergency services • 2. Using social media during public emergencies Wireless RERC

3. Contacting 911 emergency services Wireless RERC

4. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities • All disabilities represented (respondents checked all that applied) Wireless RERC

5. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities • Have you contacted 911 services via any of the following means? • How would you prefer to contact 911 services? (check all that apply) Wireless RERC

6. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities • If you prefer to contact 911 services via text-based media or TTY, please identify which mode is the most important to you? Wireless RERC

7. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities • How would you prefer to contact 911 services? Check all that apply. • (Percentage of respondents, by disability) Wireless RERC

8. Using social media during public emergencies Wireless RERC

9. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities Media used to receive, verify and pass on public alerts (All respondents with disability) Wireless RERC

10. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities Do you access social media on the following devices? (non-exclusive) • Almost 2/3 (63%) of respondents with disabilities use social media. • Desktop and laptop platforms are the most commonly used devices for accessing social media. • Cellphones are the least commonly used platforms for accessing social media. More than 1 in 5 access social media on cell phones. Wireless RERC

11. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities Do you access social media on the following devices? (exclusive) 25% of respondents with disabilities use more than one type of device (e.g., desktop and cell phone) to access social media. Wireless RERC

12. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities Number of social media outlets used by respondents with disabilities to receive and verify public alerts • Social media are used by a small, but substantial percentage of people with disabilities to receive and verify public alerts. • 22% have received public alerts via social media • 16% have verified public alerts using social media Wireless RERC

13. Emergency Communications and People with Disabilities Social media outlets used by respondents with disabilities to receive and verify public alerts Wireless RERC

14. Contact information John Morris, Ph.D. Research Scientist, Wireless RERC 404-367-1348 john_morris@shepherd.org Acknowledgement This document was developed by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies. The Wireless RERC is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education under grant number H133E060061. Any opinions contained in this documents are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or NIDRR. Wireless RERC