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Social Media Emergency Management & Disaster Response. Carolyn Deming FEMA Region V External Affairs Digital Communications September 4 th and 5 th , 2013. Agenda. Social Media 101 FEMA Accounts Monitoring & Situational Awareness FEMA Messaging Hurricane Sandy
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Social Media Emergency Management & Disaster Response Carolyn Deming FEMA Region V External Affairs Digital Communications September 4th and 5th, 2013
Agenda • Social Media 101 • FEMA Accounts • Monitoring & Situational Awareness • FEMA Messaging • Hurricane Sandy • Building a Strategy • Best Practices • Free Tools • Questions
Everyone is Talking • The White House & the President • State Emergency Management Offices • Local, state & federal government officials • Police, fire and EMS • Utility companies • Private sector • Voluntary agencies & nonprofits • The public
Why it Matters • It happens in REAL time • Opportunity to LEAD the conversation • Facilitates a two-way conversation • Opportunity to direct traffic • Multimedia enhances messaging • Fostering transparency & accountability • Reducing call volume • Cross promotion & “clickability”
FEMA 240,863 Followers IN WI IL MN State EMs OH Craig Fugate 39,629 MI FEMA Region V 8,518 Other Federal Agencies X IX Other FEMA Regions VIII I Other Trusted Sources II VII III VI IV
Learn the Lingo Tweet Message of 140 characters or less @ Twitter Handle, i.e. @FEMARegion5 # Hashtagcreates a searchable topic Retweet (RT) someone else’s message you repost Followers someone who subscribes to get your updates; your message shows in their feed Following the organizations or people you follow who appear in your twitter feed DM Direct Message non-public messaging
Decoding a Tweet Who + Information + Action Item @fema: tagging the national twitter handle #grant: anyone looking for grant information #firefighters: anyone searching about firefighters 1.usa.gov/eViWVy: shortened hyperlink
FEMA’s Digital Platforms • FEMA Facebook • Twitter • @FEMA • @FEMASandy • @CraigatFEMA • @FEMAespanol • @FEMARegion5 • FEMA Smartphone App • New Disaster Reporter • YouTube Channel • Web • www.fema.gov • m.fema.gov • Social Media Hub • FEMA Blog • LinkedIn • Text Messages
FEMA’s Disaster Reporter Photos are moderated to ensure they are disaster-related & not spam. Approved photos are displayed on FEMA.gov using the FEMA GeoPlatform. Individuals in a disaster area upload a photo using the FEMA App. All photos must have GPS coordinates tagged to it.
Become a Disaster Reporter • Android and Apple users: download the FEMA App • via text message • Text ANDROID or APPLE to 43362 (4FEMA) and we’ll send you the link. (std data/msg rates apply) • via the mobile site • Go to http://m.fema.gov • Click Stay Connected • Click Android or Apple
Promoting Other Digital Resources • Red Cross Safe & Well • Humane Society • NOAA • Ready.gov • Promote other accounts • CDC Emergency • Mobile Websites • Text Messages • Smart 911
About Social Media: Monitoring • On-the-ground, personal, real-time information with photos • Able to monitor sentiment, feelings & emotions • Timely knowledge of rumors • Measure what messages are being picked up by public • Determine who is sharing the message (individuals, news sources, government officials, etc.) • Identify hot issues • Search terms grow & change
About Social Media: Messaging Collaborate with all stakeholders & partners Endless message amplification Promote partners messaging Takes technical jargon & forces small bits of easily understood information Actionable items direct to your various audiences Measurable
Non Disaster Build the audience Preparedness messaging Education Live tweeting from conferences & events Message amplification for awareness weeks, community outreach & state activities Convey grant application information & deadlines Disasters Early detection of rumors & misinformation Situational awareness Public perception of FEMA Channel for rapid communication to media, stakeholders & the public Two-way communication to combat myths Support to our states via content, strategy & media monitoring reports
Hurricane Sandy by the Numbers • 10/26: 1,000 new likes on Facebook • 10/27: 2,160 new Twitter followers • 10/28: 7,300 new Twitter followers & 1500 new Facebook likes • 10/29: “FEMA” mentioned 140k on Twitter that day with 12K new followers & Facebook posts reached 300K people • 1st time “FEMA” was a top trending topic on Twitter (#3) • FEMA was a national & global trending topic
Successes • Sharing is one-click away • Direct online access to response organizations • Multilingual monitoring and messaging • Battle misinformation • Ease of partner collaboration
Digital Strategy • Leadership buy-in • Creating sustainable platforms • Response organizations need to understand 2-way nature • Establishing information flow between leadership & digital staff • Organizational capability & sustainability • Understanding the SPEED of digital communication
Questions to Ask: Digital Strategy • Who is your audience? • What accounts should YOU follow? • Who is in charge of the account? • What process is right for your organization for message approval? • What critical information can/should you share? • How often can you check in to make sure you’re relevant? • How does the message change for the social platform?
Where to Begin • Identify key social media stakeholders and websites • Identify hot issues and trends • Determine what makes a social media account influential • Identify common terms related to your organization • Differentiate between online noise and relevant information
Key Stakeholders • Federal • State • Local non-profits • Faith-based • Political figures • Reporters • Private Sector • Voices of the public • Tribal governments • School systems
Crafting a Message FEMA is in Cook County, Illinois doing PDA’s @FEMA in DuPage County doing assessments vs (9/3) @FEMA is in Cook County #IL w/ @ReadyIllinois doing damage assessments from last week’s flooding. or .@FEMA teams in #DuPage county helping ppl register for assistance #IL www.moreinfo.com
Please Don’t Do This #IStartedUsingSocialMediaAndIDontUnderstandHowHashtagsWork Tweet: RV’s IMAT is deployed to the RRCC for the RISC mtng w/ SBA. Tweet: #FEMA is #here speaking at #IEMA #Conference in #Springfield #IL.
Free Tools • Hootsuite • Tweetdeck • Klout • Trendsmap • Twicsy • Topsy • Wordle • Tagdef
Join the Conversation Common Hashtags • #smem • #firefighters • #safetytip • #Tornado • #wx IS-42 Social Media in Emergency Management
Questions Carolyn Deming FEMA Region V External Affairs Digital Communications Carolyn.Deming@fema.dhs.gov 312-408-5543 @femaregion5