Harnessing the Power of Social Media in Times of Crisis

About 20 percent of the emergency management community is involved in some form of social media, according to Kim Stephens, a senior associate at Abt Associates and creator of the blog iDisaster. Some 550 emergency management offices have a presence on Facebook, including many state offices. “It all boils down to having an avenue for communications,” Stephens said. “If you look at the way people are communicating with each other, they don't watch the news, especially the younger generation,” Stephens said. “They are looking for content when and where they want it. If you are not in that space, you are missing an opportunity.” Twitter’s promise of two-way talk is one that pervades social networks, and it’s a major draw for emergency managers looking not just to disseminate their message, but also to hear what the public has to say. In particular, social networks can be a boon to situational awareness.