Using Social Media To Communicate in Emergencies

Using Social Media to
Communicate in Emergencies
What We’re Covering
What is social media and why
is it important?
What is happening with
traditional media?
How will the public
communicate in an
emergency?
Examples of social media use
Getting Started tools
What is Social Media?
Social media are “primarily Internet-based tools for

sharing and discussing information among human
beings.
The term most often refers to activities that

integrate technology, social interaction, and the
construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.”
Source: Wikipedia
Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

Where Americans Get Their News
58% of Americans watch local

news
23% under age 30 read local

newspapers
34% of the public goes online to get news

(same % as those who listen to radio news).
Adding in cellphones, social media, and podcasts increases it to
44%.
36% get news from traditional and digital sources
39% rely solely on traditional sources

Source: www.People-Press.org Sept. 2010 survey

What is Social Media?
It’s a change in how people discover, read and

share news, information and content.
It transforms one-to-many monologue into many-

to-many dialogue.
Source: Wikipedia
Reaches People Where They Are!
Via text on a mobile phone
Through the web on a

mobile smartphone
On social networks, such

as Facebook and Linked In
On blogs and microblogs
Through online video

Big Media is in Flux!
Most newsrooms have

downsized ( reducida)
Newspapers are dying or in

severe financial trouble
Many TV stations hiring “all-

in-one” reporters who shoot,
report, edit and upload
stories
The Public’s Expectations Are Changing
No longer are the “experts” the

sole voice of authority (vertical
communication). Now, it’s a
horizontal model.
Social media, i.e. one’s friends,

colleagues, and others, have
become more trusted and
influential
You Must be Part of the Conversation!
See what happens if you’re

not.
Case-in-point:
Vaccinations
Anti-vaccination uploads
overwhelm reliable
information based on science
and research
Channels are Multiplying!
The number and

diversity of sources of
information will
continue to multiply
rapidly.
That makes it more

challenging to get your
message to the right
person with enough
frequency so that they
hear it.
Graphic Source: www.FredCavazza.net
Channels are Multiplying
In an emergency, it is critical to Radio

combine traditional outreach TV
methods with the best social Newspaper
media approaches to reach as YouTube
many people as possible as Facebook
quickly as possible with timely, Twitter
accurate information. Blogs
Photo stream
Podcast
The “News Cycle” is DEAD
In the world of the

Internet, there is no
news cycle. It is
continuous.
Sacramento County Public Health news conference - H1N1
Communicators are
expected to respond
immediately to feed
the demand for
information.
Sacramento County Joint Information Center

Anzio Williams, News Director, KCRA-TV 3Explains that a
photo and a caption can be a story
(Video removed from download version

of presentation due to file size limitations.
View video at the following link):
http://www.youtube.com/kshearer1#p/u/8/54EZKO8f99M
Source: Kerry Shearer interview of Anzio Williams

Social Media Leads the News
“Miracle on the Hudson” U.S. Air jet into the river:

first reports are from social media sources
(Accompanying video removed from download

version of presentation due to file size
limitations).

Haitian earthquake: tweets, Facebook messages, text

messages and more communicated the tragedy. The wireless
data network miraculously survived.

Nashville Flood: Twitter connected people with critical info,

such as closed roads, missing persons, emergency aid
stations, and volunteer opportunities.

San Bruno Gas Explosion: social media communicated news

of the disaster, photos, video, and was used as a news source
by the media
(Accompanying video removed from download
version of presentation due to file size
limitations).

Anzio Williams, News Director, KCRA-TV 3
Discusses social media; San Bruno, CA natural gas explosion

http://www.youtube.com/kshearer1#p/u/7/zIKnOhiGGBg
Source: Kerry Shearer interview of Anzio Williams

Roseville Galleria Mall Fire:
The Sacramento region shared the news via social media and
news organizations used citizen video and multiple social
media tools to gather information and report the news event
of significant regional interest
(Accompanying video removed from

download version of presentation
due to file size limitations).

Jason Montiel, Managing Editor, KCRA.com
Discusses use of Facebook; Roseville Galleria Mall fire (October, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/kshearer1#p/u/10/SwHo27j55x0
Source: Kerry Shearer interview of Jason Montiel

Sacramento County Public Health
Social Media Use: Northern California wildfires

Sacramento County Public Health
Social Media Use: H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic (2009-2010)
Twitter - Real-time clinic

updates, news releases
Facebook: Video, photos, interaction,

news releases
YouTube - Videos with critical

information & clinic updates
Skype - Live news interviews
uStream.tv: Live news

conference webcasting

Getting Started
Familiarize yourself with these tools now so you’re
comfortable with them and ready when a crisis hits
Do you have a social media champion who can lead these
efforts within your organization?
Get your management and I.T. staff on board.

Communications staff need access to these tools if they are
to be effective in meeting today’s demands.
Determine your communications objectives by defining

audiences, selecting your tools,

Amber Mac on Social Media BasicsSays it’s important to be authentic
and be consistent in your online presence

Though I only used a short excerpt in my presentation,

you can view the entire video
at the following link):
http://www.ambermac.com/archives/1250/my-abc-news-c
hat-5-tips-for-social-media-newbies/
Emergency News Releases
Drop the idea that you only release all-encompassing news
releases in an emergency
Newsrooms and the public are consuming information 140
characters at a time. Approved information should be
released the same way during an event.
Media and the public will be monitoring your social media

feeds. You’ll get critical information out faster and be
viewed as more responsive.
Short chunks of information are just what today’s

newsroom web content producers want

Emergency News Releases
Twitter widgets can save you time in an emergency

You can use Twitter to post
automatically on your Twitter page,
your Facebook page, your blog, your
web site, and your Emergency
Operations Center web site.
One message, sent from your phone,

goes instantly to multiple locations, so
you don’t have to log in separately to
update the sites.

Jason Montiel, Managing Editor, KCRA.comExplains that you
are now dealing with a web producer as well as a reporter

http://www.youtube.com/kshearer1#p/u/9/c7AWtCW3lug

Monitoring Social Media
Traditional TV newscast media monitoring is no longer

enough. Make sure you are also monitoring social media.
Google Alerts will search for keywords you select and send
you e-mail alerts
You can search Twitter using hashtags (# plus a keyword)
Technorati will allow you to search blogs to see what

others are saying about you

Books
Power Friending The New Rules of

(Amber Mac) Marketing & PR
(David Meerman Scott)

Social Media Policies
www.SocialMediaGovernance.com

Stay Current on Social Media
www.Mashable.com

www.Twit.tv

www.ProCommunicator.com.com

Tech Toolbox
Video camera
Cheap (Flip or Kodak Zi8) or $$$
Audio interface
Shure X2u XLR-USB; pro mic,
free Audacity software
Verizon Mi-Fi cellular broadband
Telestream Wirecast for

live streaming video

Thanks for Attending!
Contact Information:
www.KerryShearer.com
www.Twitter.com/KerryShe
arer
Kerry.Shearer@gmail.com

Using Social Media To Communicate in Emergencies

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Using Social Media to

Social media are “primarily Internet-based tools for

The term most often refers to activities that

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

58% of Americans watch local

23% under age 30 read local

34% of the public goes online to get news

36% get news from traditional and digital sources

39% rely solely on traditional sources

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

It’s a change in how people discover, read and

It transforms one-to-many monologue into many-

Via text on a mobile phone

Through the web on a

On social networks, such

On blogs and microblogs

Through online video

Most newsrooms have

Newspapers are dying or in

Many TV stations hiring “all-

No longer are the “experts” the

Social media, i.e. one’s friends,

See what happens if you’re

The number and

That makes it more

In an emergency, it is critical to Radio

In the world of the

Sacramento County Joint Information Center

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

(Video removed from download version

Source: Kerry Shearer interview of Anzio Williams

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

“Miracle on the Hudson” U.S. Air jet into the river:

(Accompanying video removed from download

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

Haitian earthquake: tweets, Facebook messages, text

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

Nashville Flood: Twitter connected people with critical info,

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

San Bruno Gas Explosion: social media communicated news

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

(Video removed from download version

Source: Kerry Shearer interview of Anzio Williams

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

(Accompanying video removed from

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

(Video removed from download version

Source: Kerry Shearer interview of Jason Montiel

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

Twitter - Real-time clinic

Facebook: Video, photos, interaction,

YouTube - Videos with critical

Skype - Live news interviews

uStream.tv: Live news

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

Get your management and I.T. staff on board.

Determine your communications objectives by defining

Using Social Media in Emergencies www.KerryShearer.com

(Video removed from download version

Though I only used a short excerpt in my presentation,

Media and the public will be monitoring your social media

Short chunks of information are just what today’s