How do emergency managers use social media platforms?

Area of Science:

• Disaster Management
• Communication Studies
• Sociology

Background:

• Social media platforms are increasingly vital for communication among victims, humanitarians, volunteers, and the public during disasters.
• Research indicates broad applicability across various disaster types (human-caused, natural, terrorist) both domestically and internationally.
• Emergency management agencies have shown reluctance in adopting social media as a primary communication tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the utility of social media for emergency management communications.
• To analyze the specific ways social media platforms were utilized by an emergency management agency post-disaster.

Main Methods:

• An observational approach was employed to analyze public posts from an emergency management agency.
• Data collection occurred over a 30-day period following a series of tornadoes.
• Two distinct social media platforms were assessed for their usage patterns.

Main Results:

• Social media platforms facilitate communication for diverse disaster stakeholders.
• Emergency management agencies can effectively use social media to connect with affected populations.
• The study identified opportunities for forming unconventional partnerships through social media engagement.

Conclusions:

• Social media presents a valuable, underutilized tool for enhancing emergency management communication strategies.
• Leveraging social media's connective capabilities can improve disaster response and victim support.
• Agencies should consider integrating social media to broaden their reach and foster collaborations.