The social media for emergency management continuum has six stages of integration; those stages are outlined below with the

identified actions at each stage.

Stage 1 No Social Media: Social media has been identified as a business need by the organization. During times of crisis, social

media is proving to be an effective tool for communicating with organizations, public safety authorities, and citizens. It is now

the job of EOC to research best practices in the use of social media in emergency management.

Key actions supporting the continuum:

establish senior government executives as champions for engagement

Business case

cost benefit analysis

Social media strategy

Project charter

Stage 2 Limited use of Social media: The first step is the acceptance of how social media platforms are used in emergency

communications. What this means to EOC’s is that the organization has to move at the speed of their audience and that means,

in some cases, using social media as an old-fashioned one-way communications tool. These tools become an extension of an

EOC’s alerting/notification processes.

Key actions supporting the continuum:

Resourcing

Policy change

Policy guidelines

Social media guidelines

Social media checklists

Communications strategy

Crisis communications plan

Strategic training strategy

Crisis communication information system team

Social media tools'

Stage 3 Interactive use of Social Media: EOC’s will integrate social media into a strategic web-based information strategy. At

this stage EOC’s will have a well-established understanding of what is being communicated when crisis happens and the staff

and leadership understand that monitoring is a key component to obtain situational awareness. EOC’s will begin to engage with

key "influencers" that can help shape public perception of their response.

Key actions supporting the continuum:

Governance structure

Social media web site development that is aligned with the EOC’s emergency communications strategy and social media

strategy

business-driven IM/IT strategies

1 communications manager, 1 social media specialist

15 temporary emergency assignment management system public information officers

5 internal staff trained in the use of social media including leadership

established private public partnerships with government and external organizations

coordinated partnerships with key influencers and organizations

Step 4 Conversational use of social media: This is the first true stage of social media engagement, this is where EOC’s listen,

learn, and engagetheir users. EOC’s would have a full understanding of who their key stakeholders are and who may be helpful

to them in building relationships. EOC’s should go out and engage with communities on different social media platforms. At this

point in the engagement spectrum EOC’s should know who to interact with to counter false information and dispel rumors. The

primary aspect of this phase allows EOC’s to create a favorable public perception of their response.

Key actions supporting the continuum:

Social media monitoring program

Social media monitoring / management systems

Social media technology strategy

Social media engagement guidelines

Situational awareness strategy

Scalable social media strategy

Social media measurement strategy

1 FTE- communications officer

Step 5 Operational use of social media: EOC’s have now fully operationalized social media into multiple applications- such as

mobile applications and common operating pictures. This creates the provision of prompt, effective and accurate emergency

information that empowers citizens and volunteers to work with EOC’s. This means EOC’s become aware of, and use to some

degree, data provided by digital volunteers. EOC’s uses social media as a volunteer mobilization tool and is using data by

citizens and volunteers in affected areas. This improves EOC’s and societies situational awareness.

Key actions supporting the continuum:

Alignment with the IM/IT Strategies

prepare to support next generation devices

mobile/location integration strategy

Crowd source integration strategy

Volunteer strategy

Step 6. Integrated use of social media: The last step in this continuum integrates the validation of user data, EOC’s have

trusted relationships and have worked with volunteer organizations to help train their people so they have confidence in the

information they provide. EOC’s would integrate external data streams and analyses in the EOC by using GIS-enabled software

and social media platforms.

EOC’s can now expand social media into all aspects of emergency management, including other programs, other governments

and branches with mandates related to emergency response and business continuity and global, community-based online

networks.

Key actions supporting the continuum:

Alignment with the Canadian interoperability action plan for Canada / strategy

Alignment with the IM/IT Strategies

GIS integration strategy

Volunteer employment policy change

establish open source solutions guidelines

establish open data policy