Social Media &Emergency Management (SMEM)

Northwest Columbia Heights CommunityAssociation (NWCHCA)

November 16, 2011Jana Baldwin, MPH

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Outline

• Definition & data– Social Media & Mobile Phone technology

• Emergency Management stakeholders in theDistrict of Columbia

• SMEM Content Examples

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

What is Social Media• Online forms of communicating that any individual

can employ, like:• Blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. (PC Magazines)

A few facts-• 65% of online users use social networking sites• Most are young adult women 18-29• NO significant differences in use of social

networking sites based on race and ethnicity,household income, education level, lives in an urban,suburban, or rural environment. (Pew Internet & American Life Project, 8/26/11)

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Mobile phones & Apps• 83% of Americans own some kind of cell phone 9/11• 73% of cell phone owners text, 31% prefer to text 9/11• 43% of Americans own a phone with apps 11/11• 87% of English-speaking & 80% of non-English

speaking Hispanics own cell phones ‘10

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Why SMEM?• Disseminate information to a large group of

people• Timely & efficient- earthquakes, 9/11,

snowstorms• “Free”- Twitter, Facebook, blogger etc. are free

services• Services/industry designed to assist in SMEM

– SouthEast Emergency Response Network-

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Agency Twitterfollowers

Facebooklikes

MobileText program

DC MPD @dcpolicedept

2,5224,273 Alert DC- 1-way

NYPD @nypdnews

23,182No official

DC FEMS @dcfireems

10,718953 Alert DC

WMATA (Metro) @wmata

21,4772045 Mobile alerts-1-way

311/911 @311dcgov

522No 4 NO 311 click fix

HSEMA @DC_HSEMA

8,59573 Alert DC

Alert DC @dcalerts

7,588yes

CSOSA @lensipes

1,6412 NOJ. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Twitter Content

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Who monitors social mediasites/text alerts?

• Varies by jurisdiction and agency– Some agencies utilize their PIO- public information

officer, others actual police, fire, or trained civilians• MPD-

– combination of civilian employee’s and police thatmonitor and update twitter for 24/7 coverage

– Civilian employee that updates Facebook forevents & some crime alerts

– Police update text alertsJ. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Small Group Recommendations

• Stakeholder Concerns• Policy Issues• Initiatives• Communication• Timeline

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11

Pew Internet & American Life Projecthttp://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Social-Networking-Sites.aspxhttp://pewinternet.org/Media-Mentions/2011/Pew-73-of-Cellphone-Owners-Text.aspxhttp://pewinternet.org/Media-Mentions/2011/More-Than-One-Third-of-American-Adults-Own-a-Smartphone.aspxhttp://pewinternet.org/Media-Mentions/2011/Hispanics-lead-US-embrace-of-mobile-technology.aspxhttp://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Cell-Phones.aspx

International Chiefs of Police Center for Social Mediahttp://www.iacpsocialmedia.org/

Federal Emergency Management Agency Bloghttp://blog.fema.gov/

Southeast Emergency Response Networkhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/southeast-emergency-response-network-seern-Share best practices in information sharing, critical infrastructure protection, domestic security, emergency management and public

health.

J. Baldwin, MPH 11.15.11