Social media has been involved in all spheres of our lives. This order explores how social media can be used in emergency situations. Emergency managers can use social media to manage any emergency and gather information regarding the emergency. The pros and cons of social media have also been explored in the paper.
Social Media and Emergency Communications
Social Media Emergency Communications Social media popular crucial crisis emergency communications. Responders communicating public social media outlets, public communicating, responders. Individuals provide important information disaster
The pros and cons
Social media has allowed people to communicate with a large group of people in real time. The integration of social media in mobile devices has also spread its reach, which has allowed for ease of communication between individuals. In an emergency situation, people will use social media to share information with others and relevant authorities. This would allow emergency worker to better understand the emergency situation, which would allow them to make the necessary preparations White, 2011.
People are finding it easier to report emergencies using social media. Government agencies have discovered that people will first share any emergency situation on social media, and they are monitoring social sites in order to respond promptly to any disaster. Social media provides tools like video uploading, photos sharing, and information distribution, which would be very useful for any disaster agency. Social media can also be used to reach a wider audience to report an emergency. Government agencies can use social media to communicate information regarding a disaster, and they can be sure that the information will be received by a wider audience. This is because majority of people use social media on a daily basis.
Social media in a disaster can lead to panic in case the information is not communicated properly. If a person shares information regarding a disaster, there is a chance that though the disaster might not have a huge impact it can cause panic. Rumors can also be spread using social media. If the information shared is false, people would think there is a disaster and emergency teams might respond only to find it was a false alarm. Therefore, emergency teams need to verify the information they receive on social media.
Ways technology is changing the emergency management field
Emergencies can now be communicated to a larger audience. This would provide necessary information to people and ensure that the community does not get caught in the emergency. People are able to get public warning on social media. This way people who are not near a television or radio will also be updated regarding any emergency. This is mainly because emergency teams are on social media and they post any warnings on social media. Trapped disaster victims are able to use social media to communicate to emergency teams Baule & Lewis, 2012.
This allows the emergency workers to quickly pin point their location and rescue the trapped persons. The victims can also use social media to request for assistance.
Social media can also be used for disaster preparedness. When emergency teams build trust and credibility with people before a disaster, it is most likely that people will use social media to communicate any emergency. This way the emergency teams can reduce the likelihood of people providing false information. Ushahidi has provided the necessary platform for people to share emergency information. The platform allows for the GPS location to be communicated and this allows the response teams to find any victim easily. Since the GPS location is captured it is easy for the dispatchers to identify the closest emergency team to allow for a quick response. Social media can also be used for information collection. This would allow emergency teams to preempt an emergency and be prepared to handle the emergency. In situations like earthquakes, tsunami, or flooding, there is usually a time lag from when the disaster occurs and information regarding the disaster. People will post information regarding the disaster before it actually occurs, and it is the response teams' work to gather this information and verify its authenticity. This way they can avert a disaster and reduce the number of casualties.
Balancing social media influence with historic standardized procedures
Emergency managers can incorporate social media with their standardized emergency procedures. This way when someone in a specific location sends an update in social media they can receive this information. This way the emergency managers are able to receive distress calls from all locations. The emergency managers can also train their staff to monitor social media searching for specific keywords in order to determine when an emergency occurs. They can also use social media to prepare people in case of an emergency. By developing an online community, the emergency managers are able to receive information when an emergency occurs, and people will know what to during the emergency Crowe, 2012.
The community will also know whom to contact on social media to report any emergency. Normal emergency procedures are well documented, and by using social media, the emergency managers can educate the public on the procedures of an emergency.
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