Disasters 2.0 The Application of Social Media Systems for Modern Emergency Management

Emerging social media and so-called Web 2.0 technologies will continue to have a great impact on the practice and application of the emergency management function in every public safety sector. Disasters 2.0: The Application of Social Media Systems for Modern Emergency Management prepares emergency managers and first responders to successfully apply social media principles in the operations, logistics, planning, finance, and administrative aspects of any given disaster.

Using real-life examples of domestic and international disasters, the book reveals how social media has quickly become a powerful tool for both providing emergency instruction to the public in real time and allowing responding agencies to communicate among themselves in crisis. A definitive and comprehensive source, the book explores topics such as:

• Social media basics
• Citizen journalism
• Strategic implementation
• Safety and responsibility
• Monitoring and analytics
• Operational implementation
• Geolocation systems
• Crowdsourcing
• Public notification
• Mobile and other emerging technologies

Each chapter begins with a list of objectives and includes a collection of case examples of social media use in past events. Practitioner profiles show real people implementing the technology for real solutions. Demonstrating how to effectively apply social media technology to the next crisis, this is a must-read book for those charged with disaster management and response.

Section I: Social Media, Organizational Engagement, and the Impact of Citizens. Introduction to the Application of Social Media in Modern Emergency Management. Social Media Systems: Overview and Purpose. Citizen Journalism: The Rise and Impact of New Media. Mountains or Molehills: Engagement Challenges in the Application of Social Media. The Yellow Tape Conundrum: Citizen and Responder Responsibility. Section II: Social Media Policy, Procedure, Integration, and Analysis. Who’s the Sheriff in These Parts? Monitoring and Analysis of Social Media Information. White Hot or White Noise? Aggregation and Validation of Social Media Information. When Status Quo Becomes Obsolete: Modern Integrated Emergency Warning and Notification Strategies. Volunteer and Donations Management 2.0: How Social Media Has Revolutionized the Management and Recruitment of People and Supplies. The Elephant in the Emergency Operations Center: The Fundamental Flaw within Formal Response Systems. Section III: Social Media Tools and the Power of Virtual Community. It Takes a Village to Raise a Prepared Community: The Power and Purpose of Crowdsourcing. The Beaten Browser: The Rise of Video, Voice, and Information on the Go. Location, Location, Location: The Power of Geospatial Technologies and the Environment on Social Systems. Get Your Head into the Cloud: Available Tools and Systems to Improve Emergency Management Functions. Appendices. Index.

Adam Crowe, CEM, MPA, Assistant Director, Johnson County Emergency Management & Homeland Security, Kansas, USA