How social media is changing disaster response

Reading Summary #9-Ray Huntzinger

 

Reference: Skarda, E. (2011, June 9). How social media is changing disaster response. Time US. Retrieved on November 9, 2013, from http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2076195,00.html

 

Theme: This article relays sever successful stories of social media use during the 2011 Joplin tornado and Japanese earthquake.

 

Summary:

 

·         Dozens of Facebook pages sprouted up following the Joplin tornado, allowing survivors to quickly get information, check on the status of family/friends, and comforting survivors and families/friends of survivors.

·         Many survivors of the Joplin tornado relied on social media rather than information and assistance from traditional services like the Red Cross and local relief agencies.

·         Although the resident of Joplin mainly used social networks during the storm recovery, Japanese citizens used Facebook, Twitter, and Mix to send warnings during the event, ask for help, and pass on information.

·         Twitter reported a record number of tweets the day of the 2011 Japanese earthquake.

·         Following the Japanese earthquake many citizens used Facebook and Twitter to connect with family/friends and to receive situational updates.

·         Social media was the primary mechanism that gave Japanese citizens an underlying picture of the status of the events.

 

Application to the lesson topic:

The article acted as proof that people have and will rely on social media during and following major disasters. One has to only look at the number of people connecting with family members and ascertaining information to be convinced of the impact social media has during a disaster. The lesson provided the class with an opportunity to get familiar with Twitter which was one of the major social media mechanisms during the 2011 Japanese earthquake.

 

Application to emergency services:

The lesson familiarized me with Twitter as an emergency preparation, response, and recovery tool; and the article convinced me that modern-day emergency management agencies must tap into this resource. Although traditional methods of emergency messaging should continue, the future involves social media and its many mechanisms.