Social media has become both popular and crucial in crisis and emergency communications. Responders are not only communicating to their public through social media outlets, the public is communicating with each other, and with responders. Individuals are able to provide important information on disaster impacts, including location and imagery, using nothing more than a smart phone equipped with a camera and GPS locator. The disaster management website www.ushahidi.com has formalized on a global scale the way that individuals may contribute to building emergency response and recovery information. Visit this website and read about one or more uses of the technology in practice.
Describe the pros and cons of this new phenomenon and explain where the greatest shifts can occur.
Identify and describe some of the ways technology is changing the emergency management field.
How can emergency managers balance the influence of social media inputs with historic standardized procedures?