1. SOCIAL MEDIA IN
EMERGENCIES

2. BACKGROUND
The use of social media tools and mobile technology
in Canada has steadily grown, and experts predict
that social media, in the future, will continue to
mature and become accessible by more people in
the mainstream audience.
As a result of these new communication tools, Red
Cross Societies around the world have been looking
at the impact this will have and is already having on
disaster response.
2

3. RED CROSS USING SOCIAL MEDIA IN DISASTERS
 American Red Cross launches its Digital Operations Center in 2012
and is currently training a team of digital volunteers to offer assistance
in times of disaster.
 DOC serves as the hub of operations to monitor social media activity:
source additional information from affected areas; spot trends and
better anticipate the public’s needs; and connect people with the
resources they need, like food, water, shelter, or emotional support.

4. EXAMPLES:
HOW SOCIAL MEDIA WAS USED IN
SANDY
Section shows screen captures of the Canadian Red Cross’s involvement and
responses on behalf of the American Red Cross

5. EXAMPLE OF THE
TYPES OF
INFORMATION THE
RED CROSS IS
MONITORING;
MENTIONS OF
DAMAGE REPORTS
IS HIGHEST,
FOLLOWED BY
DONATIONS AND
MENTIONS OF RED
CROSS

6. PROVIDING
PREPAREDNESS
INFORMATION:
VOLUNTEERS
SHARED
PREPAREDNESS
TIPS PRIOR TO
THE STORM, NOT
ONLY TO THOSE
PEOPLE
CONNECTING
WITH THE RED
CROSS

7. CALLS FOR HELP:
NEEDS IN SOME
AREAS FIRST
IDENTIFIED
THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA. PROVIDE
SUPPORT AND
INFORMATION TO
THOSE AFFECTED.

8. During Tropical Storm Isaac, the Digital Operations
Centre was launched; picked up 42,000 social
conversations about Isaac.
Conversations were broken down further into categories:
8

9. In Canada, the Red
Cross is using social
media in disasters:
- Responding to
requests for assistance
- Promoting disaster
preparedness
- Providing information
during domestic and
international disasters
- Disseminate info with
support of Twitter
volunteers
- Monitoring community
Facebook pages,
providing info
9

10. TRENDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA USE
 Facebook = 800+ million users
 YouTube is 490 million unique visitors
 2.25+ million people have Twitter accounts
 1.9 million tweets sent on an average day
 55% of users access Twitter via mobile
 135million LinkedIn users, up from 85 million in 2010
 25.5 million mobile phone subscribers in 2011; 10 million own
smartphones; 29% access social networking from mobile

11. THE SURVEY
WHY
 Look at how Canadians are using social media in emergencies
 To better understand social media habits and expectations on
disaster responders
The Canadian survey asks questions to determine:
 Canadians use of social media
 Likelihood to follow emergency responders in social media to get
information during disasters
 Likelihood of using social media to receive information on
disaster preparedness
 Expectations of first responders and disaster responders
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 11

12. KEY LEARNINGS
 The majority use social media sites regularly
 Canadians expect emergency responders to use
social media; many expect they are prepared to
respond to calls for help
 Many indicated they would sign up for electronic
alerts to receive important information during
disasters
 While many Canadians have experienced some form
of personal disaster, the majority have not taken
steps to prepare for disasters

13. SURVEY RESULTS:
DETAILED FINDINGS
15

14. PARTICIPATION IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES OR SOCIAL
MEDIA NETWORKS
Online communities or
social networks participated in
Facebook 97%
YouTube 42%
Participate in online communities
or social media networks Twitter 24%
LinkedIn 23%
No, Google+ 21%
36% Yes Blogging 8%
64%
Pinterest 8%
Flickr 4%
Foursquare 1%
Myspace 1%
Other Mentions 3%
16

15. FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATING IN ONLINE
COMMUNITIES OR SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS
Every day or
62%
nearly every day
A few times a week 21% 84%
Once a week 7%
A few times a
6%
month
Once a month or
3%
less often
17

16. DEMOGRAPHICS
 There are several examples in the survey where
younger audiences (age 18-34), women and those
with children in the house are indicating similar
preferences or habits in the poll, including being
more likely to:
Use social media every day
Sign up for specific types of information in
emergencies
Use social media to let friends/ family know they
are safe
Follow Red Cross to receive emergency updates
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 19

17. INFORMATION IN
EMERGENCIES
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 20

18. FOLLOW THE RED CROSS FOR DISASTER INFO
About half of Canadians say they definitely or probably would
follow the Canadian Red Cross in social media to receive updates
in the event of an emergency
Definitely would Probably would Might or might not
% Definitely/
Probably would not Definitely would not Don't know Probably Would
20% 31% 21% 18% 10% 51%
22

19. LIKELIHOOD OF SIGNING UP FOR TEXT OR EMAIL
ALERTS TO RECEIVE INFORMATION IN DISASTERS
% Definitely/
Probably Would
Definitely would Probably would Might or might not Probably would not Definitely would not
Sign up for text or email alerts 45%
16% 29% 23% 18% 13%
to receive information about
general disaster preparedness
28% 32% 15% 15% 10% 60%
Location of medical services
26% 31% 17% 15% 10% 58%
How to keep yourself safe
Shelter locations 24% 31% 18% 15% 12% 55%
Preparedness information 23% 28% 21% 17% 11% 51%
Location of Red Cross
22% 30% 20% 17% 11% 51%
reception centres
24

20. PREFERENCE FOR METHOD OF RECEIVING
INFORMATION ABOUT EMERGENCIES
Emails 39%
Texts 25%
Smart phone
13%
applications
None of the above 20%
Don't know 4%
25

21. MOBILE APPS AND THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
 Mobile apps and social media are fourth-most
popular way to get information in an emergency
 20 percent of Americans said they have gotten some
kind of emergency information from an app
 The Red Cross introduced apps for shelter
locations, first aid tips and hurricane preparedness
 More preparedness apps introduced in Fall 2012
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 26

22. ALERTING LOVED ONES
 Just over half of Canadians say they definitely or
probably would use social media outlets to let
friends and family know they were safe in an
emergency
 Forty percent of Americans surveyed in 2012 said
they would use social tools to tell others they are
safe, up from 24 percent last year
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 28

23. EXPECTATIONS ON
EMERGENCY
RESPONDERS
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 30

24. Just over half of respondents say the Canadian Red Cross/
emergency services currently monitor social media, while two
thirds say that they should
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don't know/ not sure
Emergency responders like fire fighters and the police
currently/should monitor social media websites
% Strongly/
Somewhat
currently… 20% 35% 14% 7% 24% Agree
55%
should… 26% 40% 17% 10% 8%
66%
Disaster response agencies like the Canadian Red Cross
currently/should monitor social media websites
currently… 18% 36% 13% 5% 28%
54%
should… 27% 40% 17% 8% 8%
67%
31

25. RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR HELP
Amount of time it would take for emergency
Think emergency services would services to respond to a posted request for help
respond to a posted request for
help on a social media site
15 minutes or
31%
less
One hour
No, 6 Yes, or less: 84%
5% 35% 16 to 30
24%
minutes
31 to 60
18%
minutes
• Fewer respondents
aged 18-34 expect
More than 60 response time to
22% be one hour or less
minutes
(61%)
Don't know 4%
32

26. COMPARE TO AMERICAN RED CROSS SURVEY
 About one in three respondents (65%) think
emergency services would respond to a request for
help posted on social media
 Three out of four Americans (76 percent) expect help
in less than three hours of posting a request on
social media, up from 68 percent last year.
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 33

27. EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 34

28. EXPERIENCING DISASTERS
About two in five respondents have experienced a loss of
electricity for more than 72 hours or have experienced
hurricanes, tornadoes or severe storms; about a third have
experienced more than one of the disasters described
Loss of electricity for more
41%
than 72 hours
NET NUMBER OF
DISASTERS
Hurricanes, tornadoes, or EXPERIENCED
38%
severe storms
2 or
48%
more
Flooding 16% 3 or
13%
more
4 or
4%
more
Fire 12%
All 5 2%
An evacuation order as a
9%
result of disaster
36

29. Two in three respondents say they have not Reasons for not taking steps to
taken steps to prepare in the event of a prepare in the event of a disaster
disaster – most often saying they think it’s
unlikely to happen or they haven’t thought
about it
This type of disaster unlikely to occur in my
area
27%
Taken steps to prepare in Never thought about it 21%
the event of a disaster
No time/ never got around to it 12%
No, Unnecessary/ no need 11%
Yes
34 66 Already prepared/ know what to do 8%
% %
Not concerned/ don't care 7%
Should consider/ begin to be prepared 3%
Feel safe/ secure 3%
Preparations are underway/ being implemented 2%
No plan in place/ don't know what to do 2%
No reason 3%
Other mention 9%
Don't know/ not sure 8%
37

30. KEY TAKE-AWAYS
 Social media is a key communications tool in times
of emergencies
 There is a need for emergency responders to
continue exploring the use of social media in
operations
 Canadians have expectations of emergency/
disasters responders to be using social media
 Emergency management leaders need to consider
integrating social media into operations
MONTH DAY, YEAR TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION 38