Social media offer ways to engage, solicit, and encourage input as well as feedback from society on its needs, interests, and priorities. Additionally, it can help response agencies, both state and local, as well as organizations to educate, train, and identify and allocate resources appropriately. This allows agencies or organizations to efficiently leverage community structure as well as existing networks in case of emergencies or incidences, such as hurricanes and floods, providing a mechanism for people or community to participate in their own preparedness and safety. This paper will delve at discussing how agencies or organization in the state of Georgia are currently using social media. More specifically, the paper will discuss how Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) is currently using social media.
Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS)
GEMA/HS is a state agency that operates under the authority of the Emergency Act of 1981 to coordinate the state’s preparedness, response, and recovery efforts to disasters (GEMA/HS, 2019a). The agency works with local, state and federal government, as well as private sector organizations and faith-based community, to prevent and respond to emergencies –both natural and man-made emergencies. In addition, the agency provides technical assistance and safety training.
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How GEMA/HS use Social Media Best Practice
Online Collaboration and Multi-Media Information Sharing
One of the social media best practices outlined in the article Community Engagement and Social Media Best Practices is online collaboration and multi-media information sharing. GEMA/HS uses social media for online collaboration and multi-media information sharing. GEMA/HS launched a state-wide campaign, referred to as Ready Georgia, on January 2008 and the campaign was aimed at motivating Georgians to take action to prepare for a disaster. GEMA/HS developed an app, Ready Georgia App, in an effort to make Ready Georgia more accessible, and the app is available on mobile phones and tablets. The app contains disaster preparedness information and allows GEMA/HS to update preparedness information as well as real-time disaster news consistently. Since its implementation, Ready Georgia App has not only served as a one-stop-shop to get preparedness information but also provides Ready Kit checklist. Overall, Ready Georgia App is a preparedness campaign developed by GEMA/HS to provide Georgians with the information or knowledge needed to ensure that they effectively prepare for disasters. However, the agency is planning to retire its Ready Georgia App after launching a new mobile-friendly site. But this does not mean that Ready Georgia information will not be available on mobile phones and tablets.
Developing Creative and Engaging Content
Another social media best practices outlined in the article Community Engagement and Social Media Best Practices in developing creative and engaging content. GEMA/HS also use social media to develop creative and engaging content. The agency provides a platform for developing a custom emergency plan and Ready kit on its web portal, https://gema.georgia.gov/ (GEMA/HS, 2019b). GEMA/HS’s web portal contains all necessary information about emergencies, technical assistance, and training. Georgia has a history of hurricane occurrence and mid-August to late October marks the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season. Due to proximity to the Atlantic coastline, Georgia is at risk of hurricanes. The hurricanes, which form in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean, can result in catastrophic damage (GEMA/HS, 2019b). For this reason, GEMA/HS provides a platform on its web portal for developing a custom emergency plan as well as Ready kit. This enables the residents to understand the risks in emergencies, such as hurricanes and floods, as well as enable them to plan what do in the event of an evacuation.
Alerts and Warnings
GEMA/HS also uses social media to alert and warning to Georgians on issues relating to fire, floods, and hurricanes. GEMA/HS believes that advance training is the most powerful preparedness tool. The agency uses many social media platforms to inform Georgians of catastrophic events. Some of the platforms used by the agency to stay in touch with Georgians include NOAA Weather Radio, county alert Systems, television stations, AM/FM radio, and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). GEMA/HS uses the platforms stated above either to alert the public of severe weather, to warn the public and advise them on how to prepare themselves and respond to emergencies. Conclusively, social media have become a critical component of emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. Social media enable agencies and organizations to share information as well as connect with the community during all phases of a crisis. This is because it offers ways to engage, solicit, and encourage input as well as feedback from society on its needs, interests, and priorities. The paper discussed the three social media best practices used by Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency as per the Community Engagement and Social Best Practice article.
References
GEMA/HS. (2019a). Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. [Online]. Retrieved from: https://gema.georgia.gov/about-us. Accessed 4th August 2019. GEMA/HS. (2019b). GEMA/HS streamlines recovery process with creating of Disaster Recovery Division. [Online]. Retrieved from: https://gema.georgia.gov/press-releases/2019-07-16/gemahs-streamlines-recovery-process-creation-disaster-recovery-division. Accessed 4th August 2019. Homeland Security. (2012). Community engagement and social media best practices. [Online]. Retrieved from: https://www.ghinternational.com/docs/DHS_VSMWG_Community_Engagement_Formatted_May_2013_FINAL.pdf. Accessed 4th August 2019.
