How Social Media is Changing the Media

There is a battle raging,

It is a battle between transformation and stagnation,

Social media says, here we go,

Traditional media says, wait a minute,

Social media says, I am small and nimble ,

Traditional media says, I am old and slow

I don’t know what you think

For me, I say,  traditional media is like a hippo

And social media is like a cheetah

Who do you think will win the battle?

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Chilling Story of a Man-Made Disaster

Very often we live side by side with smoldering disasters. Most often we ignore them as we pursue our economic interest.

This story from Oklahoma, will make you to stop and think. It will make you to ask yourself, do I know enough about my neighborhood and who are my neighbors?

Are You Living in Toxic Town Like This One?

Culled from CNN

Gideon F. For-mukwai, CEM

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California and Nevada are Disaster Buddies

In the social arena, it is often said what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” but when it comes to disasters, “what happens in California may well come to Nevada”, Ms. Dee Grimm, RN, JD, Program Manager, Nevada Statewide Evacuation, Mass Care and Sheltering Initiative, has said.

Some disaster management professionals like myfelf, believe that when California sneezes, Nevada catches a cold. This was very evident in the summer of last year when the Trcukee Meadows Valley was engulfed in thick smoke from hundreds of fires in Northern California.

In many ways, California and Nevada are closely related and can be seen as disaster partners, Ms Grimm explained. The program manager highlighted the fact that California and Nevada have a special geographic relationship that can not be ignored in planning for evacuations or mass fatalities.

In Western states as in Gulf states, the interstate system is of vital importance in planning for disasters because any large scale incidents can adversely spread or overspill beyond state frontiers.

Local hazard vulnerability analysis shows that the state of Nevada is vulnerable to wild land fires, floods, extreme weather andearthquakes. None of these hazards is as bad as having a population that is unprepared. “Complacency” Ms Grimm said, “will get more people hurt than any hazard we may face.”

Planning for disasters in Nevada is challenging because planners have to account not only for urban populations but also for a sparsely populated rural areas with minimal resources. In some counties there are dedicated emergency management staff, an in others, it is the the sheriffs who already have many other preoccupations.

On the issue of disclosure of evacuation routes and the locations of public shelters, the program manager said it is “tricky question”. She indicated that there are pros and cons for disclosure of shelters.

However, she believes that public shelters should be disclosed so you can decrease the change of people not knowing where to go and of exposing themselves to greater dangers of the hazard. Ms. Dee Grimm, RN, JD is the Chief Executive Officer at Emergency Management Professionals.

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Why Public Safety Authorities Must Look Before They Leap With Social Media

It is not good enough to just embrace social media without thinking through what you want to achieve it. There is no doubt that every state, county or city needs some element of social media to be able to tap into the issues that average citizens face.

I believe that public safety authorities need social media to build social capital is absolutely critical in building community. Social capital helps communities in building stronger and healthier relationships based on trust. Trust is an asset of critical survival during times of a disaster.

Learn the Tools
The best way deal with social media is to learn the tools and the way to get optimum benefits from these tools. Some social media tools require customization to give your city a unique identity. Thus, before engaging in Twitter, take time to learn how to use twitter applications that help you get the best out of micro-blogging.

Examine Competitors’ Footprints
Another option is to examine the footsteps and footprints of your competitors and collaborators. You will be amazed to see how other jurisdictions are using social media in engaging the public in a conversation. Some cities like LA are using Twitter, Facebook and blogs to get the word out about their public programs.

Ask  for Advice
It cost nothing to ask questions.  Before implementing or integrating a particular system, it is important to seek the wisdom of the crowd or those with whom you are working. Find out what most of the people in your area are using. If it is Facebook, then, it makes sense for you to set up an account that enables you to relate to them before, during and after a disaster.

Peek into Trends
It is of no point investing time and resources into a social media tool that does not have a huge following. For example, when you examine the relative levels of growth and demographics of Facebook and MySpace, you will realize that tools that support photos and videos are continuing to grow significantly.

If you fail to look before you leap, you will leap and trip and fall.

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Reno Firefighters Will Keep Their Jobs

Late this evening, Reno firefighters worked a deal with the City of Reno to keep their jobs and have a freeze on two pay raises.

The deal comes against a backdrop of intense negotiations, after the city had served notices to the public safety officers that their jobs were on the line.

The Reno Gazette Journal carries the story this evening indicating that Brad Jensen, president of the local 731 International Association of Fire Fighters and Mayor Bob Cashell of the City of Reno brought the news to the relieve of several family members who had been troubled by the consequences of the layoffs.

Both sides had gone through a tough day of negotiations in which the senior management of the city met with family members of the firefighters. In the course of the day, there was no sign that the deal was going to go through, but it did.

We believe this is a good decision for everyone in the Biggest Little City in the World. It was a conciliatory deal. The public will be safer, the firefighters get to keep their jobs and the City of Reno gets to be able to control cost in a time of economic slow down. 

Hail this deal. Hail public safety in our city. If you share this view with me, leave a comment on what you think about this development.

Gideon F. For-mukwai

Crisis/Emergency Blogger, Reno, Nevada

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