As some of you know, I'm very interested in how government and large organizations are using information systems, collaboration tools, and social media. This past weekend, I had a chance to read some of the trade magazines stacked under my desk and collecting dust. I came across a great article published in Government Computer News that discussed how emergency management is using social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter.
The artice, written by Rutrell Yasin, lists five ways to use social media for better emergency response which include:
- Reach a wider audience
- Send and receive emergency alerts
- Monitor the conversation
- Integrate data sources for situational awareness
- Collaborate with responders
The story gives a good snapshot to how social media is currently being used and hope to be used by various emergency management organizations. If you're interested in the article, the article is available online (and unfortunately the online format isn't as good as it is in print).