6 Lessons for Local Governments from Hurricane Sandy

The Superstorm Hurricane Sandy, the largest recorded Atlantic hurricane ever, struck the Caribbean and the Eastern Seaboard in late October 2012, causing and estimated $56.5 billion in damages and causing the death of more than 250 people. In terms of the numbers, it was one of the most devastating storms in recent memory. The Super Social Response And yet, the response to the crisis was, and continues to be, one of the smoothest, most coordinated and efficient responses – thanks in large part to the power of social media. Social media is a robust tool when it comes to uniting emergency response efforts and connecting people in times of crisis. Users of online networks quickly mobilize in a crisis to provide real-time information, spread important public safety messaging and coordinate relief efforts. Lessons Learned New York City (NYC) did an admirable job using social media during the emergency, and local governments can learn a lot from what went well in this situation. Local governments who tap into the power of social networks stand a better chance of keeping their residents informed and safe in our modern world. 1. IT Infrastructure is Key. First, the storm hit a very tech-savvy population, a large

percentage of which already had devices and were connected to existing networks. Increasingly, the focus isn’t on technology but on ensuring connectivity. Second, NYC, as part of its digital strategy roadmap, had an existing OPEN DATA initiative (cloud-based, secure servers) that meant it could still provide reliable, real-time access and info to residents and community organizations who wanted to help.

2. Learn from Past Mistakes. NYC learned from its challenges dealing with 2011’s Hurricane Irene and was better prepared this time round. Even if your local government doesn’t have a digital strategy in place, it’s still a good idea to update that operational plan with social media in mind.

3. Harness Goodwill. Never underestimate the power of cooperation and the outpouring of goodwill from people in the face of a crisis. During Hurricane Sandy, people wanted to help, and organized grassroots efforts, from meetup hackathons to Occupy Sandy to crowdsourcing funds for rebuilding efforts. These efforts are welcome and needed, but often lack emergency experience and can sometimes even hamper official efforts. If local governments are engaged online, they are help focus these goodwill efforts into effective channels and connect community efforts with the correct authorities.

4. Partner with Helpful Brands and Organizations. There are lots of brands – from Red Cross to Duracell – who want to be seen as helpful in an emergency. Local governments can leverage this brand interest in an emergency to ensure that brand involvement is genuinely helpful. Local governments can align their interests prior to an emergency, use brands as part of outreach efforts during an emergency, and make specific requests in the event of an emergency.

5. Beware the Spread of Misinformation. In the digital age social media can be a double-edged sword when it comes to emergency response (from scammers preying on disaster victims to the instant spread of rumours on platforms like Twitter). Local governments should be aware of this risk, and work to correct misinformation and remind people of reliable sources of information. It’s important for local governments to check their sources of information before broadcasting and determine a reliable network of allies and partners to help disseminate information or squash misinformation.

6. Don’t Ignore ‘Traditional Media’. Not everyone is on social media and in a time of crisis, radio messages and televised announcements can carry more weight than a 140-character tweet. The same principles of communications apply in an emergency: think about the habits of your audience (the demographic of your community and how those people already communicate – with each other and with you). This is particularly important in remote or smaller communities where cell phone/internet coverage may be spotty. Many cell phone providers and web providers were offline for days once Hurricane Sandy hit.

Things to Think About:

• Is your crisis communication plan up-to-date?

• Is your plan coordinated with neighbouring communities?

• Is IT part of your planning and emergency simulation training?

• Have you identified key influencers, those that can be relied upon to help you keep people informed and safe?

It’s important to remember that it is people who make a difference in emergency situations – the first responders saving lives on the ground, the volunteers running the evacuation centres – and local governments can support and coordinate these efforts if they have an effective social media presence. Interested in learning more about crisis communications, the role of social media and emergency response? Contact Kendallwood. We’d love to connect with you.