Use of mobile phone apps and social media usages in disaster situations

A large proportion of participants are likely or very likely to use both mobile phone apps and social media in disaster situations. For mobile phone apps, the likeliness of using them to warn or inform other app users is highest (77% likely or very likely), followed by the likeliness of usage for receiving messages/alerts (72%) and submitting information about disasters or disaster risks to authorities (71%). For the usage of social media in disaster situations, the picture is more differentiated, with the likeliness of using social media to inform oneself showing the highest results (81%) and usage to submit information to authorities the lowest. But with still 57% more than half of the participants indicated they would be likely or very likely to do so. Interesting, here, is that the likeliness to submit information to authorities in disaster situations appears to be higher when using mobile phone apps than when using social media.

Cultural Factors: Open-mindedness, Communication, Attitudes toward authorities

Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards

Disaster Phases: Response, Recovery

Types of Actors Concerned: National civil protection body, Local authorities, Government, Healthcare and emergency services

Recommendations:

• Social media can be a useful alternative communication channel in all stages of disaster management
• The use of new technologies (e.g. Bluetooth) can improve communication strategies in disaster management situations
• Use cultural factors to improve the effectiveness of disaster communication