The role of new media in disaster communication

New media is in an engaging actor that communicates in case of disaster. It provides new communication channels between citizens and government representatives or institutions with responsibilities in disaster management. Moreover, social media tools allow emergency managers to disseminate information to wider audiences, interact with the public, monitor social media networks to get a better sense of what’s happening on the ground during a crisis, get better situational awareness, and improve collaboration for sharing information during an emergency and sharing of best practices and lessons learned (Yasin 2010). Even though new media tools and channels are not available to all categories of target audiences, being mainly used by young people, social media and other new media instruments can help reach a wider audience and send and receive emergency alerts or information related to a disaster strike. Nowadays, social media tools and smart phones are used to reveal the situation and location of someone who was caught in a disaster, by simply using two or three clicks of a button (Yasin, 2010). Technology has considerably changed the way in which social media serves as a main channel of communication, helping to build a bridge between generations, as well as between citizens and governments and other public instructions.

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Cultural Factors: Norms/values, Attitudes toward the media, Age-related roles, Social networks

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

Disaster Phases: Recovery, Response, Preparedness, Prevention, All disaster phases

Types of Actors Concerned: Government, Active citizens, Non-active citizens, Local authorities, National civil protection body

Recommendations:

• Social media can be a useful alternative communication channel in all stages of disaster management
• Inform citizens about the risk they may face and about possible actions and measures, they can take to reduce vulnerability and better prepare themselves
• Use cultural factors to improve the effectiveness of disaster communication