SocialMediainDisastersand Emergencies

OnlineSurveyof1,046respondentsand telephonesurveyof1,011respondents.

ReportDate:Summer,2011

Methodology:
TwosimilarpollswerefieldedduringtheperiodJune2327byCARAVAN ORC Internationalusingtwomethodologies:
OnlineSurveyof1,046respondentsrepresentativeoftheUSpopulationaged18and olderonJune2326,2011.Respondentsfortheonlinesurveywereselectedfromamong thosewhohavevolunteeredtoparticipateinonlinesurveysandpolls.Thedatahave beenweightedtoreflectthedemographiccompositionofthe18+population.Because thesampleisbasedonthosewhoinitiallyselfselectedforparticipation,noestimatesof samplingerrorcanbecalculated. Telephonesurveyof1,011U.S.Adults18yearsandolderonJune2427,2011conducted byCARAVAN ORCInternational.Marginoferroris+/ 3.1percentagepointsatthe95% confidencelevel.

Atelephonemethodologyisindustrystandardanddatafromthissampleoffer insightintoperceptions,behaviors,andexpectationsoftheoverallU.S.population. Inthefollowingpollsummary,telephonesurveyrespondentsarereferredtoasthe generalpopulation.Datafromtheonlinesamplegiveadetailed viewof perceptions,behaviors,andexpectationsofpeoplewhospendtimeonline. Whereappropriate,comparisonsvalueshavebeenincludedfromtheprevious onlinesurveyof1,058respondentsaged18andolderconductedonJuly2223, 2010byCARAVAN ORCInternational.

Nearly half of the general population participates in online communities or social networks.

No, 52%

Yes, 48%

Those in the general population who reside in metropolitan areas are more likely to participate in online communities or social networks (51 percent vs. 40 percent for those who reside in non-metro areas).

Do you participate in any online communities or social networks, such as Facebook or Twitter ?

Nearly 8 in 10 (79 percent) of the online population participates in at least one online community or social network. Facebook is by far the most popular social media channel.
Facebook YouTube MySpace Twitter Yahoo Groups LinkedIn Forums A blog Flickr Other Yelp FourSquare None
0% 10% 20%

58% 31%

68%

33%

13%
15%

24%
Compared to last year, more Americans online participate in at least one online community or social network: July 2010 June 2011 72% 79%

16% 16%

12% 12%
9%

5% 9%
7%

7%

5% 6% 3% 4%
2%

4% 21% 28%
30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

1% 2%

July-10

Jun-11

Which of the following online communities or social networks do you participate in?
4

For both the general and online populations, differences in who uses social networks are similar. Respondentswithchildreninthehouseholdaremorelikelytouse socialmedia:
Online:87%vs.76%forthosewithoutchildreninthehousehold. Telephone:62%vs.41%forthosewithoutchildreninthehousehold.

Collegeeducatedrespondentsaremorelikelytousesocialmedia
Online:83%vs.73%forthosewithahighschooldiplomaorless. Telephone:56%vs.39%forthosewithahighschooldiplomaorless.

Youngerrespondentsaremorelikelytousesocialmedia:
Online:93%ofrespondents1834vs.72%ofthose35yearsandolder. Telephone:79%ofrespondents1834vs.37%ofthose35yearsand older.

Which of the following online communities or social networks do you participate in?
5

More than half of those who use social media participate every day or nearly every day.
Base= 79%(online) and 48% (phone) who participate in any online communities or social networks

Once a month or less Few times a month Once a week

8%
7%

6%
9%

8%
9%

Few times a week Every day or nearly

0% 10%

22%
19%

57%
55%
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Online

General Pop.

How often do you participate in these online communities or social networks?

6

While TV news is the preferred source of emergency information for both groups, more than six in ten of the general public and nearly half of the online population rely on online news.
TV new s Local radio station Online new s Facebook NOAA w eather radio Local utility or gov w ebsite Online sites for disaster agencies Mobile apps Tw itter Text alerts from local gov Other Flickr None of these 0%

51% 48% 18% 18% 14% 12% 10% 27% 25% 23%

68% 73% 63%

90%

Since June 2010, more of the online population turns to online news as a source of emergency information: June 11 Online news 48% July 10 37%

18% 14% 5% 6% 8% 10% 17%

2% 1% 2% 2%

11%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Online

General Pop.

Which of the following communication channels have you ever used to get information about an emergency such as a power outage, severe weather, flash flood, hurricane, earthquake, or tornado?

General population: Nearly half of respondents would sign up for emails, text alerts or applications that provided safety information.
Definitely would, 6% Definitely would not, 23%
Among the general public, women and those residing in metropolitan areas are more likely to sign up: 32 percent vs. 23 percent for men and 30 percent vs. 20 percent for those residing in non-metro areas.

Probably would, 21%

Probably would not, 27%

Might or might not, 20%

Balance=Dont Know

How likely would you be to sign up for emails, text alerts or applications that provided you with information on how to keep yourself safe during and after an emergency? Would you say you?

Online population: Compared to last year, more respondents would sign up for emails, text alerts, or applications for information on road closures.
Road closures Evacuation routes Location of food/water Location of medical services Where to get gas Shelter locations How to keep yourself safe during and after an emergency Preparedness information
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

50%

57%

52%

56%

53% 50% 46%

55%

54%

52%

50% 48%

51%

49%

46%
50%

48%
60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Note: Percentages indicate those who probably or definitely would.

Jul-10

Jun-11

How likely would you be to sign up for emails, text alerts, or applications that provided you with the following information in an emergency?
9

Nearly one in five online and one in seven general public respondents experienced an emergency or witnessed a newsworthy event and posted information or photos about that event to a social media site.
Base= 79%(online) and 48% (phone) who participate in any online communities or social networks

85% NO 82%

15% YES 18%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Online

General Pop.

Have you ever experienced an emergency or witnessed a newsworthy event and posted information or photos about that event to a social media site?
10

Facebook was the most popular site by both the general and online populations for posting emergency or newsworthy information. The online population was more likely than the general public to post on Twitter, Flickr, or Posterous/Tumblr blogs.
Base=Those who use social media channels have posted information or photos about an emergency or newsworthy event to a social media site.

Facebook Twitter Blog Flickr Posterous or Tumblr Blog Other

0%

78% 14% 14% 14% 1%

0%

91%

25%

10% 8% 8% 18%
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

10%

Online

General Pop.

On which sites did you post this event? (Select as many as apply.)
11

If unable to reach local EMS, more than one in five of the general public would try to use an online channel to convey their need for help.

Onlineusage (e.g.sendemail,postonwebsite) Walktonearestpolice, fireorEMSstation Drive CellPhone/Phone TextMessage Inperson/Walkthere Sendsomeone/Havesomeone elsecontactthem Smokesignals CBRadio/Hamradio SocialNetworkingChannels

22% 20% 15% 8% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1% 1%

12

Imagine that someone you know needs help urgently and you havent been able to reach the local emergency medical services, police or fire department by telephone. What other ways would you try to get in touch with local emergency services to ask for help? Anything else? (Open-ended)

About one in four of the online population would try an online channel for help, if unable to reach local EMS.

Onlineusage(e.g.sendemail,postonwebsite) Drive Phone/Cellphone SocialNetworkingChannels TextMessage Sendsomeone/Havesomeone elsecontactthem Inperson/Walkthere Walktonearestpolice, fireorEMSstation CBRadio/Hamradio

26% 20% 16% 9% 9% 6% 6% 2% 2%

13

Imagine that someone you know needs help urgently and you havent been able to reach the local emergency medical services, police or fire department by telephone. What other ways would you try to get in touch with local emergency services to ask for help? Anything else? (Open-ended)

Nearly a fourth of the general public and a third of the online population would definitely use social media to let loved ones know they are safe.
Definitely would Probably would Might or might not Probably would not Definitely would not
0% 10%

24% 31% 22% 24% 9% 22%

Women and households with children are more likely to use social media channels to inform of their safety. Online: 59 percent for women vs. 51 percent for men 66 percent for households with children vs. 51 percent for those w/o children General:

16% 12% 11%

20%

55 percent for women vs. 37 percent for men 55 percent for households with children vs. 42 percent for those w/o children

28%
30% 40% 50%

60%

Online

General pop.

14

In an area-wide emergency, how likely would you be to use social media channels, such as Facebook or Twitter, to let your friends and family know you are safe?

At least a third of the general and online populations would expect help to arrive in less than one hour.
More than six hours Four to six hours One to three hours Less than one hour DK 20%
0%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

8% 8% 4% 6% 33% 47% 35% 39%

Online

General Pop.

If you posted a request for help to a social media website, how long do you think it should reasonably take for help to arrive? (Open-ended)
15 Note: For the online survey, question formatted to accept a range of 0-72 for hours and 0-59 for minutes.

While the majority in both populations feels that local emergency response organizations should regularly monitor their websites for emergency requests, 46 percent of the general public and nearly two-thirds of the online population doubt that they do.

Shouldregularlymonitor websitesandsocialmedia sitessotheycanrespond promptly

70% 63%

Likelythattheemergency responseorgdoesn'teven knowaboutrequest

46% 65%

Note: Percentages indicate those who strongly agree or agree

Online

General Pop

16

Imagine that you posted an urgent request for help on a social media site of a local emergency response organization such as your local emergency management, fire department or police department. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Split Sample

Among the general public, expectations are higher for national emergency response organizations, as eight in ten expect regular monitoring.

Shouldregularlymonitor websitesandsocialmedia sitessotheycanrespond promptly

80% 69%

Likelythattheemergency responseorgdoesn'teven knowaboutrequest

49% 60%

Note: Percentages indicate those who strongly agree or agree

Online

General Pop

Imagine that you posted an urgent request for help on a social media site of a national emergency response organization such as FEMA or the American Red Cross. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Split Sample
17