CIG: Denver Public Relations, training, graphic design, research and proposal writing

Humble Pie

Anyone who has read my blog posts knows that, for the most part, I am not the biggest supporter of social networking. I understand its place in the world, but I believe in many cases it replaces vital communication that needs to take place in a more personal way. To me, texting your boyfriend to tell him it’s over or tweeting your daughter to tell her she’s grounded is not a responsible use of this form of media.

However, with all great “I told you so’s,” there comes a time when you are proven wrong and have to swallow a little humble pie. My time is now. I am amazed at the profound effect of social media on the tragedy in Haiti last month – a situation from which I think all local government could learn.

With normal lines of communication nonexistent, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter became the lifeline for those dealing with the aftermath in Haiti. I can’t exactly complain about Twitter when it helped someone buried under a collapsed building to be found by the Coast Guard or enabled a helicopter full of Doctors Without Borders to land safely rather than be rerouted to another location.

Social media should be exploited for what it can offer local governments in a crisis communication role, specifically involving emergencies and natural disasters. Social media allows individuals and communities to share information and cooperate with one another outside the framework of traditional institutions and organizations. When governments need to disseminate information quickly and to the masses, what better way than to their Facebook fans and Twitter followers? The ability to communicate urgent “need to know” facts, evacuation details or road closures in real-time during a crisis is essential to not only keeping constituents informed, but also keeping them safe.

There is definitely a time and place for just about everything and I truly believe that social media has found that time and place. It’s hard not to wonder how different the impacts of a disaster like Hurricane Katrina could have been if only this tool was available just five years ago. While trying out this new media can be scary, yes, local governments need to jump on the bandwagon and start reaping the public information benefits. Just make sure you are tweeting what is important instead of what you are too afraid to say to someone’s face! Then I will be happy to admit that maybe I was a little wrong…

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