How can Emergency Management professionals effectively use social media to network?

"When leveraging social media for networking in emergency management, choose platforms strategically based on your goals and audience. Twitter facilitates real-time updates and engagement using hashtags, lists, and chats. LinkedIn, the premier professional network, enables you to showcase credentials and connect with peers. Facebook offers versatility for both personal and professional interactions, fostering community engagement through official pages and groups. Instagram, a visual platform, allows sharing project highlights and connecting through photos and videos. Tailor your platform choices to optimize networking opportunities within the emergency management community."

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, allowing us to connect with people and stay updated on current events. In the field of disaster and emergency management, social media platforms play a crucial role in reaching and engaging with target groups. The use of social media for response, and recovery allows for real-time communication and information dissemination to a wide audience. By strategically selecting and utilizing platforms such as Facebook, X and Instagram, organizations can effectively reach and engage with their target groups, providing vital information before, during, and after a disaster. This approach not only helps also in building community resilience and preparedness before any potential disaster.

"When utilizing social media for networking in emergency management, craft and enhance your profiles strategically. Opt for a professional and clear photo that represents your role in the field. Compose an engaging and informative bio, summarizing your identity, role, and aspirations. Incorporate pertinent keywords, hashtags, and links to showcase your expertise and interests. Regularly update your profiles with accomplishments, projects, and activities to maintain a dynamic and impactful online presence, attracting the right connections within the emergency management community."

Follow and engage with others The next step is to follow and engage with other emergency management professionals and organizations that you admire, respect, or want to learn from. You can search by keywords, hashtags, or topics related to emergency management, browse through platform recommendations, check out who your existing connections or influencers follow, and join groups, chats, or events related to emergency management. Once you have followed them, you should engage with them by liking, commenting, sharing, or messaging them. You can also start conversations by asking questions, giving feedback, or offering help. It's important to be genuine, respectful, and helpful while avoiding spamming, self-promotion, or arguing.

As the adage goes, don’t feed the trolls. Much of the work we do is about mitigating risks others might not be concerned about or responding when those risks become real. In the information environment we live in today, COVID, climate change and federal funding for recovery have become partisan issues we must remain above to support our communities. When you find yourself facing negative backlash online, it’s often best to avoid responding at all.

Primeiramente você deve escolher organiza??es que atuam especificamente com gerenciamento de emergências e também empresas que têm boas práticas de gest?o de emergência, ent?o passa a segui-las. Publique suas experiências e comente artigos ou postagens de pessoas que trabalham com emergência e rapidamente você verá sua rede de especialistas crescer. Tenha o cuidado de postar informa??es com credibilidade e também dados que possam ajudar outras pessoas a obterem crescimento no tema.

Be careful to not use personal platforms to communicate in your official or professional capacity. Public education and information sharing should be shared on official accounts and be coordinated through a public information office to synchronize with other messaging focus areas within your organization.

Networking is both desirable and practical, however one should be cautious about outlaying information that could comprise the effectiveness of the more sensitive aspects of emergency management, resources, and procedures. Such exchanges should be done in more private settings, away from those that would be bent on creating and maximizing chaos and harm by attacking or crippling assets and/or staff. Why risk “telling” criminals and terrorists how to defeat emergency management responses?