Business911 International, Inc.

FEMA Mobile Alerting App available

Yesterday FEMA launched a new feature to its free mobile app that allows users to receive alerts from the NWS for up to five locations across the nation. OCONUS states and territories are included.

Full article: https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app

Emergency Alert System in Morris County, N.J., to Link 39 Cities via Social Media

In March, a powerful storm pummeled New Jersey, forcing police, utility and emergency crews to scramble as the severe weather sapped power, delayed trains and triggered floods. But publicly available information about the storm’s effects was scarce, and citizens searching for updates were left high and dry.

To avert such communication failures in the future, Morris County, N.J., has activated a shared emergency information network, using social media tools — Facebook and Twitter — to deliver crucial updates around the clock.

This is a great example of leveraging technology to provide widespread distribution of information!

See the entire article at: http://www.emergencymgmt.com/safety/Emergency-Alert-System-Social-Media.html

Text first, talk second

Safe America created the Text First. Talk Second. to raise public awareness around the importance of utilizing text messaging for non-emergency communications during a disaster.

When disasters strike, voice networks can become congested with people trying to call each other for non-vital communications.  This can result in people in desperate need of help being unable to contact those they need to reach, such as emergency services, friends or loved ones.  In some instances, this may also result in emergency service personnel being unable to communicate with each other.

Here is what you can do: http://www.safeamericaprepared.org/component/content/article/89.html

Widgets, Twitter to fuel FEMA emergency alerts

Social media strategy aims to disseminate disaster preparedness, response messages in near-real time.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced a new widget for disaster preparedness on its  Facebook page page as part of a series of releases to publicize its social media and Gov 2.0 tools for emergency readiness and response.

Full article at: http://gcn.com/articles/2010/06/23/fema-pushes-widgets-twitter-for-disaster-preparedness.aspx

Janusaitis to speak at US-CERT GFIRST conference

Bob Janusaitis is scheduled to present "Social Networking and Protecting Critical Infrastructure" at the US-CERT GFIRST conference in San Antonio, TX in August 2010.

For more information on the conference: GFIRST conference site

The DHS is monitoring social networks for security reasons, are you?

This is an interesting article about the DHS monitoring social networks during the 2010 Winter Olympics.  I believe we will see more of this activity since it gives those in public information positions a portal into what may be going on in an area of interest.

The important point here is not that the DHS is monitoring information; it is the opportunity for all of us to develop relationships and areas of interest we can monitor during an incident.  All groups could benefit from sharing information (albeit not always factual) including businesses, schools, churches, and communities.  One great way to share information as an alternate to other methods during an emergency is Twitter or Facebook.

As required by law, the DHS has published a Privacy Impact Statement about its monitoring activity--in this case monitoring social media outlets for security reasons for the Vancouver Winter Olympics.    the full article is available at: http://www.emergencymgmt.com/emergency-blogs/crisis-comm/DHS-Monitoring-Social-Media.html

Four Signs of an Easy Victim on Social Networks

What makes cyber criminals target you in a social network scam? Sophos' recent study identifies the signs of a soft target online.  See interesting article from CSO with common sense preventive measures.

 

Texas Ministry Conference Wrap-up

  Noah had a plan. 

(Houston, TX) The 2010 Texas Ministry conference was completed yesterday at Champion Forest Baptist Church.  There were a wide variety of presentations including several on the use of Social Media.  I attended one session which provided the basics on setup of Twitter and Facebook account, and what each could be used for in the ministry.

I had the pleasure of delivering two presentations on "Preparing for the unexpected".  It was a basic level introduction into how to develop an emergency plan/ communications for an organization.  Several churches represented in the sessions are already using Twitter and/or Facebook on a regular basis.

One of my key points during the presentation was using the tools you have during an incident, and having an alternative.  I suggested that Twitter had enormous benefits, and it most cases it's probably already in use.  One must determine how it will be used during an emergency, and also know it is dynamic information that may or may not be accurate.

During the conference a light plane struck a commercial building in Austin, TX.  I began receiving Tweets very quickly, and one was from USNORTHCOM (NORAD).  When our normal communication systems are down, like cellular, sometimes text messaging works, the point is: always have an alternative.  One of the best ways to reach the masses, is not necessarily to have everyones' cell number, or email, but for each person to know where to "go" to get breaking/critical information.

What is your organization's Twitter address?

Presentation: PreparingForTheUnexepectedPublic delivered at conference Feb 18, 2009.

Late breaking news - Authorities charge two in Texas church fire

Additional resources recommended during conference:

Upright Ministries - Emergency Response Publication

Noah Had a Plan -   COOP Magazine Article aug. 2009

Business911 Int'l -   Houses of Worship - Archives

 

Disasters 2.0 Conference Addresses Social Media Use

Interesting article on the mid-west of the United States collaborating among the private and public sector to establish best practices for social media usage in emergecny management.

Full link at: http://www.emergencymgmt.com/disaster/Disasters-20-Conference-Social-Media-Use.html

Is social media really that big a deal?

You, or people you know are actively using social media.  I'm often asked why I believe those in infra-structure protection, IT security, and people in general should even be using the technology.  I simply respond it's just one more tool in the toobox, but you should have in the box, and ready to go.

Unless you've been living under a rock, there is no deying the power of such tools.  As we saw in Iran, and we are seeing in Haiti, the use of this technology brings critical information to the airwaves from eye witnesses on the scene.  We have heard stories of applications like Twitter being used to locate hostages, find people trapped in rubble, and we now use Twitter to provide on the ground observations of seismic activity (the USGS TED system).

I'm not saying that there aren't risks of using social media, but they are managable.  Just like I wouldn't put my utility knive back in the tool box with the blade exposed, I shouldn't take unessarry risks using social media.

Ask any Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) person the difficulty of locating people who may be trapped or injured, by "searching" with limited technology and dogs, and compare it to knowing where someone is specifically trapped and the job becomes more rescue than search.

Understanding not eveyone will have cell phones, nor will cellular/texting services always be available we should encourage our public sector agencies to adopt a means to communciate with the citizens during a mass casualty event, in order to reduce the "search" timeline and provide more time for rescue.

Here is link to a blog that describes "Social Media’s True Impact on Haiti, China, and the World"