Analyze the information-seeking behaviors of local populations before deciding which media channels to deploy during disasters; Engage key stakeholders in order to ensure message consistency across traditional and social media platforms; Social media should be used to provide real-time updates to citizens about ongoing efforts to restore services; Observe and adhere to context-specific regulatory frameworks for emergency management and resilience; and Post-disaster learning should be employed in order to enhance and develop future communication strategies.
Published in Chapter:
Expectations vs. Practice in Critical Infrastructure Operator Crisis Communication: Lessons Learned From Portugal, France, Norway, and Sweden
Laura Petersen (International Union of Railways (UIC), France), Laure Fallou (Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), France), Paul Reilly (University of Sheffield, UK), and Elisa Serafinelli (University of Sheffield, UK)
Copyright: © 2021
|Pages: 27
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-7210-8.ch002
Abstract
Previous research into social media in crisis communication has tended to focus on use by emergency managers rather than another key stakeholder, critical infrastructure (CI) operators. This chapter adds to this field by empirically investigating public expectations of information provided by CI operators during crisis situations. It does so by drawing on a review of the literature on public expectations of disaster-related information shared via social media. Then it presents the results of an online questionnaire and interview-based study of disaster-vulnerable communities in France, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Results indicate that members of the public expect CI operators to provide information via traditional and social media, but not necessarily respond to queries on social media. Operators appear to meet traditional media expectations but should expand their current practices to include digital media.