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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

My first week with ello #SocialMedia #SMEM

Posted on October 2, 2014 by rusnivek

As promised, here’s my quick initial review of ello.

It’s only been a few days…so I figured since everyone isn’t on it, this might help show some of the difference between this new emerging social media platform compared to others.

Here’s a quick news package story from the founders of ello.co from Vermont.

Hot Social Network Ello Starts in Vermont

(Love the small town local news)

For those that think this is like Facebook? Nope. The company’s mantra of a simple ad-free platform is as plain jane as can be. Not much there. In fact,

Few initial notes I have on ello:

Comments are a bit weird as they are currently in a separate box which is unattached to the picture you upload.
The gigantic fat Noise button – I’m still unclear on what that is. I feel like it’s kinda like the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button on Google.
No search feature.
No geolocation feature
I think more people are talking about ello on FB, Twitter, Insta, Vine, Snapchat, etc….than people actually ON ello.
No hashtag or category use
Stop trying to force me to Say Ello…But I WILL say ello with a horrible British accent
No trending topics.
After I post an update (or Say Ello…) Why do I have to move my cursor over to the “Post–>” button?
No popular happenings.
Finding friends is hard. Not cool. They are my friends.
No app.
Feels awfully like Tumblr.
It’s difficult to find friends because I have to first find them individually on their own page and then follow them. I can not pick them up from a list.
Kinda google plus-ie eh?
ello email notifications are simply notifications. It does not include the comment or response. Cannot be used for “documentation”. No point in Email notifications if you don’t notify me of what the message is.
Description is about the same, but not as prominent as Twitter.
Website link is there. Hope that ello will add a “preview” of website there.
Location? Hometown? Where U AT?
Trending based topics is not searchable (at this time).
Not having some sort of “rules” for picture posting, the pictures that are posted are either really wide or vertical. Not much semblance in fitting into screen.
Links to sites do NOT preview. FB does that.
No info provided on the analytics of views aka shown by the eyeball. Maybe that will come after beta.
Archiving for security.
When is ello projected to be out of beta?
List of people or things that I could follow too? When I find others similar to me, I want to see what they follow. I am assuming that we have similar interests. Hoping a future column to be added later in ello.
Posted times are approximate. Public safety demands exacts so I hope they put a more accurate time of post rather than “~11h”
Filters are absent.
Multiple picture uploads are not happening. Maybe that’s too cluttered for their “clean” layout.
x5 invites only to a closed social media platform? C’mon-what is this?!? 2003?!?!!?
@WTF….I mean policies/information tab. Hilarious, but very techy.
Formatting of posts using ** or * is kinda programmerish. Tron aficionados will love it, but not everyone programs…so this type of lingo isn’t going to fly for very long.
In the “Say Ello…” box (aka status box) I find it weird that they tell you to Say Ello….when you really are going to write a comment about something else.
Reposting isn’t as inviting as FB’s “Share” button – and not easy to find.
On ello, you do not have to use your real name. but in the WTF rules, ello has their rose colored glasses on and “The Don’t impersonate others. Be yourself, or a version of yourself. Please don’t pretend to be someone else.”
Mobile ello is way better than desktop ello.
DYK: ello.com is different than ello.co
Advise your SM followers to turn off autofill or muscle memory of “co” vs “com”
Funny fact: Someone created a Mark Zuckerberg profile on ello.com – and it wasn’t Zuck.
Circle profiler picture is neeto, but I think I like square.
The ello logo is kinda creepy w/ no eyes right?

Forgot your password? I tested their forgot password send. The emailed reminder is hilarious, but NSFW. This kind of email would (obv) not pass work computer filters.

Testing browsers, I found a few interesting non-compliant issues.

Desktop CPU / Windows-7 / Internet Explorer: Picture upload and layout/formatting issues
Desktop CPU / Windows-7 / Chrome: Friends take up too much screen real-estate in widescreen format.
Desktop CPU / Windows-7 / Safari: Too wide – again with the wide screen look (Maybe I’m too used to the vertical FB?)
Desktop CPU / Windows-XP / IE: Picture uploading issues
Desktop / Apple / Safari: Spread out (widescreen awkward formatting)
iPhone-5 / Safari: MUCH better layouts
iPad-Air / Safari: Better screen formatting and (my guess) it looks like it was designed for tablet.
Blackberry browser….who am I kidding. I haven’t seen one in the wild for 2 years now.

Ello’s HQ sent an email last night touting their recent successes. Cool.

I do enjoy the quick simple emails with picture.

But let’s be honest, most of the ello participants that are already on ello, were drawn to the line in the email last night…”

The use of “thingy” has me worried…and of course excited. Thanks Matt.

Well, since this is in beta, I’m sure there will be more good things to come. But at this time, I am doubtful will hold (DWH).

Not even close to ready for use during disasters or emergencies.

Because of the low participation and beta, this platform is not useful for preparedness or response or recovery or intelligence.

Special thanks to @schnick for the invite.

Maybe more good stuff from ello.co on the horizon.

@rusnivek

The wrong hashtag and checking official accounts – Safety-PIO-SM-14-005

Posted on September 15, 2014 by rusnivek

14-005: The wrong hashtag and checking official accounts
Agency: TEEX	Topic(s): Official accounts and hashtags
Date: Fall 2014	Platform: Twitter

Citing the original source of information is a solid idea on Twitter. But citing the correct source with the correct Twitter handle is even more important. That’s what Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) did when they tweeted information about a gym bag/emergency preparedness kit.

The use of the wrong hashtag will drive your audience away from national trends. Remember, the general idea behind the hashtag is to help bring together trending posts especially this month because September is National Preparedness Month. My. Favorite. Month.

A quick search of “#Prepared2014” shows tens of thousands of tweets.

A search using “#BePrepared2014” yielded 13 tweets.

Those two letters really do make a difference. A big difference.

Also, when citing sources, make sure they are current agency accounts. The @readydotgov account has tweeted twice in 2014 and has 396 followers.

It also states in the description box “please follow us @Readygov”

The verified @Readygov Twitter account has 3,000 tweets with almost 90,000 followers and has been tweeting since August 2008.

No matter how good your communications plans are, your mechanical no-look cut/paste actions must be double checked every time. It takes five seconds to check. Additionally, you stand the possibility of your readers questioning the validity of your information when they see that you posted old/not used stuff.

A more effective tweet could have read:

If you can pack a gym bag, you can pack an emergency bag: ow.ly/i/4Eui3 #Prepared2014 #NatlPrep @ReadyGov @AnaheimCERT

By phrasing it this way:

You cite FEMA’s main current preparedness Twitter account (@ReadyGov).
You use the correct national hashtag to increase visibility in your message (#Prepared2014).
You add additional hashtags to help pair your efforts with national campaign themes in your message.
You cite the right agency accounts on Twitter which will help them gain visibility with your audience.
Your agency shows coordinated efforts with national response agencies when you use @mentions on twitter.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this:

TheWrongHashtagAndCheckingOfficialAccounts-Safety-PIO-SM-14-005a

Powerful recruitment tool for terrorist groups #SMEM

Posted on September 6, 2014 by rusnivek

Quote for today by the US State Department:

“The State Department regards social media as a powerful recruitment tool for terrorist groups…”

Peeps! Know the power of social media and use your social media powers for good.

The latest offering from the US State Department – Think Again Turn Away

Counter bad stuff and show the truth about this evil group

Always remember DHS’ line, See Something, Say Something

@rusnivek

Your emergency USB drive #NatlPrep #Prepared2014

Posted on September 5, 2014 by rusnivek

It’s the first Friday, the first week of 2014 National Preparedness Month!

“Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare”

Easy right? My goal is to provide actionable information so that you can better prepare you and your family.

This week’s theme is consistent with FEMA’s National Preparedness Campaign: Reconnect with Family After a Disaster.

#5: Use a small USB drive includes all key emergency documents & family communications plan #NatlPrep #Prepared2014

These ubiquitous USB drives (aka thumb drives, jump drives, memory sticks, etc…) are so easy to find. Best part? These things are cheap! You can easily find 16G for $2…which is WAY more storage that you’d ever need to store your documents in an emergency.

What to keep stored on this jump drive? Scanned or digital copies of your:

Family Communication Plan (that also includes an out-of-state contact)
Driver’s License/State Identification card
Passport
Social security card
Birth Certificates
Home Insurance card
Auto Insurance card
Credit card(s)
Copies of a recent bank statements
High resolution pictures of your family and individual pictures.

As you pack your one ounce USB drive, don’t forget to put it in an airtight freezer ziplock type bag. Your electronic equipment does not like getting wet.

The cost of these USB drives are so low, that it behooves you to use easy technology now to better leverage your position in a disaster. Because you won’t have time to copy/transfer these documents during a rapid evacuation, now is the time to be prepared.

Keeping good documentation for your family is one of the most important parts of reconnecting with family during and after a disaster.

@rusnivek

A lonely shortened Facebook link on Twitter – Safety-PIO-SM-14-004

Posted on August 29, 2014 by rusnivek

14-004: A lonely shortened Facebook link on Twitter
Agency: South Central Sierra Interagency IMT	Topic(s): Shared information/update
Date: Summer 2014	Platform: Twitter

Speed is primarily the reason why everyone loves social media…especially Twitter. Many agencies use social media to provide updates and information when assigned to certain incidents. That’s what the South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team did during the French Fire in California when they pushed this lonely shortened Facebook link out on Twitter.

I get that 140 character max on Twitter is short…and you have lots to say…and you don’t have time…and blah blah blah. Everyone else doesn’t have time too. But pushing a non-descript link, does raise a concern that perhaps your account has been compromised by spam bots. Your agency has worked diligently to establish solid working relationships. During an emergency is the WORST time for your audience to question and/or ignore your official accounts with trusted reliable information.

If your social media plan calls for directing all efforts to Facebook as the primary source of information, a Public Information Officer (PIO) should still take the time to provide a little information (like a short description) on other platforms driving the traffic to that primary source. Providing just a link is not enough.

In the PIO business, we are forced to be precise, however just providing a link pertaining to a dangerous situation or disasters will not be enough to satiate the Twittersphere’s social interest.

Audiences change on various social media platforms, however, many agencies *think* they are all the same.

Knowing your audience is the hallmark of success. If you pair your Facebook and Twitter accounts to save time and to pass the exact same message – you should consider separating them now. Remember, you write/post/share information differently on various social media platforms .

A more effective tweet could have read:

Still assigned to the French Fire here in California-Check out pictures frm @BLMNational Interagency Fire fb.me/1BV35Tytx #CAWildfire

By phrasing it this way:

You have more visibility by informing your followers that your team is still assigned to the incident.
The link looks less spammy and readers know what the specific content is in the link.
Your #hashtag will give more information about the current overall disaster/emergency.
Your readers are likely to click on this hyperlink because it will take them to a picture. People love pictures.
Your agency shows coordinated efforts with national response agencies when you use @mentions on twitter.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this: ALonelyShortenedFacebookLinkOnTwitter-Safety-PIO-SM-14-004a

Presenting some social media magic here in Ashtabula

Posted on August 28, 2014 by rusnivek

Did someone say “social media magic”? Heck yeah…and it’s right here in Ashtabula: the use of social media during disasters!

Making sure we cover the entire state, we hit Columbus yesterday and today, we are setup in the farthest NE corner of Ohio, Ashtabula County.

We are fortunate to have State of Ohio Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) PIO Tamara McBride (from Columbus) peek into the class and say hi to everyone.

Leveraging our current technologies during non-emergency times will help concrete our actions and increase our communications during disasters.

Looking forward to seeing some great progress and interaction in social media.

Additionally, it’s so nice to see old friends and colleagues from my past. Truly outstanding.

No matter wearing my flight helmet, my hospital shirt, my fire helmet, whatever….I’m just glad to see great friends again.

@rusnivek

Great start to today’s OEMA social media class

Posted on August 27, 2014 by rusnivek

Another great morning here at the State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center.

Various agencies from all over the state in attendance at today’s social media class.

Special thanks to Ohio EMA Assistant Director Sima Merick for the welcome message.

Now to break down more info and tools on how effective PIOs (Public Information Officers) or PAOs (Public Affair Officers) engage on social media.

Excited to be instructing a bunch of PIOs today.

@rusnivek

Made the evening news in Wisconsin

Posted on August 20, 2014 by rusnivek

Made the news in Wisconsin.

Looks like I’m going to owe many many root beer floats when I get back to Ohio.

@rusnivek

Write For Different Platforms-Safety-PIO-SM-14-003

Posted on August 15, 2014 by rusnivek

14-003: Write for Different Platforms
Agency: Rocky Mountain Area IMT	Topic(s): Social Media Platform Specific Messaging
Date: Summer 2014	Platform(s): Press Release vs Twitter

Despite the message being essentially the same, every communications platform is different.

Speed is important, but correctly addressing your audience is critical in the world of public information.

On July 1, 2014, this tweet was posted on the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team’s feed during the Eightmile Fire while deployed in Canon City, Colorado.

“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” In all caps? All caps use on social media portrays yelling. Professionals should portray calm/control.

Twitter’s social media platform premise is a fast microblog service focusing on immediate information. This templated press release lingo (FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE) is not necessary. Every tweet is automatically time/date stamped including matching the recipients’ time zone. Do not waste your valuable 140 characters.

To me, this was a cut-and-paste action, or even worse yet, they just linked the agency’s Facebook and Twitter accounts together. No time was spent in addressing the various platforms used to push this valuable information. Remember, PIO actions on each platform in social media are not generic, they are specific. We talk about safety to kids differently than we inform adults on safety right? Likewise, we should address our audiences on social media accordingly to the platform they use.

A more effective tweet could have read:

“Updated information & stats on the #Eightmile Fire ongoing in Colorado can be found here fb.me/6KArLmgFr ”

By phrasing it this way:

The tweet is shorter and more concise.
Tweet identifies where the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team is deployed.
The main point of contact is identified on the Facebook link provided if more specific information is needed.
Shorter messaging will allow your followers to retweet/repost and amplify your information.
The use of hashtags will help audiences find information about the #Eightmile Fire and identify the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team as a trusted source of information.

Know the differences in mainstream social media platforms because what will work on one old platform (press release) will NOT work on newer platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc…) Know social media and use their amenities to your advantage.

Time is valuable, so post good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this: WriteForDifferentPlatforms-Safety-PIO-SM-14-003

Presenting at PEMA statewide conference in September

Posted on August 5, 2014 by rusnivek

Looks like I’ll be presenting Public Information Officer (PIO) / Social Media stuff at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) statewide conference in September.

Region-III baby!

http://www.pema.pa.gov/Pages/2014-Conference.aspx

http://www.pema.pa.gov/Pages/Default.aspx#.U-D3psJ0xJQ

Will I see you there?

@rusnivek