#HurricanePreparedness: Emergency Response Recommendations in 140 Characters or Less

• In Event: So Far, So Good, Part 1: Organizational Communication Research Escalator

Abstract

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most expensive and deadliest U.S. natural disasters in recent memory. While weather organizations disseminated emergency preparation information to US citizens through multiple means (e.g., television, radio, online social networks, etc.), many vulnerable populations did not adhere to these evacuation and/or preparation mandates. Specifically, 40 of the 117 deaths attributed to Hurricane Sandy were caused by drowning (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). 40% of these deaths occurred in homes that were designated as the primary evacuation zone. Thus, many of these deaths could have been prevented if residents had advanced warning and adhered to evacuation recommendations disseminated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As a result, the present investigation seeks to gain greater insight into the content of, and message strategies used, by different types of national weather organizations when disseminating emergency preparedness information via social media.

Author

• Carolyn Lagoe, University of New Haven