Although recent global disasters have clearly demonstrated the power of social media to communicate critical information in real-time, its true potential has yet to be unleashed. Social Media, Crisis Communication, and Emergency Management: Leveraging Web 2.0 Technologies teaches emergency management professionals how to use social media to improve emergency planning, preparedness, and response capabilities. It provides a set of guidelines and safe practices for using social media effectively across a range of emergency management applications.

Explaining how emergency management agencies can take advantage of the extended reach these technologies offer, the book supplies cutting-edge methods for leveraging these technologies to manage information more efficiently, reduce information overload, inform the public, and ultimately save lives. Filled with real-world examples and case studies, it is an ideal self-study resource. Its easy-to-navigate structure and numerous exercises also make it suitable for courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

From crowdsourcing and digital volunteers to mapping and collective intelligence, Social Media, Crisis Communication, and Emergency Management: Leveraging Web 2.0 Technologies facilitates a clear understanding of the essential principles of social media. Each chapter includes an example of a local-level practitioner, organization, or agency using social media that demonstrates the transformative power of social media in the real world. The book also includes numerous exercises that supply readers with models for building their own social media sites and groups-making it a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the communication and information structures supported by social media.

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Written to teach emergency personnel how to effectively utilize social media and Web 2.0 technologies in emergency planning, preparedness, and response, this book covers the do 's and don ts of social media when dealing with emergency situations. It explains how government organizations, non-governmental organizations, volunteer, and private emergency agencies can utilize this outlet for a variety of purposes, each chapter providing an example of a high-profile individual, organization, or agency that utilizes the transformative power of social media. The book also includes exercises so readers can better understand its various uses.

"There are gems throughout the book. The exercises at the end of each chapter are valuable if this book is used as a text (strong recommendation from the experience of several courses in EM and homeland security) in a course on crisis communication or emergency management or by an agency as a self-assessment of implementation. One of the strongest parts of this book is the input from field practitioners. I offer to you a book to be read and not to become another bookshelf dust target."-Dean Larson, Ph.D., CEM, in IAEM Bulletin "This book offers a unique look into the world of emergency management through the prism of social media.? To achieve this perspective, the author infused her work with contributions from more than a dozen professionals in emergency management and information technology. The result is a comprehensive guided tour ? would benefit managers or directors in the safety, security, or emergency management field who are looking to venture into the world of social media." -Security Management Magazine