When do you use Social Media?

As readers will know, I have been a huge fan of social media when it is used as part of a plan in part of the toolbox.


As a stand-alone tool, it has shown value and failure.

This study, from Germany, traces messages as they "propagate" around the Internet.  The title, A Measurement-driven Analysis of Information Propagation in the Flickr Social Network, provided at least one disturbing finding:

We also find that 

information spreads slowly in the network; even the most popular photos exhibit a slow, steady growth in popularity over a long 

period of time (1-2 years).

This is not comforting, if one is relying on social media for timely, accurate accounting of what is happening where.  Preppers say "When seconds count, response is minutes away".  This is an example of when a delay in the warning process may cause a problem during extreme events.

For example, during a recent tornado warning, one National Weather Service office tweeted:

This is a serious situation for Snyder OK. Large tornado! If you know someone there, tell them to take cover NOW!! 

The result was a number of retweets, some as late at two hours after the fact.

As has already been discussed, Social Media is a good tool.  Please have three ways to get information from trusted sources.

Facebook: Not A Good Severe Weather Platform

James Spann, a popular Alabama meteorologist and member of the popular online program "WeatherBrains", posted about the popular social media site, Facebook, and it's downfall in the severe weather alerting process.

He has noted how the warning processes must get better.  At one point, he called for every outdoor warning device ... the "tornado" siren ... to be burned.  He notes that too many people rely on sirens before taking action.

People need THREE ways to get weather warnings.

There are at least two providers, https://mystateusa.com/alertSignup.aspx and
http://www.emergencyemail.org/ offer Nationwide alerting service for free.  There are others.

Additionally, providers such as cel.ly offer the ability for groups to set up their own warning processes...
http://craigstechblog.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/celly-and-the-weather/

However, http://www.awareforum.org/2011/12/when-seconds-count-the-challenge-of-slow-social-media-alerts/ and http://www.awareforum.org/2011/11/what-to-do-when-social-media-slows-down/
both show that Social Media (as anything technological) will have flaws.  In other words, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, have ALL gone down at one point or another.  Even sirens break.

More than one avenue for warnings is necessary. THREE ways of getting severe weather warnings is the only option for the prepared Citizen.  Social Media, even Facebook, CAN serve in this area.  Even the trusty amateur radio can work here.

What are YOUR three ways to get severe weather warnings?  Is the All-Hazards Weather Radio one of them?

What are the AM Radio frequencies?

All Frequencies in MHz


160 Meters: 1.885, 1.900, 1.945, 1.985 (USA)
                             1.850 (W. Europe)
                             1.933 &1.963 (in the UK)
                             1.843 (Australia)

        80 Meters:  3.530, 3650 (South America)
                            New 3615, 3625 (in the UK)
                            3705 (W. Europe)
                            3.690 (AM Calling Frequency, Australia)

        75 Meters: 3.825, 3.870 (West Coast), 3.880, 3.885 (USA)

        40 Meters:  7.070 (Southern Europe)
                            7.120, 7.300 (South America)
                            7.175, 7.290, 7.295 (USA)
                            7.143 (UK)
                            7.146 (AM Calling Frequency, Australia)

        20 Meters: 14.286

        17 Meters: 18.150

        15 Meters: 21.285, 21.425

        10 Meters: 29.000-29.200

        6 Meters: 50.4 (generally), 50.250 Northern CO

        2 Meters: 144.4 (Northwest)
                         144.425 (Massachusetts)
                         144.28 (NYC-Long Island)
                         144.45 (California)
                         144.265 (Los Angeles, CA)

Do you know of any others?  Add them in the comments section.

How will you talk and to whom?

I recently attended the Emergency Management Webinar entitled “Will You Be Ready to Communicate – No Matter What?”

It was a good review of the services that are available from Cellular Providers such as Sprint.

CLICK HERE if you’d like to view the recorded session or pass the link along to any colleagues that you might feel would be interested as well!  To view the final slide presentation, please CLICK HERE

Don't forget to harden your communications with the Government Emergency Telecommunications System (GETS) cards and other services available from the National Communications System.

Of course, obtaining your amateur radio license is a good common denominator for communicating during events like hurricanes and ice storms.

Have you gotten your ham radio license yet?