The New 9-1-1: How the Red Cross Uses Social Media in Disaster Response

by Ryan Wilcox, volunteer contributor

When you need help, whom do you call? Do you use social media to tell your friends when you have a problem?


According to a study conducted by the American Red Cross in 2012, more Americans are using social media in emergencies than ever before. In fact, mobile apps and social media are tied as the fourth most popular source of information during a disaster.

A Milestone

In response to this shift in the public’s use of technology, Red Cross DFW partnered with Dell to open a Digital Operations Center in 2014. The first of its kind outside Washington D.C., the DigiDOC has improved our ability to listen, and respond quickly. It’s modeled after Dell’s state-of-the-art Social Media Listening Command Center, and employs Radian6, a social listening and management tool.

In honor of the anniversary, we hosted a collection of staff, volunteers and communications professionals from local businesses for a tour. As a volunteer myself, I found the presentation impressive. It offered an up close look at the social strategy of the Red Cross, as well as a behind-the-curtain view of the DigiDOC.

Mona Charif, VP of Marketing and Communications for Dell Services, was the keynote speaker. “It’s the new 9-1-1,” Charif said when discussing social media’s role in crisis situations.

In 2015, the expectation is to be able to post something on a personal social media account, and receive help quickly — 76% expect help to arrive within three hours. This new expectation has led to a shift in the way relief agencies respond to disasters.

Social Strategy and Impact

Anita Foster, Regional Chief Communications Officer for Red Cross North Texas region, led the group up to the DigiDOC to conclude the tour. It is a mix of HD displays, maps and social media analytics; and provides a detailed look at all social media activity related to weather events. The American Red Cross gets over 4,000 mentions per day, and the DigiDOC helps our digital team stay on top of it all.

It’s an amazing time to be a volunteer. You can be an advocate, and make a measurable difference, using only your smartphone.

We use digital volunteers, or #DigiVols, to monitor and respond to requests for help, and information. Our team provides action steps you can use to get help quickly. We also thank our supporters, because even a donation of a pint of blood saves three lives. It all makes a difference.

Here's an example of this strategy in action:

We’re excited about the new ways social media is being used in disaster response. Have you received help from the Red Cross on social media?

Tell us about it in the comments, or on Twitter @RedCrossDFW.

Be a #RedCrosser

You can help the digital team fulfill our mission.

Do you think you would be a good digital volunteer? Our digital volunteers play a key role in disaster response, listening to social media to provide helpful information, or just a simple thank you. Go to RedCross.org/DFW to get started.

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A Message From CEO T.D. Smyers: North Texans Helping Our Neighbors After Tornado Outbreak

by T.D. Smyers, CEO, American Red Cross North Texas Region

T.D. Smyers

In the past week, thousands of people were affected by the tornadoes and floods that caused heartbreaking devastation to neighborhoods and communities across the south. Our own Gail McGovern went to see the Red Cross response in Arkansas and wrote this first-hand account. As these storms were touching down, I was glued to my TV and Twitter monitoring the weather situation. We dodged a bullet in North Texas. Had those storms developed only a few hours sooner, they might have put us in the same situation, requiring Red Cross help from other states. 

In fact, it was only about a year ago that we were reeling from such an event. Fresh off of the West, TX fertilizer plant explosion, we responded to fatal storms in Hood, Johnson and Parker Counties. With this latest response, our newest capability, the North Texas Region Digital Operations Center, has been a tremendous asset in helping us connect those in need with resources available at the Red Cross. Of course, it's not only technology that North Texans are wielding help. We've deployed more than 40 volunteer disaster responders to the affected areas, along with a fleet of Emergency Response Vehicles.

A Fort Worth Emergency Response Vehicle
provides support to people affected by tornadoes in Arkansas

We can't do any of this without your support, which brings comfort and hope to people when they need it most. As you saw with the tornado threat in Dallas just yesterday, a disaster can happen at any time and when it does, we'll be in need of the same kind of help that we're now providing to our neighbors. Help people affected by disasters big and small, give to disaster relief.

Our sincerest thanks for your support.

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Seeking Digital Volunteers!

Like everything else, the world of disaster response is going online. And the American Red Cross is following, so we can continue to help people, wherever they are, when they need it the most. Recently we opened our new North Texas Digital Operations Center (DigiDOC) in Dallas, a social media command center designed to help us better connect with people online with resources during disasters. Here's how it works:

Digitizing the Power of Volunteers

To make the most of this innovative technology, we need your help! We're looking for digital volunteers to help us staff our new DigiDOC and help our communications team monitor and engage on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter before and during disasters to let people know how to stay safe during emergency situations and connect them to Red Cross resources afterwards. 

What do digital volunteers do?

• Support the Red Cross mission through social platform interactions and content creation. 
• Use personal social media accounts to engage with donors, clients, and other members of the public on Red Cross-related subjects.
• Monitor and post to official Red Cross social channels as assigned.
• During disasters, provide moral and emotional support, connect affected communities with critical disaster information and resources and identify actionable posts or information on social platforms. 
• Tag, sort and categorize posts from social platforms using software and processes established by the social engagement team. 
• Communicate perceived trends in conversations, information about Red Cross-related topics back to the social engagement team. 

What are the requirements for becoming a digital volunteer?

• At least one active social media account 
• An active and regularly checked email account 
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in using social media sites 
• Familiarity with social media monitoring applications and online group collaboration tools (examples: Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, online forums) 
• Regular access to the internet 
• Access to a computer than can run required software with no issues
• Communications/marketing background or experience using social media professionally is a plus.

What are the availability requirements?

• During times of disaster or severe weather, digital volunteers are asked for on-call availability to take 4-hour shifts, including during overnight hours.
• During non-disaster periods, the volunteer can take assignments as their schedule allows. Time requirements will vary by activity, but are flexible.
• Digital volunteers work both in the DigiDOC at the Dallas chapter during times of disaster and also remotely. In-person availability is NOT required to be a digital volunteer.

Socially savvy and interested in using your online presence to help people during disasters? Become a Red Cross digital volunteer!

Email amy.yen@redcross.org to learn more or visit RedCross.org/DFW to apply.

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You're Invited: Introducing the North Texas Digital Operations Center!

We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new Digital Operations Center (DigiDOC)! It's our new social media command center that allows us to monitor social conversations before and during disasters to help anticipate needs and connect more people with resources during emergencies. The Dallas chapter is honored to be the first location outside of our national headquarters in D.C. to receive this innovative technology, courtesy of our partners at Dell.
A few special guest joining us are:

•  W. Nim Kidd, Chief of Emergency Management, Texas Dept. of Public Safety
• Tom Bradshaw, Meteorologist in Charge, National Weather Service
• Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Judge
• Dave Passey, Deputy Regional Administrator, FEMA Region 6
• Shelby Montgomery, Dell
• T.D. Smyers, CEO, American Red Cross North Texas Region

Join us for our big unveiling event next Thursday, April 3! See below for details, RSVP by March 31 to anita.foster@redcross.org & follow #DigiDFW online for more.

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