Virginia quake sets off wave of emergency tweets

Many law enforcement agencies and emergency personnel began tweeting within minutes of the earthquake to disseminate information to the public.

August 23, 2011, Emergency Management -- (Virginia; District of Columbia) Virginia earthquake sets off wave of emergency tweets. The magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck August 23, in central Virginia was felt far and wide -- from New York City to the Carolinas and west to Ohio.

The emergency situation also demonstrated first responders’ and city officials’ sophisticated use of social media, especially Twitter. Many law enforcement agencies and emergency personnel began tweeting within minutes of the earthquake to disseminate information to the public.

Washington, D.C.’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services agency reported on its Twitter feed @dcfireems that there had been damage to the National Cathedral and the Ecuador Embassy, and evacuations at the Old Soldiers Home. D.C. Fire and EMS tweeted it was “checking structures, priority given to schools, hospitals, senior [centers].”

D.C. Fire and EMS reported on social media that it had received nearly 2,000 calls for service since 2 p.m. Eastern time. By comparison, the daily average is 450 in a 24-hour period. Initial reports also indicated cell phone service was down or disrupted in many areas affected by the earthquake, and in turn the public turned to social media to get information and connect with their friends and family.

The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), used Twitter via @CraigatFEMA to urge people in affected areas to not use their cell phones: ”FEMA is monitoring reports from earthquake, cell service busy in DC, try to stay off cell phone if it is not an emergency.”

Link: http://www.emergencymgmt.com/safety/Virginia-Earthquake-Wave-of-Emergency-Tweets.html

Source: DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report 25 August 2011