We would like to highlight current trends that will impact on the dissemination of emergency information and crisis communications practices. Each trend comes with its own challenges but represent opportunities for organizations to reach a new frontier in how they reach their stakeholders and audiences during a crisis, disaster or business disruption.

So, what current trends have we identified? At least four come to mind:

1. the expectations for immediate communications responses by the public when a disaster, crisis or business disruptions occurs
2. the growing use of social media as emergency information and crisis communications channels
3. Monitoring social media is now an integral part of crisis communications operations
4. the growing reliance on mobile communications technology

First, let's address the public's expectations for immediate information from organizations hit by a crisis or disaster. Whether dealing with a reputational issue, a business disruption or large-scale emergencies, there is now a widespread desire for immediacy and almost instantaneous sharing of information.

 Waiting a couple of hours, to get all the facts, and then issue a news release, just won't cut it anymore. You have to be prepared to give out accurate information within minutes not hours. It's a failure point if your organization can't meet that expectation.

http://www.awareforum.org/2010/12/virginia-tech-at-fault-for-failing-to-issue-a-timely-warning/

 It boils down to something you will see often in our posts: occupy the public space … tell your story…don't react quickly enough and someone else will tell a story that might not be the one you want to be told. Here are excerpts from an interview between crisis communications experts Eric Schwartzman and Gerald Baron at a recent meeting of the Public Relations Society of America that illustrate this point: [See Audio file below]

 What's more people now turn to social media because they know and expect to see immediate and accurate emergency information posted there:

http://blog.groundfloormedia.com/2010/09/twitter-fire-storm.html

 People also turn to social media because they want to share what they know and they can't see anything to validate what they're experiencing on other channels such as official websites or on traditional media (radio or TV).

http://wingineering.com/2010/twitter-rescue-social-medias-evolving-role-disasters/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Wingineering+(Wingineering)

 Here's how the State of Maine is coming to the realization that using social media as emergency information tools is a must:

http://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineHeadlineNews/tabid/968/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3479/ItemId/13786/Default.aspx

 We hope that we have clearly highlighted the current trend to meet expectations for immediate communications response. Our next topic will be on using social media as emergency information channels during a business disruption or an emergency.

 Again, we look forward to your comments.