This is by no means a comprehensive list of the points discussed at the conference. They are the highlights that stuck out in my mind and I am posting them with the hope that some of the presenters or attendees will comment on the post to continue the excellent discussion that was started at the conference. 

Technology Implications for Organizations - Emergency and Non Emergency

• We are living in a period of exponential change and therefore must change / be ready for change
• Social media has…

I had the great opportunity to present on social media in emergency management to the people attending the SMILE Conference in Vancouver. Most in the audience were police officers with a keen interest in emergency management. I hope i made an impression (and the comments on Twitter would seem to indicate that I did ...) ...

So you can find my actual presentation here.

And you can actually watch it from a livestream that was taken at the conference.

Let me know what you think ...

Series introduction (October 12, 2011)

Part 1: starting from scratch (October 23, 2011)

Part 2: Setting objectives and measurement (October 23, 2011)

Part 3: Choosing your first social network (November 2, 2011)

Part 4 Interactive use of social media (November 22, 2011)

Part 5: monitoring social media as a routine and going into crisis mode (December 20, 2011)

Monitoring social networks should now be part of any organization's daily routine and procedures. You can even real-life events to…

I've written before (on this forum and on my personal blog) about the "age of social convergence" and its meaning for emergency managers and crisis communicators. In a nutshell, social networks have changed crisis management imperatives. They bring the need for speed, pre-approved communications plans and tactics that can be launched immediately and the absolute necessity for trust.

There is nowhere to hide anymore when a crisis erupts. You either take the lead, own your story or run the risk…

Series introduction (October 12, 2011)

Part 1: startting from scratch (October 23, 2011)

Part 2: Setting objectives and measurement (October 23, 2011)

Part 3: Choosing your first social network (November 2, 2011)

Part 4 Interactive use of social media (November 22, 2011)

Social media monitoring tools should offer you ease of use, a simple look at what matters to you and the ability to link to relevant online content and export what's important to your organization. In fact, monitoring SM…

A place of learning was martyred again this week ... a few years after being the site of the most horrific mass-murder in US history, tragedy struck Virginia Tech again. This time it happened in the age of social convergence which means we all had an immediate "historical account" of what was unfolding. In this case, the story was told on social media.

A few lessons to be learned from this event. 

Time is a luxury you can't afford anymore. You need to move fast and do a multitude of tasks at…

Hi Everyone in Ontario,  Just wanted to share 211's part of the story of how 211's helpline can help municipalities and social services in recovering from an emergency or disaster. 

Calls to 211 after Goderich tornado demonstrated Ontario's generosity 

Collingwood, ON - December 7, 2011 - Three months after the August 21 tornado and storm that demolished downtown Goderich in Ontario, it's the generosity of the citizens of Ontario that is best remembered by the 211's helpline staff. Through…

One of the most fascinating use of social networks and mobile technologies for emergency management is crisis mapping. It's the crowdsourced geo-localization of all sorts of social media data (tweets, Facebook posts, pictures, videos + SMS and others) whch are shared by people witnessing or experiencing a crisis ... others then take the info and offer a dynamic visualization of all that data in the form of a map. Although it can often take other forms (database, wiki), the map provides…

For additional information email muskokadm@redcross.ca or check http://lnkd.in/Ds9ZU8