Abstract

Social media has recently become a norm in modern day society, and it has been able to be used as a tool in multiple fields. Emergency management is one of these fields that has benefited from the integration of social media. Past research examined different applications of social media in emergency management, however not how it is used. This research looks at how social media is used at the different levels of government (local, state, and federal) through a small series of interviews with practitioners. The findings suggest that social media is used differently at these levels and they also show that each level believes social media is most effective in different phases of the disaster cycle. Finally, the uses are examined to see if they are utilizing the Department of Homeland Security’s nationwide social media strategy. Overall, even though social media is used differently, it is still a powerful tool in all three levels of government.

Semester/Year of Award

Fall 2014

Mentor

Ryan K. Baggett

Mentor Department Affiliation

Safety, Security, and Emergency Management

Access Options

Restricted Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Safety, Security, and Emergency Management

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

15-056

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