Tag Archives: disasters

At #IDRC2014 we shared how social media can make disaster resilience a social norm

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IDRCDisasterResilience

It was a thrill and honour to present the Emergency 2.0 Wiki, a nonprofit I founded and lead on a voluntary basis, on the world stage at the 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference (#IDRC2014) in Davos, Switzerland on 27 August.

I was excited to have the opportunity to showcase the Emergency 2.0 Wiki, share our message on how countries can build disaster resilience through a whole of community approach to using social media, and also influence future world policy.

#IDRC2014csm_idrc2014_6fe511616e, held 24-28 August, was organised by the Global Risk Forum in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and is the largest world gathering of key players in this field. Over 700 participants from more than 80 countries attended the conference including from the United Nations and international organisations; from NGOS, the private sector, science and the media.

It was an opportunity to share how the Emergency 2.0 Wiki’s work had supported the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action, and to influence future world policy, making recommendations for the Post 2015 Disaster Risk Reduction Framework to be ratified at the UN World Conference WCDRR in Sendai Japan in 2015. I did this via a presentation, an extended abstract, a personal statement and a video Red Chair Statement.

Red Chair Statement

To view the Emergency 2.0 Wiki submission documents, please visit the wiki policy submission page.

emergency2.0wiki_logo_colour_lowres (2)The presentation

The presentation topic was “The importance of a whole of community approach to using social media for disaster resilience and how the Emergency 2.0 Wiki can help.”

We believe that social media can play a transformative role in making disaster resilience a social norm. Social media offers the potential to help create a level of resilience that ensures communities don’t just ‘bounce back’ after a disaster, but ‘bounce forward’, becoming stronger with increased social networks, social cohesion and social capital.

This requires a ‘whole of community approach’ in which the community becomes partners in using social media for disaster resilience. I explained how along with emergency response agencies, all sectors of the community: local government, schools, hospitals, ngos, community groups, faith based groups, service clubs, business and citizens; have a role to play in disaster resilience, showcasing examples from around the world.

http://www.slideshare.net/emergency20wiki/idrc14-pppeileen-culleton-final

Thank you

EMA - Stacked (3)I would like to thank everyone who made this presentation possible by helping to fund my travel to Davos, Switzerland. I would like to thank Emergency Management Australia, of the Attorney General’s Department, for providing a sponsorship for the Emergency 2.0 Wiki.

I also thank key crowdfunding supporters: Emergency AUS, Paula Bernett-McInnes, Philippe Borremans,  Joanna L Lane, Kerry McGoldrick, Tracie McNamara-Jones, Margaret Scott & Associates, Reputelligence, Streaka, Craig Thomler, Tchem Ryland and Gay Turner.

I would also like to thank the many who gave anonymously, and all who shared the project with their social networks.

Cheers,

Eileen

PS. Together we will make our world safer…

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Presenting at global disaster forum #IDRC2014

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csm_idrc2014_6fe511616eI’m thrilled to share that I am flying tomorrow to present the Emergency 2.0 Wiki on the world stage at the 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference (#IDRC2014) in Davos Switzerland.

This conference is organised by the Global Risk Forum in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and is the largest world gathering of key players in this field.

Importantly, it is a powerful opportunity to influence world policy. As a speaker I will be making recommendations for the Post 2015 Disaster Risk Reduction Framework to be ratified at the UN World Conference WCDRR in Sendai Japan in 2015.

emergency2.0wiki_logo_colour_lowres (2)I will be speaking on “The importance of a whole of community approach to using social media for disaster resilience and how the Emergency 2.0 Wiki can help.”

This news is particularly thrilling because I’m flying despite my crowdfunding appeal not reaching its target on Monday.

What made it possible was a combination of a sponsorship from EMA - Stacked (3)Emergency Management Australia, part of the Australian Attorney General’s Department, combined with the amazing phenomenon of people honoring their crowdfunding pledges anyway and making donations directly towards my trip (often increasing their gift) … all in time for me to fly tomorrow!

Eileen Culleton, Founder & CEO (voluntary) Emergency 2.0 Wiki at Social Media in Times of Crisis Forum

Eileen Culleton, Founder & CEO (voluntary) Emergency 2.0 Wiki at Social Media in Times of Crisis Forum

I’m excited to have this opportunity to showcase the Emergency 2.0 Wiki on the world stage and share our message on how countries can build disaster resilience through a whole of community approach to using social media.

I also look forward to making strategic contacts to form alliances with international bodies.

You can join the conversation on the conference via the hashtag #IDRC2014.

Pozible 2 final 2014-08-22_9-55-15

Pozible campaign 2

I plan to honour the rewards that I offered via the crowdfunding campaign (social media recognition and tip guides).

I also plan to write a post to share the lessons learned from my crowdfunding experiences: from my first campaign to raise funds for the conference registration fee to secure my place… which was successful and this campaign to raise funds to enable me to travel there…  which was not.

My sincerest thanks and gratitude to all who made this possible. Together, we will make our world safer…

Cheers,

Eileen

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Crowdfunding for a safer world

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Pozible campaign
Pozible campaign

I believe in the power of the crowd to change the world.

It’s how the Emergency 2.0 Wiki, a free global online resource and knowledge-sharing platform for helping communities use social media in disasters, came into being. This world first initiative would not have been possible without social media and an online global crowd of volunteers.emergency2.0wiki_logo_colour_lowres (2)

Leading the Emergency 2.0 Wiki as founder and CEO in a voluntary capacity, is the other hat that I wear, along with operating Byron Bay Social Media.

Now I am turning to the crowd to support my Pozible crowdfunding appeal to help me travel to Switzerland to present for the Emergency 2.0 Wiki at the 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference (#IDRC2014) 24-28 August in Davos.

csm_idrc2014_6fe511616e#IDRC2014 is organised by the Global Risk Forum in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and is the largest world gathering of key players in this field.

Importantly, it is also an opportunity to shape world policy. As a speaker I will be making recommendations for the Post 2015 Disaster Risk Framework to be ratified at the UN World Conference WCDRR in Sendai, Japan in 2015.

About the Emergency 2.0 Wiki

The Emergency 2.0 Wiki is a free online global resource and knowledge sharing hub for using social media and new technologies in emergencies.

Emergency 2.0 Wiki Tweetmap

Emergency 2.0 Wiki Tweetmap

The wiki serves a global hub for emergency response agencies, government, NGOs, schools, hospitals, community groups, faith based groups, business, media and citizens to use social media to better prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.

The wiki provides tips, guides, apps, mapping tools, videos and an international directory of emergency services on social media. It has tips for citizens to help themselves and help others, an accessibility toolkit for people with disabilities and guidelines for emergency services, government, community groups and NGOs, schools, hospitals and business.

The Emergency 2.0 Wiki facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing and crowdsourcing across the industry sectors to provide users around the world with the latest information, best practices and resources. The Emergency 2.0 Wiki is a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers and is yet to officially begin fundraising (hence this crowd funding appeal) . The development of Wiki content is overseen by international volunteer reference groups of professionals with expertise in the field.

What we believe

Eileen Culleton, Social Media in Times of Crisis Forum

Eileen Culleton, Social Media in Times of Crisis Forum

We believe that together we can help create a world where communities use social media to save not only their own lives in a disaster, but also the lives of others. A world where:

  • Emergency response agencies use social media to issue alerts and warnings to save lives
  • Emergency response agencies engage with the community as partners
  • The community is prepared, including people with a disability
  • Digital volunteers from across the globe provide ‘information aid’ during and after disasters
  • The community reaches out to help the community

The Emergency 2.0 Wiki believes that social media can play a transformative role in making disaster resilience a social norm. Social media offers the potential to help create a level of resilience that ensures communities don’t just ‘bounce back’ after a disaster, but ‘bounce forward’, becoming stronger with increased social networks, social cohesion and social capital.  This requires a whole of community approach to using social media for disaster resilience in which the community becomes partners in disaster resilience.

In my presentation I will be showcasing how this can be done using best practice examples from around the world and sharing how the Emergency 2.0 Wiki can help.

qld flood king bob

Queensland Floods 2011

The Catalyst for the Emergency 2.0 Wiki

The catalyst for creating wiki was the 2011 Queensland floods. Like many people, I saw the television coverage of the Toowoomba flash flood. I watched in horror as cars with people trapped in them were washed down the street, shortly before the inland tsunami swept through the Lockyer Valley, washing away houses with people clinging to roofs desperately awaiting rescue helicopters.   There was tragic loss of life that day and I wondered how many lives could have been saved if people had received warnings earlier, via social media alerts to their mobile phones – not just from emergency services, but from people on the ground who witnessed the wall of water coming through. The use of social media for emergency communications was in its infancy then. We had the technology, but we didn’t have mass take-up. Today we still have a long way to go in Australia and internationally.

01_CycloneTracy_001

Cyclone Tracy, Darwin, Christmas Day 1974

My personal driver

As a childhood survivor of Cyclone Tracy which destroyed Darwin in 1974, and in which I lost my home, family photos and pets, I am passionate about helping build community resilience and I believe social media is a most powerful enabler for this.

Rewards for supporting the Pozible appeal  

Supporters have the option to receive a public thank you on social media through various channels:

Also on offer is a listing as a key supporter on my PowerPoint presentation at the Conference. The PowerPoint will be posted after the Conference on the Emergency 2.0 Wiki Library and Events Page as well as the IDRC website.

For businesses there is also the opportunity to receive a Tip Guide from my consultancy Byron Bay Social Media on how to use Twitter to build your brand profile and reach new customers. Also on offer are five customised tips on how your business could use social media to build your brand while doing good.

I encourage everyone to share your support of this appeal via your social networks to help us raise awareness and reach the fundraising target. If you are a business, supporting this cause online has the added bonus of potentially helping you build brand value, develop brand advocates, increase customer loyalty and attract new customers, as research has found that people prefer brands that support causes and they like to use social media to promote causes.

Challenges

We have a very short timeframe to raise the funds (the Pozible campaign deadline is Monday 18 August). Together we can do it, and I’m thanking you in advance for your support!

Sharing learnings

I plan to share learnings from this Pozible appeal in a future blog post to help those considering crowdfunding.

Many thanks for your support.

Cheers, Eileen

P.S. Together we can make our world safer

Image credits

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