Virtual Operations Support Teams
for Disasters and RecoveryFor NASEDOVOC call,
8/22/2014
The public has embraced social media and use their favorite platforms & services daily. In disasters, they go there as well.
The public no longer waits for officials/authorities to take the lead,
althought they will are usually happy to support our efforts if we act as a collaborator
Virtual Operations Support Teams:
a great example of how VOADs can use “The 4 C’s” in disasters
• VOST teams have been operating for +3 years
• tested on wildfires, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes & more
• concept has grown from U.S. to Canada, New Zealand, France, Spain, Australia, U.K. and more
• virtual teams used successfully by Oregon VOAD in 2012 & National VOAD during Hurricane Sandy, Colorado floods by COVOST, midwest tornadoes by OKVOST
• can be very helpful for disaster recovery coordination
What is a VOST?
•Trusted agents organized and directed by Emergency Management agency or disaster organization.•VOST will help expand the EM’s ability to engage with the public before, during emergencies, and as part of the recovery phase.
Engaged Communit
yResources
How can VOST assist EM Agencies?
Tasked•Information finding•Spot Trends
•Information disseminationAutonomous
•Monitoring public voice•Amplifying official message
• Monitor• Curate• Amplify
VOST Instance Cycle
Concept
Importance of having both local AND non-local team members
Local team members have strong location & cultural knowledge, yet in times of disaster, team nonlocal members often needed &
called upon to assist.
crowdsourcinglisten – identify needs/trends – build tools to help
HelpHelp
OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOO
Coord-
inate
Coord-
inateOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOO
ListenListen
OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOO
Workflow
SkypeSkype Workbook
Workbook
Incident docs & records are in
shared workbook
Ongoing text chat is in the VOST “work
room”
OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOO
Workbook
Workbook
All major actions
tracked & logged in workbook
OOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOO
Search
tools
Search
tools
Search for helpful info on social media
& net
OOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOO
SkypeSkype
Communicate, collaborate, coordinate
OOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOO
Info actionInfo
action
Info used according to
mission
OOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOO
virtual virtual workrooworkroo
mm (chat)(chat)
monitoring/seamonitoring/sea
rch:rch:• • actionable posts actionable posts
and decision support; and decision support; watching for watching for
individual needs & individual needs & trends trends in needsin needs
• • sentiment analysissentiment analysis• •
rumors/misinformatiorumors/misinformationn
• • twitter keyword, twitter keyword, hashtag and geocode hashtag and geocode
searchessearches• • socialmention.com socialmention.com
blog & facebook blog & facebook public postspublic posts
curated stories:curated stories:• • storifystorify
• • pinterestpinterest• • twitter timelinetwitter timeline
crowdsourcing: crowdsourcing: • • google form/sheetgoogle form/sheet
• • ushahidi - crowdmapushahidi - crowdmap• • SUV coordination via blog or SUV coordination via blog or
fbfb• • crisiscleanup • recoverscrisiscleanup • recovers
• • standby task forcestandby task forceshared shared workbooworkboo
kk(google (google sheet)sheet)
twitter lists:twitter lists:• • incident-related incident-related
accounts, official or accounts, official or unofficial.unofficial.
• • local media local media accounts, social media accounts, social media and traditional media and traditional media
accountsaccountsanalyticsanalytics
• • how effective is our effort? how effective is our effort? How many people are we How many people are we
reaching and on which reaching and on which platforms?platforms?
incident!
team team lead(s)lead(s)
org. leaderorg. leader
team team activated!activated!(text/call)(text/call)
incident!
backchannel tools/resources:backchannel tools/resources:
public interaction public interaction & message & message
amplification:amplification:• • twitter • facebooktwitter • facebook
website or blog (or both)website or blog (or both)• • youtube • instagram • youtube • instagram •
vinevine• • pinterest • flickrpinterest • flickr
aar/aar/archivinarchivin
gg
disaster apps:disaster apps:• • red cross apps • FEMA red cross apps • FEMA
appapp• • local EM & public safety local EM & public safety
appsapps
public-facing/interactive public-facing/interactive resourcesresources
VOST backchannel discussions on Skype (text &
voice)
the workbook: readthe ICS 204 tab
key websites & resources tab:save active/relevant accounts
here
shared tweetdeck account for twitter
monitoring
social mention search
(blogs, facebook, twitter)
social mention search
crowdmap•Add your disaster locations worked
to the sample crowdmap
•Ask others to add disaster locations worked
google forms:VOAD coordination
reports
google forms:VOAD coordination
reports
google forms:VOAD coordination
reports
agencies/organizations who are now using virtual teams to assist with social media efforts during
disasters•Red Cross DigiDOC (Digital Operations
Center)
•FEMA External Affairs Cadre now utilizes “Digital Communications Specialists” (DCSPs)
•Some National Forest Service PIOs have been working with VOST for 3 years on wildfires
•VOST teams started in U.S., followed by New Zealand, Canada, Australia, UK, France, Spain
Red Cross DigiDOC (Digital Operations Center)
FEMA social media efforts
other virtual teams:
humanity road
thanks!Thanks to those who’ve volunteered their valuable time, skills and knowledge to help put this effort together, and whose material I’ve
drawn from or borrowed:
Especially:
Caroline Milligan of NZVOSTMarlita Reddy-Hjelmfelt of PNWVOST
Jeff Phillips of VOST
– thanks so much for all who have helped. Scott Reuter ( @sct_r )
First Virtual NVOAD effort for Hurricane
Sandy •(note: Slide to be altered for final version)
- Small virtual team supported National VOADsocial media accounts
-monitoring, responding to questions & comments,-reporting to NVOAD staff