Archive for June, 2009

While I have written how social media should be used by EMS Agencies numerous times, it is really time to show it in action with an agency that is putting these theories into practice.

LAFD.org

The homepage of The Los Angeles Fire Department is the essential hub for the department’s web presence. On it are seasonal advisories, a roll down list of preparedness pages, a Feedburner generated list of the recent posts from the LAFD Blog, and a link list of department related pages.

This is exactly the type of web presence that I previously described. The LAFD Blog and its constantly freshing content is an integrated part of the hubpage that remains the center of the department’s web presence. What I found VERY interesting and innovative about the LAFD web presence is their LAFD Alert system…

LAFD Alert

The LAFD provides an alert system to their residents. This system is actually pulled together using numerous social media applications. From an outsider looking in, it appears that it all begins with this LAFD_ALERT Google Group…

Residents who want to receive alerts can join the Google Group to receive notification of the events deemed newsworthy by the department. These events are probably submitted to the group itself via e-mail which then propagates out to…

LAFD Verified Twitter

The alerts are propagated through Twitter using TwitterMail that takes an e-mail message and posts its contents to your Twitter account. The LAFD have a Twitter Verified Account, which means that the LAFD Twitter Account has in fact been proven to be the “real thing” to Twitter.

However in Twitter the alert does not end because it continues its syndication into…

LAFD Facebook

Here in Facebook the LAFD Alerts are disseminated in status updates from the LAFD Facebook Profile using Ping.fm. This chain of syndication and information dissemination from a trusted source is exactly the point I’ve been trying to make.

Of course, we shouldn’t forget to mention that LAFD also maintains a presence on MySpace, FriendFeed, Flickr and YouTube. This proves that the LAFD “gets” social media and its benefits.

The Cost

I know that some people may be thinking, “Well they’re the Los Angeles Fire Department so their budget for this must be in the millions!”

Wrong.

Every single service that they are using as spokes in the hub (Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, Google Groups, Ping.fm, and Twittermail) to help the wheel go round are free.

In fact for that matter here is an excerpt from the LAFD_ALERT Google Group Page:

We are a one-person office with more than 300 media phone calls and nearly 500 official e-mails arriving each day.

If the LAFD can have this level of social media presence from a one person office… then what is holding your agency back?

I was recently asked a question on Twitter about what relevance I thought an article has for EMS Agencies:

The article that Greg Friese was inquiring about in the tweet above is called Speed, Social Media and Crisis Communication. The article cites a study of the 2007 pet food recall that examined social media messages and the types of messages that pet owners at that time indicated they wanted. I believe the article is very relevant for EMS Agencies as the country moves towards a new health care model that equals the focus on both acute treatment and condition prevention.

From a public safety agency standpoint, let’s take a recent event and use it as an example of what an agency could have done as compared to what it actually did in communication during a crisis.

DC Metro Red Line Crash June 22, 2009

Here is what could have happened if DC Fire & EMS were engaged in social media:

• The DC Fire & EMS SMPIO (Social Media Public Information Officer) is advised that there are multiple calls on a potential rail incident on the Red Line. There are many units responding but there is no situation report available yet
• On Twitter which is syndicated to their Facebook Page status: DCFIREEMS is receiving multiple calls for a rail collision on the Metro Red Line near Fort Totten. Expect potential delays. (123 characters)
• On their Blog: The DC Fire & EMS SMPIO would ready a blog post for the first situation report with the right categories and tags
• Once the first situation report comes in, the SMPIO would translate it into “plain english” and post it on the blog. The SMPIO would also Twitter the URL of the blog post and then summarize the first situation report into a message under 140 characters and establish a #hashtag for the event such as #METRODCRAIL on Twitter
• As future situation reports come in the SMPIO would continue to translate them into “plain english” and add them to the blog post already established as well as summarizing them on Twitter maintaining the #hashtag
• Due to the size and nature of this particular incident, the SMPIO should be deployed to the scene. He would bring with him his social media “jump bag”, consisting of a laptop/netbook with a wireless broadband air card, a FliP video camera, and a 6MP or greater digital camera. The SMPIO should continue to update the blog post, Twitter the updates, and is now able to post video and photos to the agency’s YouTube account and Flickr account

Here is what did happen:

• The unverified DCFireEMS Twitter account posted two vague updates
• The DCFireEMS YouTube account posted one video a day later
• The Fire Chief gave a statement with the mayor at a hastily thrown together press conference

So just how ready is DC Fire & EMS when it comes to social media?  It seems they are not very ready at all in the end. Their lack of preparedness lost them the opportunity to become an engaged and trusted authority with the public.

For a great example of a city agency embracing social media in preparation of a crisis, check out NYC’s Office of Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter

Five Steps To Establish A Trusted Social Media Presence

Here are five easy ways that an EMS Agency can show themselves as a trusted source of information in today’s social media climate:

1. Develop an agency Social Media Policy that includes honest and transparent communication as base values and engagement with the public as a foundation to build upon
2. Appoint SMPIOs who then familiarize themselves with and adhere to the Agency Social Media Policy
3. Establish a blog within the agency website with RSS and e-mail syndication
4. Establish an agency Twitter account
5. Establish an agency Facebook Page

The most effective communication is the type of communication that comes from a trusted source. Ask yourself which channel do you turn to when there are rumblings or rumors of a crisis? Did you answer CNN? Perhaps MSNBC or Fox? That is probably because you have found them to be a trusted source of information when there was an earlier crisis so you naturally turn to them again under similar circumstances.

Now what is one of the biggest complaints from EMS Agencies? The way they are perceived by the public and portrayed in the media. Who’s fault is it really? With today’s technology EMS Agencies have the ability to craft the public’s perception themselves. EMS Agencies have the power to become authorities and trusted sources of information in their own right, therefore they have no one to blame but themselves for not engaging in social media.

In the end, EMS Agencies need to be a trusted source of correct up to date information daily for the public so that there is no question about the information disseminated in a crisis.

Here are some blog posts from EMS Bloggers last week that I found to be timely, educational, and not surprising at all…

• Dave Statter shows what the most famous ambulance in the world looks like. At least for now. Of course as luck would have it, it belongs to a fire service. The great myth lives on.
• Jim Isbell provided some critical heat injury prevention tips for the TRULY important people, the responders, via EMS Daily Tips. I could definitely get the “Dress for conditions” part down… if only they’d change the policy to allow me to respond in the Hanes on calls.
• Rogue Medic has examined the work histories of both Paramedic Maurice White and Trooper Daniel Martin. I can’t say I was too surprised that one got voted out of a job after a little more than a year and the other got fired after 11 years on charges that really seem… well… lame. Considering the continual path this event has gone down, can you guess which one is which???

And finally…

• Kelly Grayson laments on the recent loss of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. Personally, I was more a Cheryl Ladd fan… but I always did enjoy Farrah’s episodes.

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Washington DC Fire & EMS has been engaged in using social media sites such as their DCFIREEMS YouTube account. Yesterday they posted this video from the June 22 Washington DC Metro Orange Line Crash with this commentary:

These are images (edited of course) of the Metro Rail crash between the Ft. Totten and Tacoma Park stations. Video shows firefighters engaged in stabilization and extrication operations on the affected trains. Federal and local authorities continue to investigate the cause of the accident. Video by Alan Etter, DC Fire & EMS PIO.

Thanks DC Fire & EMS for embracing social media and making it work for us!

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• Several Dead In US Subway Train Tragedy (news.sky.com)
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Just when you’d think things were calming down on the Trooper Daniel Martin assaulting Paramedic Maurice White front… it seems there are two online petitions going around.

The first is to Fire Trooper Daniel Martin. The petition originated from Theo Karanstalis and its text in part reads:

He placed EMT White in a choke hold, threatened him with arrest, and put a patient who was being rushed to the hospital in danger.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s Web site, the OHP’s mission is “working to provide a safe, secure environment for the public through courteous, quality and professional services.”

The mission says that the OHP is committed to the following core values: loyalty, honesty, respect, integrity, professionalism and self-discipline.

With over 4,000 signatures, the petition is loudly voicing the public’s displeasure with Trooper Martin’s actions.

The second online petition is to arrest Paramedic Maurice White. There is no petition originator but the text reads in part:

EMT White ignored Officer Trooper’s repeated commands to return to his vehicle. To the point, that Trooper Martin informed EMT White he was under arrest. EMT White assaulted Trooper Martin causing a scene. In order to defend himself (Trooper Martin) placed EMT White in a choke hold as he repeated his arrest. Multiple times, EMT White left his patient completely unattended in the ambulance.

With well under 100 signatures, the petition is quietly whimpering into obscurity and declaring Paramedic White in the right… at least from the court of public opinion.

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• Trooper Daniel Martin. Saga of a jackass. (medicthree.com)
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• Oklahoma Highway Patrol finally releases video of trooper attack on paramedic (boingboing.net)
• Oklahoma cop proves to be a liar after dash cam is released (sign petition to get him fired) (carlosmiller.com)
• Oklahoma Trooper case gets national exposure in mainstream media (carlosmiller.com)
• Oklahoma trooper’s lawyer says EMT escalated situation (carlosmiller.com)
• Dash Cam Video Shows Officer vs. EMT (abcnews.go.com)

Facebook is the undisputed King of the Social Networking Sites. I’ve already talked about why EMS Agencies should be using Facebook. It’s important to understand that agencies have choices in both how they present themselves and how they interact with others on the platform.

Facebook Personal Profiles

Facebook personal profiles are the very basic building block of the Facebook platform. Facebook personal profiles should not be used to represent an EMS Agency.

From the Facebook FAQ:

I’m trying to register a presence for a business, product, or public figure: We do not allow these entities to maintain personal profiles, but you can create a Facebook Page. Pages can only be created to represent a real public figure, artist, brand or organization, and may only be created by an official representative of that entity.

Just because your agency shouldn’t have a Personal Profile doesn’t mean you can’t! For that matter, if you are an official representative of your agency you will need one to create a Facebook Page or a Facebook Group. You can check out my Personal Profile for an idea of what it looks like

Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups offers organizations an opportunity to communicate and interact with personal profile users through the Facebook Platform. Although they are distinctly different, Facebook Groups offer a number of specific features like Personal Profiles. The featured areas include:

• Recent News
• Discussion Board
• Photo Uploads From Group Members
• Group Member Link Share
• Group Member Videos
• Group Member Wall Postings

Facebook Groups also offer three different privacy settings:

• Open: Everyone on Facebook can view the group and join. All content (e.g., photos, videos and discussions) is visible to anyone viewing the group.
• Closed: Everyone on Facebook can see the group, but the administrators must approve all membership requests or personally send invitations. Only group members can view its Wall, discussion board, and photo or video content. Non-members can view its Info and Recent News. If you are not a member, you will not receive stories about closed groups.
• Secret: These groups cannot be found in searches or be viewed by non-members. The name of the group will not display on the personal profiles of members. Membership is strictly by invitation only.

Because of the different privacy preferences, agencies can choose what type of group they may want to have. An agency who wants to interact with their community, their responders, and the public in general would choose to have an open group as opposed to an agency who perhaps wants to only interact with their responders would choose to have a closed group. Another important feature of Facebook Groups is its ability to allow multiple group members as administrators for the group. Having multiple administrators will make sure that whatever presence an agency builds on Facebook will be manageable by others if the originator of the group goes on vacation or becomes unavailable to support it.

While Facebook Groups offer an opportunity for an agency to exist on Facebook, what it severely lacks is the ability to customize its appearance on the platform or to integrate the powerful Facebook Applications within the group. A Facebook Group can be created by any user and about any topic, as a space for users to share their opinions and interest in that subject.

The Facebook Group EMS: Forgotten Casualties Of 9/11 grew to over 2,500 members in less than a week through a mix of the exposure through Facebook and the passion of its members for the cause that it supports

Facebook Pages

Facebook Pages are for any real public figure, artist, brand or organization, and may only be created by an official representative of that entity. Facebook Pages are also designed to allow Page Admins to keep a personal/professional distinction while on Facebook.

What empowers Facebook Pages over the other options offered is the high level of customization that it allows. Facebook Pages are able to integrate Facebook Applications and provide rich media content to both their fans and non-fans alike. This enriched environment helps Facebook Pages gain new audiences through their friend’s recommendations and fosters natural interactions with compelling content.

It is important to remember that unlike Facebook Groups there are only two privacy settings for Facebook Pages. There is the “published” which is viewable globally, and the “unpublished” which means the page is only viewable by Page Administrators. There are no private or secret options for pages.

McGregor Memorial EMS uses Facebook Pages in a simple but effective way

In Conclusion

As social media continues to grow and develop in society, EMS Agencies can no longer afford to be absent from the sphere. Although Facebook is similar to Twitter as a tool to be used in conjunction with a strong branding message, it also provides the opportunity for an agency to stick its proverbial toe into the social media water.

Here are some blog posts from EMS Bloggers last week that I found to be interesting, useful, and educational…

• Rogue Medic has gone above and beyond the call of duty by dissecting the press conference held by Trooper Daniel Martin’s lawyer. It’s amazing the double talk you discover when you take the time to actually listen to and look at what is being said



Image via Wikipedia

• Steve Whitehead lets off a little rant about DCAPBTLS and its gross overuse in both teaching and testing patient assessment skills. Admittedly, I have similarly ranted against CUPS and the Kendricks Extrication Device (KED) acronym MBLHT because even though I find EMTs able to recite letters… they are unable to put it into practice since no one seems to know what they actually mean
• Greg Friese offers three valuable safety tips for EMS Responders. Personally I’m not a sauntering type of guy… I’m more of a walk slowly and carry a big stairchair type

And finally…

• I couldn’t pass this up from Cheerupnation. As much as I may complain and stomp my feet in the puddles about the weather… it still beats a real office

Have a safe weekend!

At midnight on June 13, 2009 the great “Facebook Land Grab” went live. According to Mashable, they registered 200,000 usernames within 3 minutes, over 500,000 were registered in 15 minutes, and it culminated with 3,000,000 registered in 12 hours. This is an astounding high number of users laying claim for their “piece” of Facebook within the first 12 hours, but it only equated to roughly 2% of the 150 million users on Facebook.

A few years ago, MySpace was the undisputed “king” of the social networks. Through platform development, the inclusion of third party developers, and maintaining a clean interface there is no doubt that Facebook has taken the crown. So out of that 150 million users, how many of them live or work in your service area? More importantly, how many of them are with your agency as a responder? As the story of the EMT posting a murder scene photo on Facebook demonstrates, the chances are that it is more than you probably realize.

One of the huge differences between MySpace and Facebook has been its implementation of its Newsfeed. The Facebook Newsfeed uses push technology to update the user of their friends status and recommends groups or pages that the user might like based on their friends likes and dislikes. This method has caused more engagement from the users in what is a clean environment minus the flashy graphics and gaudy page designs that choked the MySpace.

The opportunity that Facebook presents is the ability to both strengthen brand recognition, strengthen relationships, strengthen the value an agency has to its community, and most importantly is to become informed about negative accusations or feedback so that it is addressed promptly. EMS Agencies should be using Facebook to connect better with both their responders and their potential patients.

The absolute worst thing an EMS Agency can do is to ignore the internet has evolved into the social web and that Facebook is playing a central role in that continual evolution. Just because you ignore it, doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about you or worse… pretending to actually be you.

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