Federal Emergency Management Agency
Directives Management System
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Date Organization
12/04/2009 EA-PA-MR
Public Affairs
I. Purpose
This is a standard operating procedure on how the twitter accounts will be used both in headquarters, the regional offices, and in JFOs and guidance on ways to monitor twitter for situational awareness.
II. Applicability and Scope
This is for JFO, regional, and headquarters external affairs staff.
III Supersession
This is the original SOP published 12/XX/09.
IV Authority
There is no published authority for this SOP.
V. References
Public Affairs Podcasting and Field Video Annexes may provide additional useful information.
VI Definitions
Twitter – Web-based social media application that allows microblogs to be maintained for public and private use. These 140 character posts can be sent from cell phones and computer terminals, and affords a broad communications potential to those who use it.
VII Responsibilities
VIII Standard Operating Procedures
A. Message output
· Daily messaging regarding sitreps.
· Tweet press releases when posted.
· Update on videos and photos.
· Tweet declarative statements regarding specific events and agency status.
B. Message Analysis
· Monitoring concerns and trends among media and public.
· Looking for signs of message penetration among users (are our releases being commented on and retweeted)? Is there still confusion regarding a position we have clarified?
C. Customer Service
· Searching for inquiries regarding FEMA policy and assistance. Replying to appropriate inquiries in public forum that points to referring online materials
· Educate the public on mission and involvement in community through official channels.
· Answer industry specific questions through reference to online policy material.
D. Networking with Partners
· Post new position openings for emergency management communications.
· Following the accounts of emergency managers, media and ngos.
· Retweeting applicable content to support their message.
IX Implementation
A. Workflow: There is one account login for FEMA, FEMA’s Twitter account and one account for each region femaregion1 - femaregion10. The concept is to treat the account like you would the news desk. Each region will maintain its own account and use that account during activation of RRCC and on regional disasters.
One person from each region will be permitted to use the branded regional twitter account and will be responsible for everything that person posts. This account will be coordinated through HQ.
The region will identify which person will be allowed through a JIC news desk to represent the disaster on its account, so long as that person has authority from the JFO to respond and post.
This means tweet about your recent releases and link their URLs so that media and the general public can follow up. It also means including the twitter account and mentions of it in JFO and regional press releases. Responding to messages and replies should also be handled in that context. If a reply is made to an issue affecting your JIC, then the field person will respond. If a message comes to address a specific issue of your JIC, then you will respond to the message. Keep all communications in their native context – this means reply to public messages as public.
Only the regional POC for the account will change profile information in accordance with HQ guidance. Passwords and account maintenance will be handled by regional POCs and are not to be changed without notifying HQ. Regions and field staff are encouraged to develop a useful network of followers from regional media and community twitter accounts. Regional POCs will be responsible for the list of twitter accounts they are following.
B. Suggested Uses
· Notification of press release
· Update on statistics
· Notification of new product (video, podcast, etc.)
· Direct communication to partners (NGO /state emergency manager)
· Short status update statement
C. Writing For Twitter: The expectation is that the 140 character tweets will be succinct and direct followers to useful content. Tweets should be written with key words so that a search of words (such as wildfire hurricane, Ike, Katrina) comes up with our account when the search function is used. Use of hashtags is standard and an excellent way to aggregate disaster-specific content for situational awareness use. (#boulderfire , #inaug09)
It is critical that transparency and timeliness are tied with important and verified information. This means no guessing, slagging or using the account for your personal opinion. And stay in your lanes. Don’t get dragged into a fight by someone trying to get a rise out of you.
Due to multiple users on an account, all users will allot space to sign their tweets with a dash and their initials -- i.e., -jps .
D. Things to avoid
· Field staff will not post inappropriate material, policy information or personal opinion on the decisions of the agency or any of the disaster response and recovery partners;
· Field staff will not add or delete from the list we are following;
· Filed staff will not change the password, layout, or any profile information;
· Field staff will not respond to hate speech, non-sequitors or issues that do not deal with your JFO’s operation; and
· Field staff will not pass on the Twitter login information to their replacement, and should notify the regional POC before they stop using the account from the JFO.
X Forms Prescribed
None
XI Date of SOP review: (TBD upon approval)
XII Questions
Jason Lindesmith
______
NAME
Director, External Affairs
Federal Emergency Management Agency