Panel: Utilizing Social Networks to Reach Disability and Emergency Management Communities

Sign up with Twitter so you can contribute to the conference conversation, here's how!

1.    Know Your Rules.  If you are part of an organization, there should be policies on social media. If not, help craft some. Examples at: http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php

2.    Choose a User Name & Avatar:  Name & image that is related to identity or your main interest, the shorter the better for your name, simpler the better for image.

3.    Join (follow instructions, but don’t worry about using their ‘finding friends’ function)

Initially your screen will look very boring. It only shows you the posts (tweets) of the people you are following, but you aren’t following anyone right now.

Jumping in:

·        Follow:

www.Twitter.com/neilmcd       Bio: Program director for CEPIN, former deaf firefighter, and husband/father.

www.twitter.com/caroldn         Bio: Disaster guru (self proclaimed) Reduce the bad things that happen=more good things can happen.

www.twitter.com/tinafightsfire  Bio: Fire Marshal with passion and goal to raise public awareness regarding fire & life safety.

www.twitter.com/JenniferJS     Bio: Govt Affairs/Tech Initiatives at AAPD, mum of Josh with cerebral palsy, lazy gardener & sloppy cook.

www.twitter.com/CraigAtFEMA  Bio:  FEMA Administrator

www.Twitter.com/CEPIN          Organizational twitter feed for CEPIN

www.Twitter.com/AAPD            Organizational twitter feed for AAPD

www.Twitter.com/TDIAccess     Organiational twitter feed for CEPIN's parent organization, Telecommunications for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Inc.

www.Twitter.com/FEMAinFocus    FEMA's main twitter feed

·        Place your mouse over a ‘tweet’. To the right you will see the words ‘Reply’ and ‘Retweet’. Click on Reply and type a message after the @(username) in the window/  Feel free to just say hello, we’ll respond.

·        On our profile page, click on the word: “Followers” in the upper right corner. Explore list to see if there are other Twitter Users that you will find interesting.

·        You can use the search bar on the right to conduct searches on topics that interest you. Click on user name of Twitter users that interest you to go to their profile. Select “Follow”.

·        If someone has ‘tweeted’ something that you find interesting, hit ‘Reply’ and tell them so, or ask a question.   If you engage people directly, they will respond, and then things get interesting.

Tips:

·        Don’t feel you must follow each person that follows you.  Many people only follow to try to sell you something.

·        Don’t feel rejected if you are ‘unfollowed’. Followers come and go.