Blogs, podcasts, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube give local government new ways to communicate with residents. Though some cities and counties are just starting to tweet about council meetings and library closures, this paper presents case studies from six local governments that use social media for emergency preparedness:

• Evanston, Illinois

• Johnson County, Kansas

• Moorhead, Minnesota

• Fort Bend County, Texas

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Alexandria, Virginia.

While each of these local governments differs in population, geographical location, and the different types of emergencies they face, what they have in common is their social media use. Click here to learn how each local government communicates with its residents and see social media’s potential use in emergency management.