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Emergency management agencies in urban areas face unique challenges; they must manage a high volume of messaging and public input across a broad scope of communications platforms and oftentimes multiple municipalities. IBTS spoke with Vito Turso, New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) deputy commissioner, about his department’s experience communicating with the public and other stakeholders throughout response and recovery from Hurricane Sandy.

These tips offer advice to emergency management agencies in urban communities based on lessons learned and best practices developed in New York City after Hurricane Sandy.

Maintain communication with local and state elected and appointed officials.

• “They add an additional layer of outreach, and if needed, bureaucracy,” Turso says. Coordinate with the governor’s office and elected and appointed officials from surrounding municipalities to ensure all impacted areas send consistent, accurate messages. The governor’s office can assist with messages about road closures, debris removal and other important regional or statewide messaging when needed.

Communicate road closures and public transit disruptions as soon as possible.

“Plans were put into motion the day prior to Sandy and constant updates of the city’s weather forecasts, warnings that roads would be closed and public transit would be shut down were issued around-the-clock on TV, radio, social media and online,” Turso says.

Have a plan to keep cars off streets.

• Use PSAs before the start of winter and prior to any severe weather event to notify residents that on-street parking will be restricted during and after a severe storm to make way for snow and debris removal.
• During a storm, use social media, radio and local media to notify residents when they need to move cars from streets, when travel bans are implemented and when on-street parking will return to normal.
• Work with the governor’s office to get the word out regionally.

Consider stationing a permanent communication’s liaison from key local agencies in the office of emergency management (OEM).

For example, DSNY has a representative permanently stationed at the city’s OEM. “Communication flows from DSNY, OEM or the mayor’s office,” Turso explains. “With a permanent office at OEM, communication is easier to implement.”

Develop a protocol for dealing with elected officials and Community Boards.

In New York City, for example, the Office of Community Affairs communicates with city and state elected officials and all 59 community boards, while the Press Office communicates with the media.

Keep consistent communication with the media, including radio, to spread urgent information quickly.

“As the predictions got worse, the response plan became more urgent – especially for people in low-lying areas who had to be evacuated or medevacked,” Turso notes. “Coordination with the media, the governor’s office and local leaders from surrounding municipalities was key since media crosses many boundaries.”

Don’t forget about less tech-savvy populations, like seniors and lower-income residents.

• Make sure that all messages sent through social media or posted on your agency’s website are also disseminated via television and radio. Many seniors and other vulnerable populations do not have access to social media or computers.

Accommodate the media to the extent possible.

• Know where the media will be stationed and work with your public information officer (PIO) to send them consistent updates.
• Stay ahead of the media and use them to your advantage by providing them with consistent, accurate information that they can disseminate more widely.
• When new information is sent to the media, send it simultaneously to elected and appointed officials.
• Make yourself available for media interviews, but don’t let it impede operations. Ensure any local official who speaks to the media is briefed beforehand with the most up-to-date information available.

Use social media to communicate directly.

• Send storm alerts, evacuation warnings and other important messages directly to residents through your agency’s Twitter, Facebook and other social media accounts.
• Likewise, make sure your social media coordinator  tags other stakeholder’s social media accounts – such as the mayor and governor’s office, local departments and media – to ensure they are updated on situation and can help spread the message.
• Dedicate at least one staff member to social media monitoring, both to respond to resident questions sent in via social media and to prevent false information and rumors from spreading.
• Encourage local departments to create their own social media accounts and build a following before disaster strikes.
• See more best practices for using social media to communicate with the public during a disaster and tips for building a social media following.

Be prepared for residents to express their frustration on social media.

“Social media is a genuine plus, however it’s a two-way street,” Turso says. “Residents will express their frustration, comments and questions are cumbersome to respond to and require 24/7 attention – it can become an obstacle to performance.”

Know your local amateur radio community. 

• At minimum, know the size, scope and capabilities of the amateur radio community in and around your city.
• Build a relationship or implement an aid agreement to ensure they can provide assistance if traditional methods of communication go out during a disaster.
• See more IBTS tips on coordinating with local amateur radio associations.