Presentation to the National Association of Government Web Professionals at its 2013 National Conference. MCUrgent is a multi-jurisdictional social media based network that allows multiple municipalities to communicate via a single social channel during an emergency.

1. MCUrgent
A Shared Emergency
Information Network
Getting the
word out with
social media
Carol A. Spencer @CarolSpencerNJ
Digital and Social Media Manager, Morris County NJ
September 27, 2013

2. What is MCUrgent?
• An application that utilizes the power of social
media to share official emergency information
during a multi-jurisdictional emergency.
• Led by Morris County’s Office of Emergency
Management, MCUrgent will ultimately include
all 39 towns posting to a single Twitter feed and
Facebook page.
• Used only in multi-jurisdictional emergencies.
Individual town emergency notices go to that
town’s website, Twitter feed or Facebook page.

3. When putting out information…
Situation updates need to:
– be timely
– originate from the source
– be accessible even without power
– be available 24/7
– be device independent
– cross municipal boundaries
– be freely available
(no subscription or membership required)
– be accessed anywhere

4. Our vision of MCUrgent
Twitter
(MCUrgent)
Facebook
Parsippany
(MCUrgent)
Morris Twp
Denville
Riverdale
Dover
Twitter
Towns create a tweet
#hashtag post
(MorrisCountyNJ)
Facebook
(MorrisCountyNJ)
Twitter
(Town feed)
Facebook
(Town page)

5. Posts go to major social networks
#MCDover: Rte 46 EB and WB are open w
minor flooding. East Blackwell and most side
roads leading to Blackwell St are still closed.
Flooding 5:41 AM Oct 1st via HootSuite

6. MCurgent on Facebook

7. MCUrgent on Twitter (MCUrgent.com)

8. Get MCUrgent via Text Message
text
follow MCUrgent
to 40404

9. 2010 Winter Storms: First test of MCUrgent
Getting started:
MCUrgent FB Post views
• 10/25/2010 - 11/26/2010
December storms:
MCUrgent FB Post views
• 11/25/2010 - 12/25/2010
8,941
ONE DAY
December 27, 2010
• MCUrgent Post views:
4,386
188

10. Hurricane Irene: 1 week
Websites
•Homepage views
Irene
Typical
75,155 26,000
Blogger
•OEM & MorrisCountyNJ
Facebook post views
•MorrisCountyNJ
•MCUrgent
36,991
2,400
49,610
99,005
5,500
400
Twitter message views*
•MorrisCountyNJ
•MCUrgent
169,292
20,448
18,000
0
450,337
52,300
TOTAL VIEWS
*Does not include Twitter ‘fast follow’ text messages to cell phones

11. Public Opinion: We like it!

12. MCUrgent
Marketing
Print posters:
MorrisCountyNJ.gov
Cross marketing
with towns and
websites.

13. MCUrgent at a glance
• What:
Emergency notifications from
participating towns & the county
• Info:
MorrisCountyNJ.gov/mcurgent/
socialmedia-mcurgent.asp
• Web:
MorrisCountyNJ.gov
MorrisOEM.org
• Social:
Twitter.com/MCUrgent
MCUrgent.org / .net / .com / .info
Facebook.com/MCUrgent
• Text:
text follow MCUrgent to 40404

14. Resources
• Slideshare.net/MorrisCountyNJ
– MCUrgent presentations
– “Building a Municipal Social Media Presence”
• Twitter, Facebook, Hootsuite
– “Emergency Communications:
Getting Prepared, Making it Happen”

15. MCUrgent
A Shared Emergency
Information Network
Getting the
word out with
social media
Carol A. Spencer
Digital and Social Media Manager, Morris County NJ
September 27, 2013