Information in disasters

In 2012, the Canadian Red Cross conducted a ground-breaking study of “Social Media in Emergencies.” It demonstrated clearly that emerging trends in social and digital spaces were shaping the ways that Canadians were responding to disaster and interacting with the organizations that could help them. Now, more than five years later, the digital landscape has shifted in ways that few could have predicted – and along with it, the ways that Canadians are accessing information during disasters is evolving. This current report revisits the 2012 survey and expands on the trends that will impact disaster response for years to come.

• Based on recent results, two thirds of Canadians would be likely to sign up for emails, text or apps providing information in an emergency.
• Emergency situations led nearly a third of respondents to sign up to receive information during or after an incident. For these respondents, Facebook is the preferred platform for such updates, followed by email and text alerts.
• With the number of disasters increasing every year, Canadians are looking for trusted sources of information, and they list Canadian Red Cross as one of the top trusted sources of information in an emergency. Red Cross is continually innovating and sharing new ways to support Canadians with accurate information, financial support and more, through digital channels.

This report includes key findings from the 2018 survey, conducted by Forum Research Inc., as well as case studies to illustrate some innovative ways Red Cross is using digital and other approaches to reach communities impacted by disaster across Canada.