Councils are fast realising the potential of Facebook and other social media forums for promotion and communication with residents. The Whitsunday Regional Council, in conjunction with the Whitsunday Disaster Management Group (WDMG), has taken this to a new level with the launch of their Disaster & Emergency Information Facebook page.
Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor, and Chair of the WDMG, Councillor Jennifer Whitney said that the aim of the Facebook page is to provide residents with a direct link to accurate and relevant information relating to a disaster event.
“Residents can access a range of information through the albums on the page, which relate to cyclone preparation, activation of the coordination centre, cyclone categories, shelters, fire preparation, flooding and storm surges, and much more,” said Mayor Whitney.
“In the event of an impending disaster event such as a cyclone, the WDMG will feed relevant, up-to-date and accurate information to the community through the Facebook page. We hope to minimise any mistruths that tend to circulate in communities and assure residents of the current situation and actions that may need to be taken,” she said.
The Whitsunday Disaster & Emergency Information Facebook page is a ‘Like’ only page, with the sole intent of providing information. Mayor Whitney said that it was important that residents continued to call the Disaster Coordination Centre in the event of a disaster or emergency.
“The Facebook page is not a method of seeking help and residents should continue to call relevant authorities in an emergency situation.”
General information located on the page comes from the Whitsunday Regional Council’s Emergency Action Guide, which has been produced to provide education and public awareness for residents and visitors to the area in preparation for, response to, and recovery from disaster events in the region.
Whitsunday Regional Council residents have been encouraged to ‘Like’ the Disaster & Emergency Information page on Facebook in order to start receiving tips and updates about the summer storm season.
