The Effects of Social Media and The Ease of Spreading (Mis) Information

An article published Sunday by Superstation 95.com and circulated throughout Facebook & Twitter caused alarm and confusion to many coastal residents and their families throughout the country. The article claimed an ocean data buoy had detected a sudden drop in water depth off of the Oregon Coast indicating an imminent catastrophic earthquake.

The link below, employing credible and reliable sources from the National Weather Service in Seattle, dismisses the article and sheds light on the believability and reliability of Superstation 95.com.
http://koin.com/2016/01/18/nws-buoy-event-off-oregon-coast-a-non-event/

During emergency and disaster events, social media becomes a frenzy of information and tends to take on a life of its own.  A tremendous amount of great information is relayed through social media. Misinformation also has a way of entering the social media outlets and in many instances, is accepted without confirmation of the information or its source.  Misleading communications, such as the article by Superstation 95.com which went viral quickly, led many to believe the information, spreading fear, confusion and further misinformation, as it was shared and retweeted by thousands of unsuspecting users of the various social media outlets along the West Coast.

One of the best ways to help you determine whether the information you are receiving is accurate or not, is to determine where the information is being sent from – its source.
Credible and reliable emergency and disaster information can be obtained from:

• The State of Washington Emergency Management Division,
• The United States Geologic Survey (USGS),
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
• The National Weather Service (NWS),
• Television
• Your local AM and FM Radio Stations, and
• From your local County Emergency Management Office.

 
A great way to become better informed about your site specific risk and hazards is to invite the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency to address your local community group. In Pacific County, you can request a date and time to address your group by emailing Scott McDougall at smcdougall@co.pacific.wa.us or by calling (360) 875 or 642-9338.

WAYS TO AVOID RUMOR AND MISINFORMATION AND HOW TO VERIFY EMERGENCY AND DISASTER REPORTING IN PACIFIC COUNTY
The Pacific County Emergency Management Agency Offers a Variety of Ways to Receive Severe Weather and Emergency and Disaster Information.
The Pacific County Emergency Management Agency posts the most up to date and verified information available through all of the outlets described below.
Please take the time to verify information before you pass it on to others.
•The quickest way to receive emergency and disaster information from Grays Harbor County Emergency Management is to follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
•Twitter at: https://twitter.com/pceocnews (only active during EOC activations) or https://twitter.com/search?q=@tsunamiscotty or https://twitter.com/search?q=@tsunamisteph
•Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/PCEMA/?ref=hl
•You can follow the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency webpage at: http://www.co.pacific.wa.us/pcema/
•We encourage all citizens sign up for the Pacific County Notification System for emergency alerts from the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency via phone, text and e-mail:
https://secure.hyper-reach.com/comsignupw.jsp?id=40685
•All Pacific County citizens are urged to obtain an All Hazard ALERT Weather Radio for immediate alerts for severe weather and disaster information.
•Remember, television usually DOES NOT broadcast the correct emergency information for your site specific location in Pacific County.
•All local AM/FM radio stations will transmit the most up to date information from the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency.
 
Thanks to Charles Wallace Deputy Director, Grays Harbor Department of Emergency Management for providing this information.
​