COMMUNICATING AND SHARING DURING NATURAL DISASTERS
KEY PUBLICATIONS
Here you will find information about the research publications I’ve been involved with. Throughout my research, I’ve had the opportunity to work on many interesting projects that have enriched my understanding and paved the path towards my successful research career. I’m proud to showcase my hard work with the list of publications below.
HOW DOES INFORMATION REALLY FLOW IN COMMUNITIES DURING A NATURAL DISASTER?
October 2023
COMMUNICATING IN CRISIS: COMMUNITY PRACTICES OF ONLINE PARTICIPATION DURING EXTREME EVENTS
May 2024
This article was published in the open journal Australian Journal of Emergency Management, the journal of the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.
Atkinson, S. (2023). How does information really flow in communities during a natural disaster. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 38(4).
Abstract
Emergency services organisations strive to communicate important and relevant information during emergencies and disasters but research is showing that they are not necessarily the primary sources of information that people turn to. Many people rely on family, friends and local community groups to provide the information they need. This has implications for how communities prepare and respond and how the emergency management sector integrates and communicates.
This is a chapter in a book entitled Climate Disaster Preparedness: Reimagining Extreme Events through Art and Technology. It is open access.
Park, S., Atkinson, S., Fulton, J., Wong-Parodi, G., Mani, L. (2024). Communicating in Crisis: Community Practices of Online Participation During Extreme Events. In: Del Favero, D., Thurow, S., Ostwald, M.J., Frohne, U. (eds) Climate Disaster Preparedness. Arts, Research, Innovation and Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56114-6_15
Abstract
This chapter surveys research into the communication among community members affected by extreme events with digital platforms such as social media and messaging apps before, during and after the events. While there is extant literature on how people adopt effective strategies in sharing real-time information during a major crisis, fewer studies examine the entirety of the process, particularly around preparing communities and individuals, and even fewer focus on how community members seek and share social support. This chapter examines both aspects of digital communication—emotive and informative—to better understand the role digital platforms can play in extreme events in supporting more effective responses. It also identifies gaps in the literature on the role of social media in preparing individuals and communities for catastrophic climate events.
SOCIAL MEDIA: CONNECTING AND SHARING IN A BUSHFIRE CRISIS
March 2023
This article was published in Media International Australia online in March 2023. MIA has kindly made it open access, so go and have a read.
Atkinson, S., & Lee, J.Y. (2023). Social media: Connecting and sharing in a bushfire crisis. Media International Australia, 2023.
Abstract
Social media has become an integral channel for official agencies to communicate with citizens in a natural disaster crisis and increasingly time, effort and money are being spent on improving social
media strategies and practices. However, there is much less research focused on understanding how people engage with official social media content, a significant piece of the crisis communication puzzle. As the use of social media for crisis communication in natural disasters is increasing and the amount of information threatens to overwhelm people, understanding how people engage with official social media content is vital. Using quantitative content analysis, this study examined
the use of Facebook by two Australian emergency response agencies during a specific bushfire event and explored how the attributes of social media content are related to user engagement with the information. The findings show that the two agencies had markedly different approaches which resulted in differences in user engagement.
Keywords
Bushfires, content analysis, crisis communication, social media, user engagement
FACEBOOK AS AN OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION CHANNEL IN A CRISIS
January 2021
This article was published in the open journal Australian Journal of Emergency Management, the journal of the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.
Atkinson, S., Kim, C., & Lee, J. (2021). Facebook as an official communication channel in a crisis. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 36(5).
Abstract
Digital platforms have become valuable resources to citizens as they allow immediate access to quality information and news. Staying up to date with information and news is particularly vital in crises such as bushfires. The 2019–20 bushfire season in Australia was extreme, resulting in widespread devastation and loss of life, property and wildlife. Communicating with affected communities is a critical component of community response and resilience in a disaster. Organisations, such as ACT Emergency Services Agency and the NSW Rural Fire Service, need to provide timely, accurate and reliable information. This study investigated official communication using Facebook during the Orroral Valley bushfires from these two emergency services agencies and considers to what extent messaging demonstrated the characteristics of effective crisis communication, including application of the National Framework for Scaled Advice and Warnings to the Community. A content analysis of over 600 posts revealed marked differences in approaches. The study revealed the benefits of using a combination of text, images and infographics in communication activities. Suggestions are provided about how social media could be used more effectively by truly connecting with communities to improve community preparedness and resilience.