1. The 140 Characters Conference: Small Town
Social Outreach to Joplin, Missouri, and the Nation
The 140 Characters Conference: Small Town
Hutchinson, Kansas
September 20, 2011

2. Kirstie Smith Communications Director Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce
Kirstie has more than 18 years of experience in marketing
And communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree
In Business Administration from Ottawa University with a
double major in Marketing and Theatre.
Her responsibilities include all marketing decisions, media
and public relations, governmental affairs, webmistress duties, editing, writing and all creative design for the area’s largest chamber of commerce which serves over 1,000 business
members.
Originally from New Orleans and raised all over the world as
an “Army Brat”, Kirstie and her husband Brady live in Joplin, Missouri with their two children.
Kirstie Smith Communications Director Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce

3. Disaster Communications
How do you communicate when a 1/3 of your community looks like this?

4. Joplin, Missouri - May 22, 2011 @5:41 pm
The EF-5 tornado that tore a 14 mile path through Joplin and the neighboring community of Duquesne moved as slow as 10 miles per hour, creating even more extensive damage due to slow movement of the storm.
Estimates put the wind speed at 300+ mph when
the storm hit St. John’s Regional Medical Center.
What began at 5:41 p.m. was over by 6:00 p.m.
The Joplin Tornado destroyed nearly 1/3 of the city.
7,500 homes were obliterated leaving almost
18,000 homeless. Nearly 600 businesses were
leveled. The tornado took from us 162 of our
friends, families and coworkers.
…On Sunday night we thought it was the end of the world.
By Monday morning, you knew that Joplin would survive.
Joplin, Missouri - May 22, pm

5. Disaster Plan: That’s great in theory…
5-Star Chamber, disaster plan was a model for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Never took the book off the shelf…it was a great plan, if OUR office had been destroyed
Don’t rely on what “you’ve always done” to share information with your stakeholders – be flexible
First disaster communications class began at 5:41 pm on May 22nd
Disaster Plan: That’s great in theory…

6. Social Media: The only reliable outlet
Communications were down throughout the majority of the city
Text messages moved better than calls. Land lines only worked intermittently
We turned to the only way that we could communicate with our Members and the public
Suddenly the community, the state and the entire nation were looking for answers and how to help
Social Media: The only reliable outlet

7. Social Media: The only reliable outlet
KZRG – News Talk Radio :45 pm
Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce :52 pm
Joplin Tornado Info :36 pm
Joplin MO Tornado Recovery :01 pm
City of Joplin :26 pm
The first post made by the Chamber was hoping for safety of all.
At 8:14 pm, we posted critical information that was verified. We posted into night.
Monday morning we had no power and no access to our computer data.
Network lines were down and remained down until Thursday!
Social Media: The only reliable outlet

8. Email wasn’t the answer
wasn’t the answer. But we did send out verified information on Monday morning before 10:30 a.m. to anyone who still had access to their . I used my iPhone as a hot spot to power an internet connection for my iPad to send the . Two others in our office used the same connection.
Reaching out to the local media was not the answer either, though we tried. The media wasn’t ready to share information in the early stages. They were involved with rescue efforts. Finding people, looking for people. Facebook was the best way to share information with our Members and the public at large.
We Couldn’t Access Our Data…Neither could anyone else

9. Look Who’s Talking! Interesting Stats
April Facebook Statistics
955 “Likes”
8,824 post views
80 post feedback
May Facebook Statistics
1627 “Likes”
116,170 post views
819 post feedback
Thanks to COW’s (Cellular on Wheels)and local cell phone providers and repair services, Joplin stayed connected.
Look Who’s Talking! Interesting Stats

10. Important Lessons Learned:
Verify. Verify. Verify.
Assign task to staff person if possible or trusted volunteer
Use established page to share information
Set the tone early for your communications, confirms your credibility
Did I say Verify. Verify. Verify?
Kirstie Smith, Communications Director Pictures and Videos: Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce 320 East 4th Street | Joplin, MO | Joplincc.com | Facebook.com/joplinchamber | Twitter.com/joplinchamber