Twitter and Facebook on the front lines of Minot flood response Published July 15, 2011 By by Maja Z. Stevanovich and Megan Meyer Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- When areas surrounding Minot Air Force Base, N.D., began combating historic flooding recently, the Minot public affairs office turned to Twitter and Facebook to keep information flowing to Airmen and their families. Since news broke of a possible flood in the area, interaction on Minot's Facebook page has increased by 550 percent, and the base's Twitter followers have more than doubled--and these numbers continue to grow. These tools proved to be especially effective during a town hall meeting for affected Airmen and their families June 29, said Capt. Genieve David, 5th Bomb Wing public affairs chief. Many Airmen who wanted to attend the town hall could not be present due to route closures, causing usual travel times to double or triple, Captain David said. But, by using social media tools, Airmen were able to virtually receive information being presented and interact with presenters, she said. A variety of experts provided information during the town hall, including Minot Air Force Base school liaison officer, finance, safety and legal, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Information presented was, in turn, made available through live updates on Facebook and Twitter, where more than 50 direct questions and answers were facilitated virtually, Captain David said. Airmen submitted questions to the Minot Twitter handle, and answers were sent back through the twitterverse by a public affairs representative, she said. The same process was executed through Facebook. Staff Sgt. Christopher Swiech said he followed the town hall information through Facebook not for his own family, who was not displaced--but for a very dear friend's family, who was. "My friend Mike works in the oil fields west of town and is married to a senior airman who is deployed," Sergeant Swiech said. "Ashley returns early next month and they have been evacuated and have likely lost their home entirely--that is quite a blow for a young family." Swiech sought out housing options for his friends using information from the town hall, streamlining the process for them and helping them to access the services needed to relocate through base resources, despite Ashley's deployment. "Even those who have not been evacuated have seen an interruption in service from local broadband carriers, and in the day and age of smartphones, services like Facebook and Twitter have become the most accessible sources of information," Swiech said. Capt. Genieve David, 5th Bomb Wing public affairs chief, said Minot Public Affairs is using social media platforms as a venue for questions and a place for Airmen and family members to connect and offer support to each other. "The success of the virtual interaction during the town hall proved how effective social media tools can be in a time of crisis," she said. For information on donating to the Minot flood recovery effort, please click here.