Canadians Prefer Getting Information About Natural Disasters from Facebook

According to a new survey by the Canadian Red Cross, most people in the country are turning towards digital alerts for information regarding disasters and emergencies.

The survey found that 67 percent of respondents would prefer to sign up for information alerts that can be provided through an app, email, or via text. Approximately 75 percent would like to be notified about the location of medical services, while 71 percent would like shelter information and 70 percent would like to have safety information provided during and after an emergency situation.

Currently, 68 percent of Canadians will head straight to Facebook to find out more about the emergency, while only 18 percent go to Twitter. Even though Canadians enjoy finding out about this type of information through a digital medium, 23 percent of Canadians still prefer being notified via the television and 22 percent prefer to get this information from a local radio station.

In a statement, the director of digital communications at the Canadian Red Cross Sara Falconer said:

“The Canadian Red Cross plays an important role in assisting vulnerable people in their time of need, and adapting to changes in technology is vital to our organization. From providing answers and real-time updates through our social media channels, to distributing funds rapidly through e-transfer, we’re continuously working towards ways to help Canadians as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

The Canadian Red Cross surveyed a total of 1,238 Canadian residents over the age of 18 in March 2018.

[via Newswire]

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