Message Strategies of Emergency Management Organizations during Severe Weather Effects

Περίληψη

This study examined the strategy and effectiveness of social media warning messages disseminated by three Greek public organizations during severe weather events, 112.gr, the Fire Brigade (FB), and the General Secretariat for Civil Protection (GSCP) regarding severe weather phenomena in a certain timeframe. Utilizing content analysis based on the Warning Response Model (WRM), 156 messages from Twitter were analyzed. We investigated the impact of factors such as threat description, protective action guidance, the inclusion of location and timeframe information, the identification of the message source, and variations in message framing. The research concludes that there are significant variations in framing and effectiveness across the organizations. Results reveal that 112.gr, despite having the smallest follower base, achieved the highest user engagement, attributed to its emphasis on actionable instructions and location-specific information. We found out that these elements significantly enhanced engagement, as measured by favorites and retweets, underscoring the role of content clarity and relevancy in public responsiveness. This research offers critical insights for refining warning message strategies to improve public safety during severe weather, contributing to refining warning message strategies and improving public safety during severe weather events in Greece.