Red Cross urges Australians to be #EmergencyReady on Twitter

Australians are all too familiar with droughts, floods, fires, and storms.

In 2022 alone, there have been over 175,000 Tweets in Australia about natural disasters — including the devastating floods seen up and down the east coast.

With La Nina continuing and summer approaching, we’re now being urged to be #EmergencyReady.

“Being prepared for disasters means no one is left behind or overlooked,” said Andrew Coghlan, Head of Emergency Services, Australian Red Cross.

How to use Twitter during emergencies 

When  emergencies, crises, and natural disasters are unfolding, Australians can turn to Twitter to find out what’s happening in real time.

Our service helps people find reliable information in real time, connect with their communities, and hear from government agencies and relief organisations.

Here are five tips on how to use Twitter during an emergency:

1. Follow trusted sources for breaking news and in-the-moment updates: @RedCrossAU, the Bureau of Meteorology, your state or territory’s SES, and local fire services are all worth a follow.
2. View Twitter in reverse-chronological order: tap the  ✨ icon in the upper right-hand corner to see the latest Tweets first in your timeline.
3. Use hashtags: hashtags, such as #QLDFloods or #SydneyStorm, can help you to find information about an emergency event or make your Tweets be seen by others searching for information.
4. Track Twitter Moments: Moments are curated stories showcasing the most relevant Tweets for what’s happening on Twitter. Follow @MomentsAU for more.
5. Use Twitter Lite: Twitter Lite is available at mobile.twitter.com and is a faster and more accessible service for people in rural and remote areas or where telecommunications have been disrupted.

Remember: if you are in a life-threatening emergency situation or require medical attention, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. For your state or territory SES, call 132 500.

Twitter for Good and @RedCrossAU

Disasters are becoming more frequent and intense. As part of #EmergencyReadyWeek in September, Twitter AU partnered with @RedCrossAU to help Australians know where to start in an emergency.

We provided two large scale advertisements to the Australian Red Cross — a Timeline Takeover and Trend Takeover — which were seen almost 5 million times over the 24 hours the campaign was live.

“Twitter for Good offers pro bono advertising credits to nonprofits as a way to use the power of Twitter's advertising platform to amplify important and timely messages,” said Kara Hinesley, Twitter’s Director of Public Policy, Government and Philanthropy for APAC.

Emergencies can strike at any time and it’s important for Australians to get prepared and stay informed. Follow @TwitterAU for more.