Embracing informal stakeholder conversations for evidence-based crisis response: Two work processes based on crisis intelligence.

This paper shares best practices for crisis managers and advisers, with a focus on crisis communication. These approaches are based on collecting, generating and analysing relevant real-time data. After introducing the concept of data-driven crisis strategies, the paper describes how continuous sentiment analysis can be used to tap into informal conversations on social media and other sources. The paper demonstrates how this can stimulate and improve strategic thinking, resulting in a far more effective response to a crisis situation. Using real-life examples, the paper demonstrates how such analysis techniques can deliver high-impact crisis communication that truly addresses stakeholder needs, especially compared with traditional public relations approaches. The paper describes several common methodologies that are built upon these techniques, with particular focus on crisis communication. Finally, the authors explain Stijn Pieters how enriching situational information based on data collected in the informal sphere is invaluable in a crisis. Indeed, accurate information can also significantly improve decision-making related to other crisis management disciplines. A new approach to data-driven and evidencebased crisis management is introduced, known as 'crisis intelligence'. The authors propose a model - the crisis intelligence work process - as a framework for the further development of work in this area.

E2mC: Improving Emergency Management Service Practice through Social Media and Crowdsourcing Analysis in Near Real Time.

In the first hours of a disaster, up-to-date information about the area of interest is crucial for effective disaster management. However, due to the delay induced by collecting and analysing satellite imagery, disaster management systems like the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) are currently not able to provide information products until up to 48-72 h after a disaster event has occurred. While satellite imagery is still a valuable source for disaster management, information products can be improved through complementing them with user-generated data like social media posts or crowdsourced data. The advantage of these new kinds of data is that they are continuously produced in a timely fashion because users actively participate throughout an event and share related information. The research project Evolution of Emergency Copernicus services (E2mC) aims to integrate these novel data into a new EMS service component called Witness, which is presented in this paper. Like this, the timeliness and accuracy of geospatial information products provided to civil protection authorities can be improved through leveraging user-generated data. This paper sketches the developed system architecture, describes applicable scenarios and presents several preliminary case studies, providing evidence that the scientific and operational goals have been achieved.