Title: Cross-referencing Social Media and Public Surveillance Camera Data for Disaster Response,
Abstract: Physical media (like surveillance cameras) and social media (like Instagram
and Twitter) may both be useful in attaining on-the-ground information during
an emergency or disaster situation. However, the intersection and reliability
of both surveillance cameras and social media during a natural disaster are not
fully understood. To address this gap, we tested whether social media is of
utility when physical surveillance cameras went off-line during Hurricane Irma
in 2017. Specifically, we collected and compared geo-tagged Instagram and
Twitter posts in the state of Florida during times and in areas where public
surveillance cameras went off-line. We report social media content and
frequency and content to determine the utility for emergency managers or first
responders during a natural disaster.