The city’s landscape code, which was amended after the adoption of Ordinance 10-25 (LDR Rewrite project), includes several provisions that are based upon the Florida-friendly landscape principles as developed by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). The Florida-friendly landscaping principles are based upon nine (9) components:

1. Right Plant, Right Place
2. Water Efficiently
3. Fertilize Appropriately
4. Mulch
5. Attract Wildlife
6. Manage Yard Pests Responsibly
7. Recycle
8. Prevent Stormwater Runoff
9. Protect the Waterfront

After the adoption of Ordinance 10-25, staff soon realized that more research may be warranted, in particular, to increase the emphasis on water conservation. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) recently declared a water shortage in south Florida, due to what is called a record-breaking dry season. Because of the lack of rain, the SFWMD issued general watering restrictions, which apply to homes, farms, nurseries, and golf courses located throughout Palm Beach County. Furthermore, the SFWMD predicts that many of its monitoring areas and data collection points will continue to experience moderate-to-severe drought conditions for the remainder of this dry season. Water shortage and water conservation represent extreme issues facing this region, warranting more proactive and responsible approaches to outdoor water use.

Staff is pleased to report that new regulations have been drafted, and they are set to be reviewed by the Planning and Development Board on June 28 and by the City Commission in July and August. The intent of these regulations is to foster a more sustainable outdoor environment on developed non-residential and multi-family residential sites, while taking into consideration feasibility and financial impacts upon the development community, landscape industry, businesses, and property owners. These new regulations would not apply to properties occupied by single family homes or duplexes.

Posted by City Planner at 10:57 AM 0 comments

Who’ll START the Rain?*

In his West Palm Beat blog, Palm Beach Post political reporter Andrew Abramson has compiled the 20 Greatest “Rain” Songs of All Time (to stop the drought). West Palm Beach badly needs rain to fill Lake Okeechobee. While Abramson writes tongue-in-cheek that he’s heard a lot of people suggest rain dances,  that fact is that if that city’s estimates are accurate, it will run out of water by the end of this month.

That prompted one of our Boynton Beach city commissioners to question the status of our own water supply so that he could address any concerns constituents may have regarding the situation. In his response, City Manager Kurt Bressner said, “We are in good shape. We still could use some rain.”

Bressner went on to explain that Boynton’s water system is derived from using the shallow aquifer that responds fairly quickly to rain, principally via the system of canals operated by the Lake Worth Drainage District and the South Florida Water Management District. The City’s well fields, he said, are aligned in areas that can benefit from increased surficial water in the canals.

He reminded the commissioner that last year the cities of Lake Worth and Lantana over-pumped their shallow wells closer to the Intracoastal Waterway, which increased salt water intrusion. “Once that starts,” he said,”it’s like a salt water river cutting through a fresh water bubble. It is very hard to recover.”

That’s why four years ago Boynton Beach refurbished its east shallow wells to raise the supply (bowl) of the well to a safer area. The City’s ASR, or Aquifer Storage Recovery, wells have been a salvation for the dry areas. The geological formations under Boynton favored the construction of these recovery wells and has made Boynton one of the few cities in Florida that has been able to successfully use this technique.

Bressner credits former Utility Director John Guidry who guided the installation of the first well in 2000 followed by a second well that came on line two years ago. The current utility administration is building on this system by pushing the interconnect between the City’s East and West water plants to provide greater operational flexibility to shift water from the west to the east and vice versa.

While this is good news for Boynton Beach, it should not been taken to mean that we can be wasteful of water. We need to continue to be vigilant and conserve water where we can. And remember, irrigation is still restricted to two times a week: 2X or Fines. Please be considerate of this precious resource. For more information, visit the South Florida Water Management District’s site at www.sfwmd.gov.

Abramson’s pick for best rain song? Bob Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, of course.

*With apologies to Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Posted by Wayne at 1:09 PM 0 comments

2011 Hurricane Preparedness Guide

Open publication - Free publishing - More boynton beach

Posted by Wayne at 11:49 AM 0 comments

Library Preservation Week

The Boynton Beach City Library will join the American Library Association and libraries all over the country to promote awareness of collection preservation. The theme this year is Pass It On. Mayor Jose Rodriguez has proclaimed April 24-30 as Preservation Week in Boynton Beach. The Boynton Beach City Library has bookmarks to give away featuring preservation techniques for books, photographs, paper materials and electronic media. The library website features the ALA Pass It On logo.

Read more »

Posted by Wayne at 1:32 PM 0 comments

Ride Your Bike to Work Week

The City’s Green Sustainability Team is hosting various exhibits, displays, activities and events throughout the City to celebrate the 41st anniversary of Earth Day (April 22) and to raise public awareness of the environment and promote a more “sustainable” lifestyle. This week is Ride Your Bicycle to Work Week and City employees have been encouraged to ride bicycles to work instead of driving private motor vehicles.

The City’s Local Historian & Archivist Janet DeVries took up the challenge and rode her bike to work this morning. Below is Janet’s firsthand account of the experience.

“This morning I was up before the sun, had my ‘forty-five’ on, and in celebration of Earth Week, rode my bike to work. With a backpack carrying a change of clothes behind me, I inhaled the salty air and began my five mile trek to work.

Riding a bike gives a person an incredible sense of freedom. It felt good to be getting exercise, fresh air, and saving money and natural resources at the same time. As I pedaled along at a comfortable pace, I wondered why I hadn’t tried this before.

My peaceful ride was interrupted now and again by a few loud mufflers and the diesel engine of the Palm Tran bus. Instead of getting annoyed with the bus I remembered public transportation and carpooling are alternative ways to save precious energy. Today Palm Tran buses even have bicycle racks mounted on the front of them allowing riders to combine using their bike and the bus for door to door service.

“As my legs pumped up and down and I trekked closer to work I pondered. How did people travel before we had all these automobiles and buses? As if in answer to my question, I felt a vibration in the earth signaling the presence of an approaching train. I was riding south on Federal Highway along the FEC tracks. South Floridians have been riding the rails since Henry Morrison Flagler brought his Florida East Coast Railway down here in the 1890s.

Another aspect of note was the absence of schoolchildren. Don’t kids ride their bikes to school anymore? Seems most of them don’t. Society has become a little soft today. I remember reading that before the first high school in Boynton was built in 1926, students rode their bikes all the way to the old Twin Lakes High School in West Palm Beach. That’s 15 miles away! The roads are much smoother today.

The ride was quite peaceful while I was riding along a nature area that runs parallel with the train tracks. I saw several scrub jays and one cardinal. Now and again I smelled some wonderful flowery smells. I began to hear a strange rustle in the bushes. Was that a gopher tortoise? It started to sound like there was lots of wildlife in the underbrush. I pedaled harder.

Suddenly this whole ride your bike to work journey seemed a little far-fetched. I still had nearly two miles to go, was getting winded, the animals in the bushes were getting louder, and the bike was slowing down. 

Flat tire! The strange noise was coming from my own bicycle. The tube was completely flat and I had been riding for a block or two almost on the rim. It was somewhat disappointing to not finish the morning’s journey aboard my two-wheeled steed. The good news is that within my line of vision was a teal colored bus stop sign.

I still made it to work on time; freshened up and slipped into an only slightly rumpled dress. Perhaps I smell a little of coconut sunscreen and perspiration. The experience was priceless. More people should think about using a bicycle. If not for work, perhaps for errands and quick trips to the grocery store. Your body and your Earth will both benefit.”

For a complete list of the City’s Earth Week activities, click here.

Posted by Wayne at 4:26 PM 4 comments

Operation Tribute to Freedom

 

Spc. Marfel Ortiz-Brown

Current Unit: 2nd Battalion, 321st Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division Current Position: Food Service Specialist Component: Active Army

Current Location: Fort Bragg, N.C. Hometown: Boynton Beach Years of Service: 9 Age: 32

Recently, Spc. Marfel Ortiz-Brown was one of 200 military chefs who put their cooking skills on display at the annual U.S. Army Culinary Competition in Fort Lee, Va. Despite being a freshman member of the Fort Bragg Culinary Team, she came home with three individual medals, including a bronze for her dessert skills.

But the competition wasn’t the first time her cooking was put to the test. Ortiz-Brown has deplyed to both Iraq and Afghanistan and while there, she was responsible for bringing a little piece of “home” to the Soldiers in her unit.

“It was very important for troop morale that the food we prepared tasted as close to homemade as possible,” she said. “I made sure that there was always a hot meal ready when my guys returned from a mission.”

Throughout the deployments, Ortiz-Brown made it a priority to keep all-American entrees on the menu, including chicken parmesan and occasionally steak, and on holidays, she worked extra hard to provide a taste of home for all of the Soldiers who were missing out on family celebrations.

“Although we were in Afghanistan for Thanksgiving, we made sure the Soldiers had turkey, mashed potatoes, fresh shrimp, corn on the cob, pies and cakes,” she said. “We hung a bunch of festive decorations in the dining tent to make it look nice and comfortable for the Soldiers. We wanted them to enjoy the holiday away from home.”

In addition to her cooking duties, Ortiz-Brown would often accompany her brigade on missions and had the opportunity to serve as a driver for the patrols.

After returning from Afghanistan, she assumed cooking duties at Fort Bragg, and it was not long before her culinary skills were recognized. When trying out for a spot on the prestigious Fort Bragg Culinary Team, she had just one hour  to prove herself to the team captain.

“I only had 60 minutes to prepare a dish in front of the team captain. I chose to make a lemon tart with a lemon meringue soufflé,” she said. “It didn’t go as well as I wanted it to, but they saw that I had solid cooking skills, and I ended up making the team.

The Fort Bragg chefs practiced both individually and as a team to prepare for the U.S. Army Culinary Competition, and ultimately came home with the second-place title – losing to the Pentagon Culinary Team by just one point.

“I learned a lot from my teammates and other experienced chefs who had already competed at the U.S. Army Culinary Competition – it was truly an amazing experience,” she said.

Ortiz-Brown currently lives with her husband, also a Soldier, and daughter in the Fort Bragg, N.C., area. In the future, she hopes to use the culinary skills she has gained in the Army to open up a bakery of her own.

(Editor’s Note: This story was submitted to us by Operation Tribute to Freedom, a Headquarters Department of the Army outreach program designed to honor the contributions and sacrifices being made by Soldiers currently serving and returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, the Boynton Beach City Commission, by resolution, reaffirmed the City’s support of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault, a.k.a. DELTA DEMONS.)

Posted by Wayne at 3:43 PM 0 comments

2nd Annual Mayor's Challenge Family Fun Run/Walk

On Sat., March 19, nearly 300 people turned out for the 2nd Annual Mayor's Challenge Family fun Run/Walk. Mayor Jose Rodriguez challenged people of all ages to make exercise a part of their daily routine.

"My goal is to make Boynton Beach a healthier, more vital community," said Mayor Rodriguez. "This run/walk is a great way to get out and exercise and to meet new people who have the same fitness and wellness goals," he continued.

Mayor Rodriguez lead the run/walk, which began and ended at the Schoolhouse Children's Museum & Learning Center.

This event was also an opportunity to meet Mayor Rodriguez personally and to learn about the exciting new elements that are coming to Boynton's downtown core. There were music, family fun activities, and the opportunity to meet event sponsors and advertisers at the end of the run/walk.

Posted by Wayne at 11:26 AM 0 comments

Oceanfront Park Boardwalk Opening

Posted by Wayne at 5:28 PM 1 comments

City Image Survey

Have an Opinion About “Branding” Boynton Beach?

Take the Survey

The City has released a community-wide image survey, Mayor Jose Rodriguez announced. In making the announcement, Mayor Rodriguez explained that in today’s economic climate, it is important for Boynton Beach to carve out its own unique identity that encapsulates all that is positive about the City.

“We believe that when it comes to attracting investment, business and tourists, nobody knows more about what Boynton Beach has to offer than the people who live, work and visit or who have a stake here,” he continued. “I encourage all members of the public and the business community to ensure their voices are heard by participating in this survey.”

The image survey is intended to help identify Boynton Beach’s unique assets. The results will be used for far more than developing a new logo or tagline. In encouraging all members of the public to ensure that their voices are heard by participating in the survey, Mayor Rodriguez said, “The results will enable us to craft a message that distinguishes the City’s attributes and unique characteristics.”

Paper copies of the survey are available at the following locations:

City Hall
100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd.

Boynton Beach City Library
208 S. Seacrest Blvd.

Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency
1610 Federal Hwy.

Greater Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce
1880 N. Congress Ave., Ste. 106

The survey ends March 31, 2011.

Blogger Labels: Image,Survey,Boynton,Beach,logo,message,characteristics,tourists

 

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Posted by Wayne at 2:55 PM 0 comments

For the Love of History

Listen up history buffs. The January 2011 calendar at the Boynton Beach City Library is jam packed with programs, workshops and lectures to educate and entertain you.

Monday, January 10, has not one but two programs showcasing local history. If you are free at noon, you can sit in on the kick-off of the Friends of the Library Brown Bag Series 2011. Bring a sandwich and enjoy complimentary coffee or tea while listening to author and local historian Harvey Oyer III. Mr. Oyer will talk about the Everglades and Florida’s unique history and natural environment. He will present images from his book The Adventures of Charlie Pierce: The Last Egret.

For those of you who come out at night, there will be a sizzling show beginning at 6:30 p.m. Michael Landress; the Emergency Medical Services Coordinator for the City of Boynton Beach, shares the history of the Boynton Beach Fire Rescue Department. The fire department in Boynton began in 1924. Mr. Landress recently completed a book chronicling the service and adventures of the fire rescue department. The program is co-sponsored by the library and the Boynton Beach Historical Society.
Have tons of photos stashed around the house? Here’s your chance to meet with the library archivist and others interested in photo preservation in a friendly round-table workshop. Receive tips on preserving, displaying and storing your family photographs. The class will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 19. Seating is limited; please call 742-6390 to register.
Nearly everyone remembers television icon Julia Child. Here’s your opportunity to learn more about her from Albie Walton, who photographed her for the 1975 From Julia Child Kitchen cookbook. On Tuesday, January 25, at 10:00 a.m., Mr. Walton will speak about his time spent with Julia Child in her kitchen.  His photographic images of Julia Child are on display through the month of January along with an exhibit of vintage 1950s-1970s kitchen items. The display and lecture will take place on the 2^nd floor of the library near the Local History & Archives. The exhibit and lecture is co-sponsored by the Art in Public Places Department.
A special treat awaits those who love history tours. On Wednesday, January 26, come along on the Boynton Beach Magical History Tour. The Friends of the Boynton Beach City Library are sponsoring the 90 minute narrated bus tour. The tour of portions of the City of Boynton Beach will be from a historic perspective. Seating is limited and a donation of $20 to the Friends of the Boynton Beach City Library is required at time of registration. More details are available by calling 742-6390.
The library is located at 208 S. Seacrest Blvd. in downtown Boynton Beach. You can find us on the web at www.boyntonlibrary.org.

Posted by Wayne at 3:14 PM 0 comments

Advisory Boards Enable You To Be Involved in the Community

A community’s greatest resource is its citizens, and Boynton Beach offers a wide variety of voluntary citizen Advisory Boards that enable you to get involved. By serving on an advisory board, you can help the City Commission can gain valuable information and insights that enable commissioners to make better decisions.

At the December 7 Commission meeting, commissioners will be making appointments to the City’s boards. These include the Arts Commission, Building Board of Adjustments & Appeals, Cemetery Board, Code Compliance Board, Community Relations Board, Education and Youth Advisory Board, Library Board, Planning and Development Board, Recreation and Parks Board, Senior Advisory Board and Veterans Advisory Commission. In naming citizens to these boards, commissioners look for people who have an interest or experience in the area of service and the necessary expertise to help accomplish the goals and objectives of the specific advisory group.

Regular and alternate members for the boards are appointed to terms of five years or less. Applicants must be registered voters to be eligible for appointment; most boards require residency within the City limits. Applications are accepted continuously and vacancies are filled as needed. However, the application deadline for the December 7 meeting is December 2. Most boards meet monthly and a recording secretary from the City Clerk’s office attends each meeting to create minutes that accurately reflect the discussions and actions of the individual boards.

A short explanation of each board and the meeting dates for each board, plus an application, may be found in the City Clerk’s office in City Hall or by visiting the City’s web page.

Citizen Advisory Boards are a vital part of the governmental process in Boynton Beach. By serving on an Advisory Board, you can make a meaningful contribution to the quality of life we all enjoy in Boynton Beach. For more information, contact the City Clerk’s office, (561) 742-6060.

Technorati Tags: Boynton Beach,advisory board,volunteer

Posted by Wayne at 1:39 PM 0 comments

Have You Seen the Flower Power Sphere?

It was vandalized and taken over the Halloween weekend from the Avenue of the Arts. Call it a prank or a theft, it was apparently done by amateurs; the metal its made of is not readily taken for resale and no tools were used to remove the sphere. Brut strength was used to take the sphere off of its “petal” base, which scraped up the base.

The sphere is so distinctive, bright and colorful, that the only way someone could enjoy it is to conceal it. And this is the “real” crime, that person or persons unknown have taken the “public” out of public art and have deprived citizens and visitors to Boynton Beach the pleasure of experiencing this addition to the urban landscape.

If you have any information as to its whereabouts, or who may have taken it, you can report it anonymously by either calling 9-1-1 or online at www.bbpd.org.

Technorati Tags: sculpture,vandalism,Avenue of the Arts,Boynton Beach,Boynton Beach Arts,crime,Halloween,public art,prank,theft

Posted by Wayne at 11:37 AM 0 comments

Community Pride Is the New Black

Community pride is the new black; it never goes out of style. I saw this statement recently on the Internet and thought how well it helps to describe our new Take Pride in Boynton initiative, a photo project designed to showcase everything that makes Boynton Beach a unique community through the eyes of its residents and visitors. Using the social media website Flickr, we have created several “groups” to which we are asking you to upload your original photos of Boynton Beach. The photos will be displayed on the City’s website; social media sites, including this blog; and be used in City publications. Although we’re unable to compensate you, you will be given credit where possible.

Take Pride in Boynton is a tremendous opportunity for us to show a worldwide audience the quality of life that we enjoy in Boynton Beach through photography. A similar project is being carried out in the borough of Walsall, near Birmingham, in the UK, where the group now has more than 100 members and a vibrant collection of 5,000 images. The inspiration to do this in Boynton Beach came from a friend at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission, which has also established a number of Flickr groups to call attention to some of that agency’s programs and projects.

We’ve established two groups for Boynton. The first, Boynton Around Town, is for general themes and topics. The second group, Go Green! Boynton, is meant to show what you, businesses and organizations in the City are doing to conserve resources and demonstrate environmental sustainability.

To take part, you’ll need to already have or create a free Flickr account. You’ll then upload your photos to your own account where you’ll be able to control them and the comments they receive. Next, you’ll join the City’s groups where you’ll also place a copy of the photo. We ask that you share where the photo was taken and to provide a description of the content. Finally, we have created some tags for each of the categories so that it’s easy for people to find pictures other than looking at the group pools. There are also special tags if you want your photo considered for use by the City.

Photo guidelines and other information are available on the City’s website.

Technorati Tags: Boynton Beach,social media,community pride,photo

Posted by Wayne at 5:33 PM 0 comments

Throw Open the Doors of City Hall

With the City’s budget much in the news recently, the Fall semester of Boynton’s City Services Institute comes at an ideal time for residents and business owners. It’s an opportunity for you to become acquainted with the structure of City government and enable you to become more fully involved in the community. Each of the classes in this eight-week series covers a wealth of information that can make you a real authority and resource for your neighbors, organizations and clubs. By enrolling in the City Services Institute, you will gain a better understanding of how the City operates and establish relationships with department directors and their staffs that will enable you to more easily conduct your business with the City.

People have different reasons for participating, of course. While they use city services every day, they rarely see what happens “behind the scenes” or have access to information regarding why and how things happen. The City Services Institute is a great way to find out more about how the City of Boynton Beach is working for you. In addition, citizens who are considering or may consider applying for an appointment to one of the City’s advisory boards, or even a future run for City Commission, will gain insight into City departments and functions. The City of Boynton Beach encourages all citizens to be engaged in the process of government. Many times, the structure of government is not as clear as we would like; CSI offers residents a chance to look at their city from a different perspective.

Classes begin on Monday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 P.M. and are held on successive Mondays through Nov. 22. The first session is “City Commissioner/City Manager/City Clerk” in which City Manager Kurt Bressner will explain the Commission-Manager form of government. Interestingly, we have found in past classes that many of our newer residents, especially those who have come to Boynton Beach from other parts of the country, are not familiar with the Commission-Manager form of government, so this class is a good starting point for learning how the city operates. Other classes cover public safety, Police and Fire; Public Art, Finance; Public Works; Utilities; the Library and Schoolhouse Children’s Museum and Learning Center; Recreation & Parks; and Development, Code Compliance and Communications (911). The final class is held at the City’s golf course, The Links at Boynton Beach, where participants will enjoy a graduation ceremony and sumptuous dinner. The other classes will be held in a variety of City facilities and locations, which is an opportunity to go beyond City Hall.

There is a registration fee of $25, which includes all materials and the graduation dinner. We have a limit of 25 students. To download a brochure and application, click here, or call 742-6025.

Technorati Tags: citizen academy,government,Boynton Beach

Posted by Wayne at 11:59 AM 0 comments

Property Appraiser Explains New TRIM Notice

The look of the Truth in Millage Notice ("TRIM Notice") has changed and understanding it can be hard. In this video provided by the Property Appraiser's Office, Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Gary Nikolits explains in clear language the information that is provided on the notice.

Posted by Wayne at 1:21 PM 0 comments

Things You Already Knew

Water Is Nature's Appetite Supressor

Doesn’t it make you just go “hmm” when scientists waste time and money studying something you already know to be true or just makes common sense? That happened again last week when the Sun Sentinel reported the results of a study done by researchers at Virginia Tech that concluded that people who drank water before meals ate less during the meal and so lost more weight than other dieters. The lead author of the study said that water probably makes people feel fuller before they eat, limiting food intake.

Huh? We already know water as nature’s appetite suppressant. It contains no calories, fat or cholesterol; is low in sodium; and helps the body to metabolize fat. Other, more meaningful research shows that high water intake reduces the amount of fat deposits in the body.

Water is plentiful, available and cheap and the good news is that it’s as close and convenient as your kitchen sink … or your water-and-ice-in-the-door refrigerator. And, when it comes to long term weight loss and health, the quality of water is just as important as the quantity.

Customers of the City of Boynton Beach water utility enjoy some of the highest quality water in the state of Florida. Last September, the Sun Sentinel ran an article in which it stated Florida is among the 10 worst states for tap water. The article went on to cite high levels of mineral barium and other pollutants, including radium-226, in tap water.

In 1996, the federal government re-enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which sets the minimum quality standards for municipal drinking water throughout the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the responsibility to set the minimum standards on a national level. Boynton Beach water regularly exceeds those standards in quality and purity. And if you thought bottled water is better, despite the millions of dollars spent annually for advertising by bottled way companies, bottled water, used for drinking for the most part, is considered a food product in this country and is subject to the regulations guiding food stuffs. These regulations are not as stringent as the SDWA requirements for drinking water.

So while you didn’t need a study to tell you what you already knew about the role of water in your diet program, it was good to be reminded about the quality of water we enjoy in Boynton Beach. A dieting tip: For best results on the scale, don’t drink water before your weigh-in. Just a cup of water translates into an extra pound of temporary weight.

Posted by Wayne at 6:09 PM 0 comments

Who You Gonna Call? 9-1-1 or Twitter

A new American Red Cross survey out yesterday shows many web users would turn to social media to seek help for themselves or others during emergencies—and they expect first responders to be listening. The online survey asked 1,058 adults about their use of social media sites in emergency situations. Results showed that 69 percent believe that emergency responders should be monitoring social media sites in order to quickly send help—and nearly half said a response agency is probably already responding to any urgent request they might see. Also, the survey respondents expected quick response to an online appeal for help—74 percent expected help to come less than an hour after their tweet or Facebook post.

As I read the survey, I couldn’t help but wonder if these expectations are mirrored in Boynton Beach. The survey comes at a time when the City is working to ensure that its emergency operations are both Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency compliant.

Earlier this week, I received the standard operating procedures guidelines for the Public Information Officer during an emergency for review. They were very complete and very thorough … with the exception of social media. I pointed this out to the Emergency Operations Center manager and sent a copy of the survey to her.

When I say social media, I mean Internet media that people have the ability to interact with in some way. Some people have gone further and specifically define social media as tools designed for the interaction of three or more people. I think social media is especially effective in government because it helps to facilitate two-way communication and transparency and allows government to reach out to people who don’t receive their news from traditional sources.

But to rely on social media to seek help during an emergency, I don’t know about that? Even Red Cross president and CEO Gail McGovern says, “The first and best choice for anyone in an emergency situation is to call 9-1-1. But,” she continues, “when phone lines are down or the 9-1-1 system is overwhelmed, we know that people will be persistent in their quest for help and use social media for that purpose.”

Boynton Beach was the first city in Palm Beach County to adopt social media for municipal government. Its use has been recognized as a “Best Practice” by the prestigious Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania and the Learning Resources Network. The City’s social media policy has been requested by governmental and other agencies throughout the country.

Ironically, my thought in establishing the City’s presence on Twitter was to use it as another tool for communication during an emergency. I didn’t think of it in terms of receiving calls for help, though, but more as a nice addition to the City’s website, television and other communications tools that has the ability to be updated instantaneously, on the fly, from almost anywhere with an Internet connection.

While the City will use its social media tools during an emergency, the Red Cross survey has given us pause – indeed, I think, all emergency planners – to reevaluate the place of social media in emergency response. My question to you is: Would you turn to social media to summon help during an emergency? We’d like to know what you would do. Please feel free to leave your comments.

Posted by Wayne at 4:07 PM 0 comments