Online Disaster Preparation: Evaluation of State Emergency Management Web Sites

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide a baseline of information available on state emergency management Web sites. Through a content analysis of all 50 state emergency management Web sites, the study examines four variables identified in the literature as important markers of effective electronic government communication: democratic outreach, information content, outreach to special needs populations, and intergovernmental relations. The results from this study provide a baseline for future research on state emergency management communication and provide insights into how state emergency management agencies can improve their Web sites.