Addressing Misinformation During Severe Weather Events: Insights from Emergency Managers in Florida

Authors

• Sam Minard, California State University, Monterey Bay
• Cassandra O’Connor, University of South Florida
• Brooke Page, University of South Florida
• Jennifer Collins, University of South Florida

Document Type

Poster Session

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

• Accurate, timely information is critical for public safety during severe weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes.
• Misinformation can spread quickly and cause panic, confusion, or lead to dangerous complacency, a serious challenge for Gulf states like Florida (Cheong & Babcock, 2021).
• Emergency managers (EMs) play a vital but understudied role in addressing severe weather misinformation (Ross et al., 2024).
• Despite their authority and growing reliance on social media, little is known about how EMs tackle misinformation or the challenges they face (Torpan et al., 2021).
• This study examines how Florida EMs manage misinformation, the barriers they encounter, and the resources they need to improve response efforts.

Scholar Commons Citation

Minard, Sam; O’Connor, Cassandra; Page, Brooke; and Collins, Jennifer, "Addressing Misinformation During Severe Weather Events: Insights from Emergency Managers in Florida" (2025). Weather, Climate, and Society REU. 12.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/weather-climate-society_reu/12