Local emergency managers are practicing tweeting and updating their statuses to make sure they will be prepared to use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to share information in a disaster.

Dubuque County Emergency Management Director Tom Berger tells the Dubuque Telegraph Herald he is looking at setting up social media pages for his agency to better reach younger residents.

Just over the border in Grant County, Wisconsin, emergency managers are already using social media. Emergency Management Director Steve Braun says the sites were useful after two tornadoes hit Platteville in 2014.

The American Red Cross uses social media in its disaster responses, and it has created several smart phone applications to share information.