Omaha Fails to Communicate During Crisis
The COVID-19 crisis has us all craving more information. Each day brings more uncertainty and greater concern for how we will solve emerging problems. With schools closed and workplaces urging people to stay home, families quickly face social challenges with childcare, food insecurity, and financial struggles. The crisis affects us all and promises to worsen.
We need a central communication service for local information and resources, and the City of Omaha is failing to provide it to residents.
Omaha has no method to distribute information directly to the public: no City of Omaha Facebook page, Twitter account, email newsletter, or text service. This situation is highly unusual. Every major city — and most smaller than Omaha — has direct communication channels to inform residents. Our government is not properly equipped to send medical updates, closures, or assistance to the people.
Residents are forced to actively seek information. The City has a website, which lists medical press releases and event cancellations. The mayor has a personal Facebook account [and a Twitter account abandoned on March 16, 2019] but it does not offer resources for people who are suffering the social side effects of our current crisis.
In the absence of official City communications, residents have taken responsibility. Community news organization NOISE has published a Community Response page to inform people of mobile food pantries, utility shutoffs, and transportation changes. Multiple people are operating their own information share projects on Facebook and via email. Why? The City is silent on these matters.
In the normal course of business, it is troubling that the City of Omaha does not communicate directly with residents. In time of crisis, it is unacceptable. Our elected leaders should be in daily communication with residents to provide current information, lend assistance, and to enlist our help in addressing our shared problems.
I wrote about this situation in 2018 and offered solutions [Falling Short, Failing Long]. I’ve called the Mayor’s Hotline [402–444–5555] and written to multiple officials. The City of Omaha’s failure to commit to informing residents is a continuing disappointment that has real consequences. Perhaps this time, it will be worse than before.
