Hello:                                                                                                                                                      June 3, 2011

I am a researcher with the Fire and Disaster Relief Community Media Project. This project will use the insights and experiences of individuals impacted by local disasters such as the Fourmile Canyon Fire fabout how information is shared during, after and between disasters. We would like to invite you to fill out this brief online survey – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/549093/Fire-and-Disaster-Relief-Survey – to assess your role in the disaster and your information/news needs. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes of your time. The survey will also ask about your willingness to participate in a series of in-depth interviews to understand the experiences and changing needs of the fire victims, responders, aid agencies and media outlets. The project will help outside communities to understand how a community responds to – and learns from – a disaster.

The project team includes working journalists, oral historians, communications scholars, technology developers and representatives from aid agencies. Participation is voluntary and will not be compensated.

I am writing to ask if you might be willing to consent to interview for this project or know of anyone who might do so. If you are not willing to participate in this but know of someone who may be, please forward that person this email.

Thank you for your consideration.

David Staton   Project Researcher

Again, the survey link is: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/549093/Fire-and-Disaster-Relief-Survey