Team Development Arcs

From Portland NET Wiki

Another term for a "Team Development Arc" in the context of NETs is "developmental pathway". PBEM asks NET teams to meet regularly, but to do what? Without a defined purpose, team meetings can drift, prompting some members to stop attending meetings, and teams do not build their capacity as neighborhood-based disaster responders. The purpose of Team Developmental Arcs are to structure a team's movement from a baseline of organization to higher level disaster response skills and capacity. Arcs give TLs a roadmap through team development rather than convening meetings around "what should we talk about this month?"

There is a two part objective to this program:

  1. Provide Team Leaders with team meeting activity modules that can be easily planned, like a recipe, for team meetings.
  2. Help teams move along a path or paths of development towards greater efficacy as a team of disaster responders.

The use of Team Development Arcs are completely optional, and can be changed or edited to suit the needs of NETs who use them. They are intended as a supplementary resource for NET Team Leaders.

Relevant Documents Updated
Form: Development Arc Feedback 2025.10.04
Form: I Would Like to Create a Module 2025.10.04
Form: I Would Like to Instruct a Module 2025.10.04



Contents
Team Development Arc Leadership Approach

Team Development Arcs Table

Braiding the Arcs Together

Development Arc I: Team Organization and Cohesion

Development Arc II: Response Operations Planning

Development Arc III: Exercises and Tabletops

Development Arc IV: Communications

Development Arc V: Basic Response Skills

Development Arc VI: Disaster DIY



Team Development Arc Leadership Approach

What is a Team Development Arc and how does a Team Leader use them?

A single "Arc" is a set of individual meeting modules collected around a theme. There are five themes (each theme being an Arc):

  • I.) Team Organization and Cohesion: The modules in this arc are designed to develop the team as a team and to plug the team more into the immediate community they serve. These modules help the NET expand their presence into the neighborhood while also reinforcing the social fabric of the team itself.
  • II.) Response Operations Planning: These modules are related to development and maintenance of a Team's Operations Plan.
  • III.) Exercises and Tabletops: Exercises and tabletops serve to build confidence and teamwork, reveal gaps in planning, and improve response capacity.
  • IV.) Communications: Modules for developing best practices around post-disaster communications.
  • V.) Basic Response Skills: Review modules for any basic skillsets introduced in the Basic NET curriculum.
  • VI.) Disaster DIY: Like crafting night! Assemble an item or items that will be helpful in an emergency. Unlike the others, these activities do cost money because they require participants to purchase supplies.
Developing a team of NETs vs. developing individual volunteers

As a NET Team Leader, your most important responsibility is helping your team grow together into a capable disaster response group. The purpose of this Development Arc curriculum is to give you a clear roadmap for building your team’s overall capacity.

At the same time, each volunteer is also on their own personal growth journey. NET volunteers are largely responsible for their individual development, which is where the Volunteer Support Function (VSF) system comes in. VSFs provide pathways for volunteers to specialize in skills that interest them and strengthen the team.

Your role as Team Leader is to see both sides: to think about your team as a whole unit, and also to recognize the unique skills and strengths each volunteer brings. You don’t need to control an individual’s development, but you can guide them—helping them choose VSFs that align with team needs, and working with PBEM to make sure those paths stay open. In short: you shape the team, while supporting each volunteer in shaping themselves as volunteer responders.

The relationship between Arcs and team operations planning

Every NET Team should have an Ops Plan that clarifies for the team, after a disaster, such things as where their staging area is, who will take what role, where the neighborhood's most significant hazards are, and so on.

Many of the individual modules in the Arcs curriculum have a direct bearing on completion of an Ops Plan. For example, researching and exploring your neighborhood's risk profile or reaching out to local businesses. Therefore, completion of some modules will lead towards completion of an Ops Plan (or refreshing an existing Ops Plan). Teams that need more work on their Ops Plan should prioritize modules that will bring them closer to that goal. Development Arc II: Response Operations Planning particularly includes modules related to Operations Plan development.

The relationship between Arc modules, team meeting agendas, and delegation

Most modules in this guide take about an hour for a team to complete. Some are shorter, and a few may run longer. That flexibility gives you options when planning agendas. A single module might fill an entire meeting, or you might use part of a module alongside other agenda items. And since modules are optional, you don’t need to use one at every meeting.

Modules are also a great tool for delegation. Team Leaders should practice handing off responsibilities, and team members should practice taking them on. This skill is vital in a real response, but it also prevents burnout by making sure the Team Leader isn’t doing all the work during “blue sky” times. PBEM encourages Team Leaders to assign modules to different team members and let them facilitate. This builds confidence, spreads knowledge, and makes meetings more engaging for everyone.

Begin with the end in mind

Whether a Team Leader plans the team's arc alone or in consultation with team members, PBEM encourages planners to envision how a team will change by the time they are done planning their progress. For example, by the end of a year, perhaps a team:

  • ...can set up a command post quickly and assign roles
  • ...knows local hazards and prospective neighborhood resources
  • ...can deploy BEECN, DAMM, and other comms with little prompting
  • ...has regularly practiced a few basic skillsets, such as managing SUVs


Team Development Arcs Table

The table below proposes five major Team Development Arcs and team activities that move the team down the path.

Development Arc II: Response Operations Planning
Activity Indoors/Outdoors
II.01 Operations Plan Check-In Either
II.02 Neighborhood Profile Discussion Either
II.03 Neighborhood Risk Assessment Discussion Either
II.04 VSF Gap Analysis Either
II.05 Incident Objectives Discussion Either
II.06 Establishing a NET Incident Command Post Outdoors
II.07 Severe Cold Weather Planning Either
II.08 Severe Hot Weather Planning Either
II.09 Deploying to Down Power Lines Either
II.10 Clearing Storm Drains Outdoors
II.11 Neighborhood URM Inventory Outdoors
II.12 Post-Earthquake Sanitation Planning Either
II.13 Post-Earthquake Decedent Care Either
II.14 Response Debrief Either
Development Arc III: Exercises and Tabletops
Activity Indoors/Outdoors
III.01 Citywide Deployment Exercise (CDE) Outdoors
III.02 Scenario Village Preparation Either
III.03 FEMA's CERT Tabletops
  • Earthquake Response
 Indoors
III.04 Disasterville Board Game Indoors
III.05 Railway Accident Tabletop Indoors
III.06 Triage Boardgame Indoors
Development Arc IV: Communications
Activity Indoors/Outdoors
IV.01 Personal Accountability Reporting (PAR) Either
IV.02 Damage Assessment Mapping Module (DAMM) Exercise Outdoors
IV.03 FRS/GMRS Radio Mapping Outdoors
IV.04 BEECN Training/Review Outdoors
IV.05 Radio Speaking Skills and Etiquette Outdoors
Development Arc V: Basic Response Skills
Activity Indoors/Outdoors
V.01 Managing SUVs Tabletop or Exercise Either
V.02 Knot Techniques Either
V.03 Survivor Carry Techniques Either (Outdoors is best)
V.04 ICS Forms Review Either
V.05 Triage Tabletop or Exercise Either
V.06 Utility Shutoff Review Both
V.07 Damaged Building Assessments Either
V.08 Fire Extinguisher Review Outdoors
V.09 Staging Area Setup Outdoors
V.10 Splinting Review Either
V.11 Building Markings Either
Development Arc VI: Disaster DIY
Activity Indoors/Outdoors
VI.01 DIY Air Cleaner Either
VI.02 Hands-Free Portable Sink Either
VI.03 Easy-Build Handwashing Station Either


Braiding the Arcs Together

 
I needed a metaphor here, so how's this? It's got...like, survival rope. In the metaphor. The metaphor for braiding together different arcs of your team's development. Look, I don't get paid to be profound okay?

Sometimes the most effective way to plan is to bring the whole team together for a “braiding session.” In this meeting, the team looks at the five arcs side by side and decides which modules they want to tackle in the coming months. Instead of treating arcs as separate tracks, the team weaves them together into a shared path of growth.

How to Facilitate a Braiding Session:

  1. Lay out the options: Print or display all the modules (for example, as cards). Briefly remind the team what each arc is designed to build.
  2. Set the vision: Ask the group to picture what they want the team to look like six months or a year from now (e.g., more confident with radios, stronger neighborhood ties, smoother command post setup).
  3. Choose priorities: As a group, select a mix of modules from different arcs that best support that vision. For example, combine “NETwiki Page Discussion” (Cohesion) with “Ops Plan Check-In” (Operations) and “Radio Speaking Skills” (Communications).
  4. Build a sequence: Decide on a rough order. Some modules might be prerequisites for others; others can run in parallel.
  5. Assign facilitators: Encourage different volunteers to take responsibility for leading modules, so that leadership and knowledge are shared.
  6. Capture the plan: Record the braided arc in your team’s Ops Plan or NETwiki page so it can guide future meetings.

This process helps ensure the team’s development is purposeful, balanced, and shared, and not just driven by the Team Leader alone.

EXAMPLE: Team development over the course of one year
 
Actual photo of Wemmick Heights NET team meeting planning session.

So let's say the completely made-up NET team of Wemmick Heights has a newly elected Team Leader, Joe Gargery, after TL Thérèse Defarge had an unfortunate guillotine accident. Joe wishes to take a more collaborative and delegative approach than Madame Defarge did. He asks his team to come together to plan out their next twelve meetings (they meet once a month, so this will cover the year for them). After discussing their goals, they agreed on the following calendar:

Meeting Date Module and Objective Module Facilitator
1 Jan. 15 Module: NET Response Kit Inventory (Arc I – Cohesion)

Objective: Start the year by reviewing gear, sharing tips, and identifying common gaps. "Nell had an unusual NET response pack. There were suits of mail standing like ghosts in armour here and there, fantastic carvings brought from monkish cloisters, rusty weapons of various kinds..."

Nell Trent
2 Feb 19 Module: Neighborhood Profile Discussion (Arc II – Ops Planning)

Objective: Explore hazards, assets, and demographics of the service area.

Joe Gargery
3 March 18 Module: Radio Speaking Skills & Etiquette (Arc IV – Communications)

Objective: Practice prowords, phonetic alphabet, and clear transmissions. "With that Cockney accent of his, we might get better instruction if he filled his mouth full of marbles first."

Sam Weller
4 April 15 Module: Severe Hot Weather Planning (Arc II – Ops Planning)

Objective: Explore ways the team can support the community during any dangerous heat events this summer. "If Miss Havisham is so concerned about the heat, maybe she should wear something besides that grotty wedding gown she never takes off."

Aurelia Havisham
5 May 20 Module: Family Preparedness Discussion (Arc I – Cohesion)

Objective: Ensure volunteers’ households are ready so they can deploy with confidence. "Fagin will lead this module. Should be interesting. I just can't imagine how all those weirdly nimble orphans he's taken in will get by after an earthquake."

Fagin
6 June 17 Module: Operations Plan Check-In (Arc II – Ops Planning)

Objective: Review staging area, comms, risks, and update Ops Plan as needed. "Should be a quick meeting. Thérèse knitted together a pretty good Ops Plan before she passed away."

Joe Gargery
7 July 15 Module: FRS/GMRS Radio Mapping (Arc IV – Communications)

Objective: Survey coverage in the neighborhood and identify dead zones. "Before he became the TL, Joe was our ARO. Makes sense for him to lead us through a radio exercise."

Joe Gargery
8 Aug. 19 Module: Triage Board Game (Arc III – Exercises)

Objective: Refresh medical prioritization skills in a low-stress learning format. "Some of us wanted to do splinting but Sydney stepped up to facilitate saying it would be a far, far better thing to refresh our triage skills."

Sydney Carton
9 Sep. 16 Module: Local Business Outreach (Arc II – Ops Planning)

Objective: Strengthen ties with key businesses for resources and resilience. "Nell insists that local businesses should be resilient and not gamble with their future."

Nell Trent
10 Oct. 21 Module: Utility Shutoff Review (Arc V – Basic Skills)

Objective: Practice safe procedures for gas, electricity, and water shutoffs. "We're pretty sure Thérèse was trying to shut off the electricity when she grabbed the wrong lever by mistake."

Ernest Defarge
11 Nov. 18 Module: Scenario Village Preparation (Arc III – Exercises)

Objective: Plan and organize for participation in the comprehensive CERT exercise."Wemmick Heights NET has the early December Scenario Village slot, so we're meeting with Alice and Jeremy to plan out our response."

Joe Gargery
12 Dec. 16 Module: Non-Disaster Social Event (Arc I – Cohesion)

Objective: Non-denominational holiday potluck for team members and their families. "It will be at Ebenezer's mansion and he is bringing the biggest goose in all of London! NETs are asked not to bring chains to the party as they distress Ebenezer's unusually pale housemate."

Ebenezer Scrooge

Joe decided, and the other members agreed, that this plan:

  • Braids arcs together (Cohesion, Ops, Comms, Exercises, Skills).
  • Alternates between discussion-based, skills-based, and exercise-based modules to keep energy fresh.
  • Includes at least one community-facing activity (Business Outreach) and one social event.


Using the Development Arc Cards

Relevant Documents/Resources Updated
Team Development Arc Cards (prototype) 2025.09.06

For Team Leaders who want a tactile approach for planning their meeting schedule, PBEM has developed a set of cards that you can print out and pass around to team members as part of a planning discussion. It may be helpful to use the cards to arrange meeting topics on a table and move them around. The cards posted here are prototypes and are expected to improve in a short amount of time from their initial publication.


Development Arc I: Team Organization and Cohesion

I.01Team Meeting Logistics Discussion

 
Karen Wolfgang and Centennial NET. Popsicles always makes things more palatable.

Learning Objective

Team members will agree on clear, realistic logistics for team meetings (cadence, formats, roles, tech, accessibility, and communications) and capture them in a short “Meeting Charter” for the NETwiki/Ops Plan.

Supplemental Resources

None.

Preparation

  • Bring your calendar, current contact list, past agendas/attendance notes, and access to the team NETwiki page.
  • If you’ll discuss hybrid/virtual: confirm a video platform (e.g., Zoom/Meet), projector/speakers, and a test laptop/FRS radio if you cross-check comms.
  • The facilitation on this module is pretty detailed. Facilitator should read over it and decide what parts will work for their team and which parts may not.
  • Print or share the “Decisions to Capture” checklist (below).

Facilitation

  1. Why this matters (3 min): Set the frame: predictable, inclusive logistics = better attendance, less burnout, faster activation when it counts.
  2. Meeting cadence & length (10 min): Decide
    • Frequency: monthly / every other month / quarterly.
    • Day/time: pick a consistent slot; sanity-check conflicts (holidays, recurring citywide events).
    • Duration: 60–90 minutes; cap standing meetings at 75 minutes when possible.
    • Seasonal adjustments: lighter in July/Aug; add an extra session pre-CDE or Scenario Village.
  3. Formats: in-person, virtual, hybrid (12 min):
    • In-person: venue accessibility (ADA entrance, restrooms), transit/parking, lighting & acoustics, child-friendly options, safety after dark.
    • Virtual: platform, host permissions, waiting room, display name standard (e.g., “Team-FirstName”), chat norms, recording policy.
    • Hybrid: room layout (U-shape + camera sightline), one device per room unmuted (others muted to avoid echo), a Remote Buddy role (monitors chat, voices remote hands).
    • Decide which formats match which meeting types (e.g., skills = in-person; planning = virtual; hotwash = hybrid).
  4. Roles & delegation (8 min): Consider adopting rotating roles to grow capacity.
    • Facilitator (sets pace, keeps stack)
    • Timekeeper (prompts 5-min warnings)
    • Scribe (captures decisions/tasks to NETwiki)
    • Greeter (welcomes, name tents, sign-in)
    • Tech lead / Remote Buddy (runs AV, watches chat)
    • Safety lead (room safety check, exits, severe-weather call)
  5. Agenda rhythm & decision rules (10 min):
    • Standard agenda (60–75 min):
      • Welcome & quick wins (5)
      • Safety moment / weather & hazards (3)
      • Module or skill block (30–40)
      • Ops/Comms updates (BEECN, DAMM, trainings) (10)
      • Tasks & assignments recap (5)
      • Announcements + next meeting preview (2)
    • Decision-making: consent or simple majority; define quorum (e.g., TL or designee + 5 members).
    • Parking lot for off-topic items; schedule follow-ups.
  6. Communications & reminders (7 min):
    • Channels: email list, text group, and NETwiki.
    • Reminder cadence:
      • Save-the-date (monthly/quarterly)
      • T-7 days agenda draft
      • T-24 hours quick reminder + materials
    • Attendance: sign-in each meeting; update contact changes immediately.
    • Privacy: don’t post personal phone/emails publicly; keep in a restricted sheet or shared drive.
  7. Accessibility & inclusion (5 min):
    • Plain-language agendas; avoid acronyms or define them once.
    • Request language interpretation or materials ahead of time; consider translated handouts for key items.
    • Quiet room or camera-off norms as needed; encourage pronouncing names correctly; code of conduct reminder.
  8. Contingencies (3 min):
    • Weather/power outage: who calls it, by when, via which channel.
    • Backup TL/facilitator: named successor for each meeting.
    • Tech fail: pre-agreed Plan B (phone bridge / reschedule window).
  9. Capture decisions & assign owners (2 min): Update the Meeting Charter (see template) on the NETwiki; confirm owners and due dates.

There are a lot of facilitation notes here, so please click [Expand] to access them (over to the right).

Debrief Questions

  • What meeting barriers kept people away last year? How did we address them today?
  • Which logistics changes are most likely to increase attendance or reduce burnout?
  • Do our virtual/hybrid choices genuinely include remote members (or just tick the box)?
  • What will we try for two meetings and then revisit?

Module Outputs

Decisions to Capture:

  • Cadence, day/time, duration; seasonal shifts
  • Default format(s) per meeting type (in-person/virtual/hybrid)
  • Venue(s) with address, access notes, and safety notes
  • Platform & settings (host, recording policy, waiting room)
  • Rotating role roster for next 3 meetings
  • Agenda template and decision rules (quorum, voting/consent)
  • Communications plan (channels, reminders, sign-in, privacy)
  • Accessibility commitments (interpretation, ADA checks, plain language)
  • Contingencies (weather/tech outage, backup facilitator)
  • Owners and dates to implement any changes


I.02 NET Response Kit Inventory

Learning Objective

Team members will understand the contents and purpose of their individual NET response kits, and identify gaps or items that need replenishing.

Supplemental Resources

Basic NET Kits
NET/BEECN ID Card, Helmet, and/or Vest Request Form

Preparation

  • The facilitator should check over their own bag and be prepared to talk about their go-kit first. Review the Debrief Questions and be prepared to provide your own answers to them.
  • If there is time (i.e. at least two weeks before the session), the facilitator should encourage all team members to check they have all the equipment PBEM issues: ID card, hard hat (which should be replaced every five years), hard hat chin strap, and vest. Any missing items or items in need of replacement can be requested at the NET/BEECN ID Card, Helmet, and/or Vest Request Form. PBEM also issues FRS/GMRS radios (if a volunteer cannot afford one), Field Operating Guides (FOGs), and waterproof backpack covers as supplies are available.

Facilitation

 
Ask each team member to bring their NET bag or response kit to the meeting. Begin by reviewing the official NET kit list. Explain that the purpose of this exercise is not to judge completeness but to help everyone become more familiar with their gear, share practical tips, and make sure nothing critical is missing.

Facilitate a guided walkthrough of major kit categories—personal safety/PPE (helmet, vest, gloves), communication (radio, whistle, contact sheet), medical (first aid supplies), tools, and comfort items (snacks, water). Invite volunteers to share how they’ve adapted their kits to fit their neighborhood context or personal needs (e.g., dog leash, maps, laminated cards). Keep the conversation focused on functionality and portability. End with a brief “gap check”: have members note items they need to add or replace, and suggest a timeline for completing those updates. If possible, document any common shortages so the team can discuss bulk purchases or supply-sharing at a future meeting.

Encourage volunteers to also talk about their favorite piece of gear that is not standard to the NET kit list.

Debrief Questions

  • What items did you discover were missing or expired from your kit?
  • Did you see any creative or useful additions from other team members?
  • How confident do you feel that your kit would support you for 24–48 hours of response work?
  • What steps can the team take to help each other fill common gaps?

Module Outputs

None.


I.03 Local Fire Station Meeting

 
Markham NET in an exercise with their local fire station in 2017.

Learning Objective

Team members will build relationships with their local firefighters, learn about station capabilities, and understand how NETs can support fire response during disasters.

Supplemental Resources

NETwiki article on Portland Fire & Rescue
PF&R article on Fire Stations, Administrative Facilities and Community Meeting Rooms

Preparation

With exceptions, PBEM does not recommend NETs "cold call" their local fire station. Instead, allow PBEM to be the go-between for the first meeting. The NET Team Leader should contact their PBEM District Liaison (  net@portlandoregon.gov) to help them schedule a day and time with the NET's nearest fire station.

Do not enter into a meeting with PF&R holding specific expectations of the relationship between your team and your nearest fire station. Some fire stations have more bandwidth than others to engage with local NETs. While NET generally has a positive reputation, firefighter and officer perceptions of volunteers may also vary depending on past experiences they have had with community members (or if they've had little experience at all). Building trust and familiarity with PF&R staff takes place over time, not in a single meeting.

Facilitation

Begin the activity with introductions, briefly explaining the NET program and your team’s role in community preparedness. Encourage firefighters to share about their daily work, the equipment housed at the station, and their priorities during major incidents, such as an earthquake. During the tour, prompt your team to observe and ask questions about how the station responds to large-scale emergencies, what resources they can and cannot provide, and how volunteers like NETs might fit into the larger response picture. Keep the tone conversational and respectful of firefighters’ time—calls may interrupt, so be flexible. Close the session by thanking the firefighters, presenting them with your team contact information, and inviting them to attend or speak at a future NET meeting. Afterward, debrief with your team about what they learned and how that information might influence your local disaster planning.

Debrief Questions

  • What surprised you about the station’s capabilities or limitations?
  • How do firefighters view volunteer support during major incidents?
  • Did anything you learned change how you think about your role as a NET?
  • What follow-up steps could strengthen this new relationship?

Module Outputs

None.


I.04 Team Equipment Cache Evaluation/Checkup

 
South Burlingame NET volunteers inventorying their team cache.

Learning Objective

Team members will evaluate the status of their team’s equipment cache—or, if none exists, explore the benefits and considerations of establishing one.

Supplemental Resources

NETwiki article on Team Equipment Caches
Tennessee CERT Suggested CERT Trailer Contents
DOGAMI Earthquake and Tsunami Community Disaster Cache Planning Guide

Preparation

Review the Supplemental Resources to gets ideas about what a cache can do and the purposes it can serve.

Facilitation

Begin by framing the purpose of a team cache: it ensures essential supplies (tarps, tools, radios, medical kits, signage, etc.) are ready to go when a disaster strikes, rather than relying only on what volunteers bring individually. If your team already has a cache, arrange to meet at the cache site. Walk through the storage space together, checking for:

  • Inventory completeness (do the supplies align with the team’s operational needs?)
  • Condition of items (expired, broken, or weather-damaged)
  • Accessibility (can the cache be reached quickly during an incident?)
  • Documentation (is there an up-to-date inventory list stored in multiple places?)

If your team does not yet have a cache, facilitate a discussion instead:

  • What would be the most useful items to store collectively?
  • Where could a cache be located (partner organization, community center, shed, church, etc.)?
  • What are the funding and management considerations (who has keys, who replenishes items, who tracks inventory)?
  • Should we consider fundraising in the neighborhood for the cache?

Encourage volunteers to share creative solutions—some teams partner with local organizations that can host supplies, while others use distributed “mini-caches” at members’ homes. Wrap up by assigning follow-up roles: one or two people to update the inventory or research possible cache sites.

Debrief Questions

  • If we already have a cache: what gaps or issues did we discover today?
  • If we don’t: what’s the first step toward building one, and who should lead it?
  • How can we make sure all team members know what’s in the cache and how to access it?
  • What’s one practical action we can take before the next meeting (e.g., replace expired supplies, draft an inventory list, identify a possible host location)?

Module Outputs

If the team already has a cache, then this module should produce an updated inventory.


I.05 NETwiki Team Page Discussion

 
Screenshot of the Hosford-Abernethy NET page. Lookin fly yo.

Learning Objective

Team members will collaboratively design and update their team’s NETwiki page to serve as a shared, accessible hub for operations, plans, and team information.

Supplemental Resources

NETwiki Neighborhood Emergency Teams Directory

Preparation

The facilitator should go to the Directory (in Supplemental Resources) and find their team's page. Have a look at other team pages to see how others organized theirs. Encourage any team member who can to bring their own laptop so they can review the page; and/or, if possible, put the page up on a screen that everyone in the meeting can see.

Facilitation

Begin by projecting or sharing the team’s existing NETwiki page (or a blank one if it hasn’t been created). Explain that the wiki is intended to be a “living document” where the team records important details: operations plans, meeting schedules, contact protocols, and other resources that keep everyone aligned. Emphasize that it’s not just an archive, but a tool for both preparedness and active response.

If the team is large, break the team into small groups or pairs and assign each group a section to review or draft—such as team contact tree, meeting schedule, local hazard notes, resource lists, or deployment procedures (a smaller team can accomplish this as a single discussion group). Provide example pages from other teams to spark ideas. Allow time for each group to brainstorm content, then reconvene to decide what updates to post. If someone is comfortable editing the wiki, have them make changes in real time; otherwise, assign a “wiki steward” to gather notes and update the page after the meeting.

Encourage the team to treat the page as iterative: it doesn’t need to be perfect in one sitting. Reinforce that consistent use of the wiki will reduce confusion, help onboard new volunteers, and preserve institutional memory as team membership changes.

Debrief Questions

  • What information do we want future volunteers (or responders) to easily find on our team’s page?
  • Which sections of our page feel strong, and which need more development?
  • Who is willing to serve as the point person for maintaining and updating the wiki?
  • How might we use this page during an actual activation or deployment?

Module Outputs

Once the Team decides who will be the page editor, email that information to   net@portlandoregon.gov and PBEM will set up editing permissions for that individual and link them to editing training. There can be more than one editor.


I.06 Local Business Outreach

 
NET volunteer Paul Nutterfield distributing COVID information posters to businesses in 2020.

Learning Objective

Team members will engage local businesses to strengthen neighborhood resilience by sharing preparedness information, building relationships, and identifying potential resources for disaster response.

Supplemental Resources

Information on VSF 18: Business Resilience
Business Disaster Prep Checklist
ReadyPDX.org

Preparation

As resources allow, PBEM will print business cards for NET volunteers to hand out. If you would like to have team business cards for distribution, please email   net@portlandoregon.gov at least two weeks before you plan to use them. Alternatively, you can request other materials to hand out to local businesses (see Supplemental Resources).

Facilitation

Open the session by noting that local businesses are not only employers and service providers, but also potential partners in resilience. Many have supplies, space, or networks that could be useful in a disaster—but they also face risks like damaged property, disrupted supply chains, or lost revenue. NET teams can play a bridging role by offering preparedness resources and inviting businesses into neighborhood-level planning.

Facilitation steps:

  1. Identify Key Businesses: Brainstorm which businesses are most critical in your area—grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, restaurants, gas stations, culturally significant businesses, or large employers. Write them on a board or list.
  2. Define Outreach Goals: Clarify what your team hopes to achieve:
    1. Share a simple preparedness checklist for businesses.
    2. Build relationships so business owners know the NET exists.
    3. Ask about what role (if any) they could play in a disaster (e.g., offering space, supplies, refrigeration, or communication hubs).
    4. Encourage businesses to sign up for alerts at ReadyPDX.org.
  3. Prepare the Approach: Role-play or draft a short outreach script. Keep it simple: introduce your team, explain what NET does, offer a resource, and ask one or two open-ended questions (“What concerns you most about a major earthquake?” or “What would help your business reopen quickly?”).
  4. Assign Contacts: Divide up outreach tasks among team members. Each volunteer can take responsibility for 1–2 businesses to visit or call (visiting is recommended).
  5. Follow-Up: Encourage each volunteer to report back at the next team meeting about how the outreach went. Capture any promising partnerships or ideas in the Team Ops Plan.

Stress that outreach should be respectful of business owners’ time—keep visits brief and always frame the effort as a partnership, not a request for donation or commitment.

Debrief Questions

  • Which businesses are most critical to our neighborhood’s resilience?
  • What kinds of support could we realistically expect from local businesses during a disaster?
  • How did the businesses we contacted respond—were they interested, cautious, overwhelmed?
  • What’s one next step to keep business relationships alive (follow-up visit, joint drill, resource sharing)?

Module Outputs

If there are prospective partnerships formed with a local business, document that in the Team Operations Plan.


I.07 Neighborhood Association Meeting

 
Map Your Neighborhood training for Alameda in 2018.

Learning Objective

Strengthen connections between your NET and your local Neighborhood Association (NA), so both groups can support each other in preparedness, response, and recovery. Team members will learn how to effectively attend and participate in their Neighborhood Association meetings, build relationships, and integrate preparedness priorities into broader community planning.

Supplemental Resources

City of Portland Neighborhood Association Directory
City of Portland/PSU Civic Life Mapping
Presentation Request Form: "Emergency Preparedness for You, Your Family, and Your Community"
Event Materials Request Form

Preparation

  • Find out the NA’s regular meeting schedule, agenda format, and whether they allow outside groups to present.
  • Reach out to the NA Chair or Secretary to request an agenda spot or confirm time for NET introductions.
  • Prepare a brief introduction: who you are, what the NET program does, and one or two examples of local resilience goals.
  • Bring flyers or business cards with NET contact info, meeting times, or signup links (request no less than two weeks before the meeting; use the form in Supplemental Resources).
  • If the NA would like to meet the team and also have a one hour disaster preparation presentation, use the form in Supplemental Resources to request a speaker.

Facilitation

  1. Orient your NET members (10 min, before the meeting).
    • Meet briefly to explain the NA’s role in Portland civic life and how NETs fit into that picture.
    • Review talking points: introduce the team, highlight preparedness efforts, and invite partnership.
    • Assign roles: one person introduces, one fields questions, others observe and take notes.
  2. Participate in the NA meeting (30–40 min).
    • Respect the NA’s process—observe how they conduct business, when public input is invited, and what issues are on their agenda.
    • When it’s your turn, keep your remarks short (3–5 minutes): introduce the NET, explain how you can support the neighborhood after a disaster, and invite collaboration.
    • Listen for upcoming projects (block parties, safety fairs, clean-ups) where NET participation could add value.

Debrief Questions

  • What did you learn about the NA’s priorities and concerns?
  • Were there community members or leaders who seemed especially interested in preparedness?
  • Decide on one concrete follow-up: sending info, joining a subcommittee, or returning next month with a module (like Family Preparedness).

Module Outputs

  • Update your NETwiki page with a link to the neighborhood association page.
  • Consider adding a recurring task for a NET member to attend future meetings.
  • Identify at least one collaborative project to propose to the NA in the next six months (such as building a community resource cache).


I.08 Team Recruitment Strategy

Learning Objective

 
Mark Ginsberg at a recruitment event, 2015.

Team members will design a recruitment approach that attracts both new Active NET volunteers and Affiliated Team Volunteers (ATVs), building a sustainable pipeline of engaged responders.

Supplemental Resources

NETwiki article on Affiliated Team Volunteers (ATVs)
Event Materials Request Form

Preparation

Review the NETwiki page concerning Affiliated Team Volunteers (ATVs).

Facilitation

Open the session by reminding the team that a healthy NET program relies on steady recruitment—volunteers retire, move, or get busy, so planning ahead ensures the team remains resilient. Share a few proven outreach methods, such as tabling at neighborhood events, giving short presentations at community association meetings, or partnering with local schools, faith groups, or businesses.

Start the discussion by explaining that recruitment isn’t one-size-fits-all: some community members are ready to commit to full NET training, while others prefer a lighter, support-oriented role as ATVs. Both groups strengthen the team—Active NETs provide certified disaster response capability, and ATVs expand reach, offer surge capacity, and often become future Active NETs.

Facilitate a brainstorming session with two columns on a whiteboard or shared doc: one for Active NET recruitment and one for ATV recruitment. For the Active NET side, encourage strategies like:

  • Speaking at neighborhood association meetings.
  • Hosting preparedness workshops that funnel interested participants into NET training.
  • Personal invitations to neighbors who show leadership or reliability in other contexts.

For the ATV side, highlight approaches such as:

  • Tabling at community events with “light lift” volunteer opportunities.
  • Inviting friends/family of current NETs to join as ATVs.
  • Promoting ATVs as a “try it out” role for those curious but not yet ready for full training.

Once ideas are collected, guide the team to choose one concrete action for each category (NET + ATV) to carry forward this quarter. Assign point people and timelines. Remind the team that recruitment should reflect the diversity of the community and that ATVs can help keep people engaged while waiting for a Basic NET training seat.

In the conversation, be sure to offer time to diversity and inclusion considerations (e.g., outreach beyond usual circles, language/translation needs, engaging underrepresented groups).

Debrief Questions

  • Which audiences are we currently reaching well, and which are we overlooking?
  • How can we make sure both Active NETs and ATVs feel valued in our team?
  • What’s one concrete step we can take this quarter to bring in at least one new Active NET and one new ATV?
  • How can we track and celebrate new recruits so they stay motivated?

Module Outputs

None.


I.09 Family Preparedness Discussion

Learning Objective

 
I looked for a free stock image of a family preparing for a disaster. This one aint bad, but I hope they rotate that water.

Team members will reflect on their own household readiness and identify steps to ensure their families are safe and self-sufficient when they deploy as NET volunteers after a disaster.

Supplemental Resources

Ready.gov Make a Plan

Preparation

It's a good idea for the facilitator of the module to have this discussion with their own family prior to the NET meeting. Then, the facilitator can share how the conversation went and what gaps in preparation (if any) they discovered.

Facilitation

Start by explaining the principle: “You can’t help your neighbors until your family is safe.” NET volunteers are far more effective (and less distracted) if they know their loved ones are secure, have supplies, and understand the volunteer’s role during an emergency.

Guide the group through a discussion of what family preparedness means in practice:

  • Communication: Does your family know your NET responsibilities, and do they have a plan for checking in if phones are down?
  • Supplies: Can your household manage for 72 hours (or longer) without you—food, water, medicines, power, pet care?
  • Roles & Expectations: Does your family know where to shelter, how to shut off utilities, or what to do if they need to evacuate?
  • Support System: Who else (neighbors, relatives, friends) can check in on them if you are deployed?

Encourage volunteers to share their own approaches—what’s worked, where gaps still exist. Provide prompts like “What’s one thing you’d like your family to be able to do without you in the first 24 hours after a quake?” If time allows, have each volunteer draft or update a short checklist for their household to review later.

Close by reminding the team that family preparedness is not “one and done.” Suggest revisiting this topic annually, and encourage each member to take one concrete action (buying a backup water filter, updating a contact card, having a family meeting) before the next NET gathering.

Debrief Questions

  • What are the most important things your family would need to know or do if you were deployed?
  • Where do you feel most confident about your household’s readiness, and where are the gaps?
  • How can the team support each other in strengthening family preparedness (sharing checklists, bulk-buying supplies, buddy systems)?
  • What’s one action you can commit to this month to improve your family’s readiness?

Module Outputs

None.


I.10 Fundraising Review

Learning Objective

Team members will assess whether fundraising is necessary for their operations (such as building an equipment cache) and, if so, identify appropriate and realistic fundraising strategies and how to use Friends of Portland NET as a fiscal agent to support those efforts.

Supplemental Resources

Friends of Portland NET website

Preparation

Review the Friends of Portland NET website. If it is already confirmed that the team would like to pursue fundraising, the facilitator should contact FPN and ask to open an account.

Facilitation

Open the discussion by asking: “What are the things our team would like to do or have that require money?” Note that PBEM will provide assistance for some things (such as printing or radios) as resources allow. Write down ideas such as equipment cache supplies, radios, signage, printing outreach materials, or team-specific projects. Clarify what PBEM and the NET program already provide, and identify any gaps that may require outside support.

Explain that the nonprofit Friends of Portland NET (FPN) can serve as the fiscal sponsor for NET teams. This means teams can raise funds (through donations, grants, or partnerships) without managing their own bank accounts or nonprofit paperwork. Funds raised are held and managed by FPN on behalf of the team. This arrangement ensures compliance, transparency, and accountability, while still giving teams access to the resources they need.

If the team agrees that fundraising is needed, brainstorm realistic approaches such as:

  • Collecting small donations at community events.
  • Partnering with local businesses for sponsorships or in-kind support.
  • Applying for neighborhood association or coalition small grants.
  • Running a one-time community fundraiser for a specific project.

Once ideas are generated, guide the group to select one or two strategies to pursue. Assign roles (who will contact FPN, who will draft outreach language, who will liaise with a grant source), and set a timeline. If fundraising isn’t needed now, capture that decision and plan to revisit later.

Debrief Questions

  • What needs do we have that could reasonably be supported through fundraising?
  • How does working with FPN simplify the process for us?
  • Which fundraising methods feel both achievable and consistent with our team’s values?
  • Who will connect with FPN and take the first step toward pursuing this?

Module Outputs

None.


I.11 Non-Disaster Related Social Event

Learning Objective

Loosen up, nerds! Also, to help get to know each other better.

Supplemental Resources

Oh I don't know. Probably any number of Martha Stewart books. Don't ask the introvert.

Preparation

None.

 
NETs know how to party.

Facilitation

Remind the group that NET is not just about emergency response—it’s also about being good neighbors and building strong community bonds. A relaxed, non-disaster social event gives team members a chance to connect as people first, which often makes them more cohesive and resilient when an emergency does come.

Facilitate a short brainstorming session: what kinds of low-key social activities would appeal to your team and fit the neighborhood context? Examples might include a potluck, park picnic, movie night, coffee meet-up, or a group volunteer project at a local charity. Keep it simple—this is about fun and connection, not logistics. Make sure events are inclusive and accessible: consider dietary needs, childcare, and mobility. PBEM also recommends considering that some team members may be in recovery, and it may be best to avoid having alcohol at the event.

Once the team has identified an idea, assign one or two volunteers to organize details (date, location, invites). Emphasize that these gatherings don’t need to be big or frequent—even one or two casual social events a year can go a long way toward improving morale and retention. Encourage members to invite family or neighbors, as broadening participation can both strengthen social ties and spark interest in the NET program.

The big challenge is: try not to talk about anything disaster related.

Some possible ideas:

Food & Drink Gatherings

  • Neighborhood Potluck: Everyone brings a dish, hosted at a volunteer’s home, park shelter, or community room.
  • Coffee Meet-Up: Pick a local café and set a casual “drop in” time for NET members.
  • Ice Cream Social: Simple, family-friendly, outdoors in the summer.

Recreation & Outdoors

  • Park Picnic or BBQ: Reserve a shelter (or just spread blankets). Great for families and kids.
  • Neighborhood Walk: A casual stroll to explore the area, ending at a local food cart or café.
  • Trivia Night or Board Games: Hosted at a library, community center, or member’s house.

Community-Oriented Fun

  • Group Volunteering: Help at a local food bank, park cleanup, or neighborhood project.
  • Movie Night: Project a film in someone’s yard or at a community hall.
  • Holiday Gathering: Seasonal potluck or cookie swap around winter or summer holidays.

Low-Effort “Anchor Events”

  • Annual summer picnic.
  • Winter holiday party.
  • NET birthday/anniversary celebration (marking when the team formed).

Debrief Questions

  • What kinds of social events would feel fun and inclusive for our team?
  • How do we want to balance formal preparedness meetings with informal gatherings?
  • Who is willing to take the lead on planning the next event?
  • What’s one way we can make sure these events become part of our team culture?

Module Outputs

None.


Development Arc II: Response Operations Planning

VSF Gap Analysis

Learning Objective

Team members will understand the purpose of Volunteer Support Functions (VSFs), identify their own areas of specialization, and consider how their team’s mix of VSFs can strengthen neighborhood response.

Supplemental Resources

Preparation

Facilitation

Begin by explaining that PBEM organizes all volunteers (NETs, BEECN, ATVs) into Volunteer Support Functions (VSFs). These are specialized areas of disaster skills or knowledge—such as Search & Rescue, Medical, Communications, Logistics, or Public Information. VSFs serve two main purposes: they allow volunteers to deepen skills in areas they’re interested in, and they give teams and PBEM a clear picture of what capabilities exist across the city.

Provide a simple overview of how VSFs work:

  • All NETs are automatically assigned to Search & Rescue unless they request a different VSF.
  • NETs can request to change their Primary VSF or add a Secondary VSF at any time by emailing PBEM.
  • ATVs must declare a VSF in order to be active, and this happens in consultation with the Team Leader.
  • BEECN-only volunteers are automatically assigned to Public Information, but can also select a Secondary VSF.

If possible, bring a copy of the VSF Directory or project it on screen so the team can see the full range of functions. Facilitate a group discussion:

  • Ask members which VSFs they are currently assigned to.
  • Have them share why they chose their VSF (or why they might want to change).
  • Identify what mix of VSFs your team currently has—for example, lots of Search & Rescue, but few Medical or Comms.

Guide the team to think about how this mix affects their capacity in an activation. Would they benefit from encouraging a few members to explore Medical, Logistics, or Comms? Make it clear that volunteers don’t have to be experts right away—the VSF structure is meant to help people learn and grow in areas they enjoy.

Wrap up by encouraging interested members to contact PBEM if they want to update their VSF, and consider recording your team’s VSF mix on your NETwiki page for future reference.

Debrief Questions

  • Which VSFs are represented on our team right now? Where are the gaps?
  • How might our neighborhood benefit from having more balance across VSFs?
  • Who is interested in exploring a new VSF or declaring a Secondary VSF?
  • How can we support each other in building depth in these areas (peer training, shared resources, guest speakers)?

Module Outputs


Neighborhood Profile Discussion

Learning objective: Team members will explore publicly available resources to build a clearer picture of their neighborhood’s disaster risks and assets.

Facilitation: Begin by framing the exercise: understanding the neighborhood is the foundation of effective NET response. The more the team knows about local hazards, population, infrastructure, and resources, the better they can anticipate needs and plan for deployment.

Introduce the idea of a “Neighborhood Profile”—a collection of information from online resources that paints a picture of both risks and assets. Provide examples of useful sources, such as:

  • Portland Maps (portlandmaps.com): Zoning, utilities, infrastructure, building information.
  • DOGAMI Hazards Maps: Earthquake liquefaction, landslide, or flood risks.
  • PBEM or OEM Hazard Mitigation Plans: City- or state-level hazard profiles.
  • Census/City demographic data: Languages spoken, age distribution, density.
  • Community resource directories: Schools, shelters, community centers, faith groups, food pantries.

Break the group into pairs or small teams and assign each a “slice” of the profile to look into (hazards, demographics, infrastructure, resources). If internet access is available, they can explore live; otherwise, bring printed maps or screenshots as prompts. Each group shares highlights with the rest of the team.

As a facilitator, help the team connect the dots: What hazards intersect with which vulnerable populations? Which facilities could be key gathering or sheltering sites? Which areas might be hardest to reach? Capture findings in notes or directly onto the team’s NETwiki page.

End by emphasizing that a Neighborhood Profile is not a one-time product. It can be revisited and enriched over time, especially as new data or resources become available.

Debrief Questions:

  • What risks stood out the most in our neighborhood profile?
  • What community resources or assets could be critical during a disaster?
  • Where are the biggest information gaps that we still need to research?
  • How might this profile help guide our training priorities or exercises?


Neighborhood Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Building Inventory

Learning Objective:

Team members will learn how to identify and document unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings in their neighborhood as part of planning work to inventory seismic risks.

Facilitation:

Introduce the activity by explaining that URM buildings are among the most dangerous in earthquakes—they are prone to partial or total collapse, posing risks not only to occupants but also to responders and bystanders. Portland has thousands of URM buildings.

Refer the group to the URM Building Survey Workflow Guidebook (CREW, 2025), which provides step-by-step guidance on how communities can plan, train, and execute URM sidewalk surveys. Stress that teams are not being asked to perform structural evaluations—that is work for engineers. Instead, NETs can conduct “sidewalk surveys”: exterior-only observations of suspected URM buildings, guided by a standard checklist and training.

Steps:

  1. Overview & Context: Provide a short briefing on what URM buildings are and why they matter in earthquakes. Share photos or diagrams of common URM features (header courses, parapets, brick bond patterns).
  2. Introduce the Workflow Guide: Explain that the full guidebook gives best practices for planning surveys, data collection, volunteer safety, and quality control. NET teams will use it as a reference.
  3. Practice Identification: If possible, walk the neighborhood and practice spotting URM indicators together. Use a simplified checklist from the guidebook and emphasize safety (stay on public sidewalks, do not enter private property).
  4. Documentation: Encourage teams to use simple forms, photos, or mapping apps to log suspected URM buildings. They don’t need to be perfect—data can later be reviewed by PBEM or subject matter experts.
  5. Discussion: Afterward, reflect on what was found, challenges in identification, and how this data could support neighborhood-level planning efforts.

Debrief Questions:

  • Where in our neighborhood do we see concentrations of URM buildings?
  • What risks do these pose (collapse, blocked streets, impacts to critical facilities)?
  • How confident are we in identifying URM features? What support or training would help?
  • How might this inventory connect with our other planning efforts (caches, neighborhood profile, VSFs)?


Operations Plan Check-In

Learning Objective:

Team members will review, update, and reaffirm their Team Operations Plan to ensure clarity on meeting locations, communication protocols, risks, and resources.

Facilitation:

Begin by explaining that the Team Operations Plan (Ops Plan) is the foundation of a NET team’s readiness. It outlines where the team will gather, how they’ll communicate, and what they’ll focus on first after a disaster. Stress that reviewing it regularly is important—neighborhood risks change, team membership changes, and communication systems evolve.

  • Bring the Plan: Have a copy of the current Team Ops Plan available (printed or on a shared screen). If your team does not yet have one, frame this activity as the first step toward drafting it.
  • Walk Through Key Sections: Guide the group through the major parts of the Ops Plan:
  • Assembly Location: Where will the team meet after an earthquake? Do multiple members know the location? Is it still viable (accessible, safe)?
  • Communication: How will team members check in with each other (radios, call/text tree, BEECN), and how will they relay info to PBEM or the City?
  • Neighborhood Risks: What are the top hazards (URM buildings, bridges, hazardous materials sites, wildfire smoke, etc.)? Do these still feel accurate?
  • Resources: What local facilities, organizations, or caches could support response? Are there new ones to add?
  • Check for Gaps: Ask whether any section feels unclear, outdated, or missing. Encourage members to share observations (e.g., “That assembly location is under construction now” or “Our comms tree is missing three new volunteers”).
  • Assign Updates: Identify who will update the plan, how changes will be documented, and where the latest version will be stored (e.g., NETwiki, shared drive).

Remind the group that the Ops Plan is living: the goal is not perfection in one meeting, but continuous improvement. Encourage a cadence for reviewing it—perhaps once a year or after major exercises.

Debrief Questions:

  • What parts of our Ops Plan feel clear and reliable?
  • What parts need updating (locations, contacts, risks, resources)?
  • How confident do we feel that new volunteers could follow this plan in a disaster?
  • Who will take responsibility for making edits and ensuring the updated version is shared?


Severe Cold Weather Planning

Learning Objective:

Team members will plan for severe cold weather impacts by ensuring their own readiness and identifying ways the team can support vulnerable neighbors and the broader community.

Facilitation Guide:

Begin by framing the issue: in Portland, severe cold events may bring snow, freezing rain, and prolonged sub-freezing temperatures. These conditions can disrupt transportation, cause power outages, and create life-safety risks—especially for people without reliable housing, older adults, and those with medical needs. NETs must first be prepared personally, then consider their role in neighborhood-level response.

Facilitation steps:

  1. Personal Readiness: Lead a quick roundtable where each member shares how they prepare for cold weather at home. Prompt with questions: Do you have backup heat and lighting? Extra food and water? Warm clothing and blankets? Encourage members to think about household needs for at least 72 hours without power or transit access.
  2. Neighborhood Risks: As a group, discuss local risks: steep streets, vulnerable residents, reliance on public transit, or frequent power outages. Identify which hazards are most pressing in your area.
  3. Community Resources: Brainstorm resources that could help during a cold snap. Examples: community centers or churches that may serve as warming shelters, neighbors with 4x4 vehicles, mutual aid networks, or partnerships with social service organizations.
  4. NET Role: Facilitate discussion about what the NET team can realistically do. Ideas might include:
    • Checking in on elderly or mobility-limited neighbors.
    • Sharing official information about warming shelter locations.
    • Supporting PBEM or community partners if shelters or warming centers are activated.
    • Conducting a neighborhood “snow walk” to identify icy hazards or blocked storm drains.
  5. Action Planning: Ask the team to agree on one or two actions they can take before next winter—such as updating contact trees for cold weather alerts, pre-identifying neighbors to check on, or adding winter-specific items to caches (ice melt, tarps, hand warmers).

Debrief Questions:

  • How confident do we feel about our own household cold-weather readiness?
  • Who in our neighborhood might be most at risk during a prolonged freeze?
  • What resources could we lean on or coordinate with during a cold snap?
  • What is one concrete step we can take before next winter to be better prepared as a team?


Severe Hot Weather Planning

Learning Objective:

Team members will prepare for the impacts of extreme heat by ensuring household readiness, identifying vulnerable populations in their neighborhood, and exploring ways the team can support the community during dangerous heat events.

Facilitation:

Open by reminding the team that extreme heat is one of the most deadly weather hazards in the Pacific Northwest. Prolonged heat waves strain power systems, overwhelm cooling shelters, and disproportionately affect seniors, unhoused people, and those with medical conditions. NETs can play an important role by being prepared themselves and connecting neighbors to resources.

Facilitation steps:

  1. Personal Readiness: Invite members to share how they keep cool during heat waves. Prompt with: Do you have fans, AC, or other cooling equipment? How do you stay hydrated? Do you have backup power if the grid goes down? Encourage members to check that their households can stay safe in high temperatures for several days.
  2. Neighborhood Risks: Discuss local vulnerabilities. Does your neighborhood have large populations of seniors, outdoor workers, or unhoused residents? Are there areas with limited tree canopy, lots of asphalt, or “heat islands”? Have there been past power outages during heat events?
  3. Community Resources: Identify resources in or near your neighborhood, such as cooling centers, libraries, community centers, or shaded parks. Brainstorm which partners (faith groups, nonprofits, businesses) might help distribute water, set up misting stations, or host cooling spaces.
  4. NET Role: Guide a discussion about how the team could respond. Possible roles include:
    • Sharing official alerts and cooling center information.
    • Distributing water, fans, or information to vulnerable neighbors.
    • Supporting city or county efforts if community cooling centers are activated.
    • Conducting “neighbor checks” during peak heat hours, especially for elderly or isolated residents.
  5. Action Planning: Agree on one or two concrete steps for before the next summer. This might be updating neighborhood contact trees with “cool weather buddies,” mapping local cooling resources, or organizing a fan/AC donation drive with a partner organization.

Debrief Questions:

  • How prepared do we feel to keep ourselves and our families safe during a heat wave?
  • Who in our neighborhood would be most at risk during prolonged high temperatures?
  • What resources exist nearby, and how can we help neighbors access them?
  • What is one action we can take as a team before the next summer heat season?


Post-Earthquake Sanitation Planning

Learning Objective:

Team members will plan for sanitation challenges following a major earthquake, focusing on both household-level solutions and strategies for supporting neighborhood health and safety.

Facilitation:

Begin by highlighting the issue: after a major earthquake, water and sewer systems may be disrupted for weeks or months. Without proper sanitation, communities can face outbreaks of disease and unsanitary living conditions. NET teams don’t provide citywide sanitation services, but they can prepare themselves and help neighbors adopt safe practices.

Facilitation steps:

  1. Household Readiness: Ask members to consider how their own families would handle sanitation if toilets, water, and garbage collection were unavailable. Discuss basic options such as:
    • Two-bucket toilet systems (one for urine, one for feces).
    • Stockpiling heavy-duty garbage bags, bleach or lime, gloves, and hand sanitizer.
    • Safe storage and eventual disposal practices.
  2. Neighborhood Considerations: Lead a brainstorm on what sanitation challenges the neighborhood might face after an earthquake: dense housing, lack of outdoor space, vulnerable populations. Discuss how unsanitary practices could affect the whole community (flies, rodents, contamination).
  3. Resources & Education: Share information about PBEM’s sanitation guidance (if available) or provide handouts on safe household systems. Explore whether the team wants to stock sanitation supplies in a cache (toilet seats, bags, lime, handwashing stations).
  4. NET Role: Facilitate a discussion about realistic roles for the team:
    • Educating neighbors on safe household sanitation systems.
    • Modeling proper sanitation practices at staging areas or team gathering points.
    • Identifying community partners (schools, churches) with facilities that might host temporary solutions.
    • Helping distribute sanitation supply kits if provided by the City or COAD partners.
  5. Action Planning: Agree on one or two team actions, such as adding sanitation topics to the Ops Plan, developing a “Neighborhood Sanitation Tips” flyer, or including sanitation in the next neighborhood drill.

Debrief Questions:

  • How would each of us handle sanitation for our own households if sewer service was lost?
  • What sanitation issues might arise in our neighborhood that could affect many people?
  • What role can our team realistically play in supporting safe sanitation after an earthquake?
  • What action should we take now (supplies, education, planning) to reduce risks later?


Post-Earthquake Decedent Care

Learning Objective:

Team members will understand their limited but important role in managing the presence of deceased individuals after a major earthquake, focusing on safety, dignity, and proper communication with authorities.

Facilitation:

Introduce the topic by acknowledging its sensitivity. In a catastrophic earthquake, fatalities are likely. While NET volunteers are not responsible for body recovery or forensic tasks, they may encounter deceased persons during neighborhood assessments or operations. The team’s role is to handle these situations respectfully, safely, and in coordination with official responders.

Facilitation steps:

  1. Clarify Scope: Emphasize that NETs are not trained or authorized to perform medical examinations or transport remains. The role is limited to recognition, reporting, and respectful temporary management until professional responders can take over.
  2. Safety First: Remind volunteers that bodies may be located in unstable structures, hazardous environments, or near dangerous debris. Personal safety and scene safety always come first—do not attempt recovery in unsafe conditions.
  3. Documentation & Communication:
    • Note the location, approximate number, and any identifying context (without disturbing the remains).
    • Record the information using team forms or logs.
    • Report findings up through the NET chain of command or to PBEM/EOC via established communication channels.
  4. Respect & Dignity: Encourage volunteers to speak about decedents respectfully, avoid unnecessary exposure, and if possible, cover remains with available materials (tarps, blankets) to protect dignity and reduce distress to survivors—only if it can be done safely.
  5. Community Considerations: Acknowledge the emotional impact on both responders and neighbors. Teams may encounter grieving family members or bystanders. Encourage compassion, listening, and connecting people to appropriate resources when available.
  6. Action Planning: Discuss whether the team wants to include basic decedent care procedures in their Team Operations Plan (where to report, how to document, how to preserve dignity).

Debrief Questions:

  • How comfortable are we discussing and confronting this difficult but real scenario?
  • What are the limits of our role, and how do we ensure we don’t exceed them?
  • How should we record and report the presence of decedents in our neighborhood assessments?
  • What strategies can we use to support each other emotionally if we encounter fatalities during deployment?

Neighborhood Risk Assessment Discussion

TBA

Incident Objectives Discussion

Learning Objective:

Team members will practice creating clear, actionable incident objectives to guide NET operations during a disaster response.

Facilitation:

Introduce the idea that in the Incident Command System (ICS), objectives are the foundation of response operations. Objectives clarify what needs to be achieved, not how to do it, and they provide direction for the whole team. Without clear objectives, response efforts can become scattered or inefficient.

Facilitation steps:

  1. Explain the Basics: Review what makes a good objective:
    • Specific: Clear and focused.
    • Measurable: Can be tracked or confirmed.
    • Achievable: Realistic with available resources.
    • Relevant: Tied to the situation and priorities.
    • Time-bound: Accomplishable in the operational period (often the next few hours). Example: “Conduct a windshield survey of all blocks north of Main Street within 2 hours.”
  2. Group Exercise: Present a simple scenario (e.g., after an earthquake, reports of damage in the neighborhood). Ask the team to brainstorm possible objectives. Capture them on a whiteboard or flipchart.
  3. Refine Together: As a group, refine the brainstormed ideas into clear objectives. Encourage participants to move from vague (“Check on neighbors”) to specific (“Knock on every door on Pine Street and report back within 3 hours”).
  4. Prioritize: Once objectives are written, guide the team in deciding which are most important for safety, life-saving, or communication. Emphasize that objectives should be achievable with current personnel and time.
  5. Document & Share: Practice writing objectives on an ICS 202 form or in team notes. Stress that sharing objectives aloud ensures everyone is on the same page.

Debrief Questions:

  • What made some objectives clearer than others?
  • How do clear objectives help us avoid confusion in the field?
  • How many objectives are realistic for one operational period?
  • How might we incorporate writing objectives into our team’s regular drills or activations?


Development Arc III: Exercises and Tabletops

Citywide Deployment Exercise (CDE)

Scenario Village Preparation

III.03 FEMA's CERT Tabletops

Learning Objective

Earthquake Response Scenario

Note: This tabletop used to be part of Basic NET training, so some members may already be familiar with it.

"A major earthquake has struck at 1:00 p.m. on a mid-week afternoon. The day is cool and cloudy. It has been raining lightly all day, and the temperature is expected to fall quickly by 5:30 p.m. The local CERT has been activated to assess damage in its neighborhood. CERT members have just arrived at the pre-designated meeting point."

Facilitator Packet FEMA CERT Tabletop Exercise #1 (one copy for the facilitator); 31 pages.
Participant Packet FEMA CERT Tabletop Exercise #1 (each participant should receive one packet); 14 pages.

Disasterville Board Game

Tabletop: Railway Accident

Triage Boardgame

Development Arc IV: Communications

IV.01 Personal Accountability Reporting (PAR)

Learning Objective:

Team members will practice using a Personal Accountability Report (PAR) to confirm safety and status during an incident, and explore accountability tools such as passport systems and T-cards.

Facilitation:

Start with an explanation: in emergency operations, accountability = safety. A Personal Accountability Report (PAR) is a system for ensuring every responder is accounted for during operations. It’s widely used in the fire service and ICS to quickly answer the question: “Do we know where everyone is, and are they safe?”

Step 1 – Introduce PAR:

Explain that a PAR is typically a roll call or check-in at key times (after a hazard, at a tactical benchmark, or when changing assignments). A Team Leader or Ops lead asks for a PAR, and team members confirm status:

“PAR” = Safe, accounted for.

Report exception if a member is missing or in trouble.

Step 2 – Demonstrate Systems:

  • Passport System: Each team or subgroup has a “passport” (a card or tag) listing members. Passports are given to a designated accountability officer at an assignment and returned when the team comes back. This lets the leader know at a glance who is in the field.
  • T-Cards (ICS 219): T-cards are simple paper slips used in ICS to track resources. Each volunteer/team has a card, and leaders move the cards on a board to show assignments, locations, and status.

Show examples (or mock-ups) of passports and T-cards. Explain that while these are often used in professional response, simplified versions can help NET teams during larger operations.

Step 3 – Exercise:

  1. Split the team into 2–3 small groups and give each group a task (e.g., “survey Main Street,” “check the park,” “staff the cache”).
  2. Assign each group a passport or T-card.
  3. Conduct a “simulated incident” where, at random intervals, the Team Leader calls for a PAR. Each group leader responds with their group’s status.
  4. Demonstrate how missing or delayed reports create confusion, and how the passport/T-card tools help maintain a clear picture of accountability.

Step 4 – Debrief:

Encourage participants to discuss how this might be integrated into their Ops Plan or drills, even at a simplified level.

Debrief Questions:

  • What worked well about using a PAR system?
  • What challenges did we encounter in keeping accountability clear?
  • Would a simple passport or T-card system make sense for our team, and who would manage it?
  • How often should we conduct PARs in a real deployment (time-based, event-based, or both)?


Damage Assessment Mapping Module (DAMM) Exercise

Learning Objective:

Team members will practice using the Damage Assessment Mapping Module (DAMM) to collect, record, and submit disaster observations, gaining confidence with the tool and reinforcing situational awareness during field use.

Facilitation Guide:

Start by reminding participants that DAMM is one of the NET program’s most important operational tools. It allows volunteers to document neighborhood impacts and electronically transmit data to Portland’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), where planners use it to prioritize resources and build situational awareness. The tool is built on Survey123 for ArcGIS, and every NET volunteer with a smartphone should know how to use it.

Step 1 – Preparation:

  • Ask participants to download the Survey123 for ArcGIS app ahead of time.
  • Provide them with the current DAMM version link (e.g., Version 6.1 link) or QR code.
  • Ensure they can load the survey into the app and select “Continue without signing in.”

Step 2 – Orientation:

  • Walk through the basic structure of the DAMM: Observer Details, Site Details, Hazards, Damage, Injuries, Photos, and Notes.
  • Emphasize features that speed data entry: selection fields, “favorite answers” for observer info, and auto-location capture.
  • Remind volunteers of DAMM Safety: always use a buddy if moving between sites, never enter damaged buildings, and maintain situational awareness.

Step 3 – Practice Exercise:

  • Set a Scenario: Choose a simulated incident name (e.g., “Operation DAMM Drill 01”).
  • Assign Sites: Give volunteers one or two locations to “assess” (real neighborhood features or staged mock scenarios).
  • Make Reports: Each volunteer opens the DAMM app, begins a new survey, and enters observations (damage, hazards, or “no damage”). Encourage at least one photo entry for practice.
  • Submit or Save Reports: If internet service is available, have volunteers “Send now.” If not, demonstrate saving reports to the Outbox and uploading them later.

Step 4 – Debrief and Reflection:

  • Gather as a group to review what participants found intuitive vs. confusing.
  • If the Operational Dashboard is accessible (blue-sky conditions), show how their entries appear.
  • Discuss how DAMM fits into the Team Operations Plan (e.g., when in the operational period to begin using it, who will be assigned, and how reports support citywide response).

Debrief Questions:

  • How comfortable do we feel navigating DAMM after this exercise?
  • Which parts of the form felt easy to complete, and which felt challenging?
  • How can we ensure safety while using a phone for field data collection?
  • Where in our Team Ops Plan should DAMM use be described (timing, assignment, reporting expectations)?


FRS/GMRS Radio Mapping

Learning Objective:

Team members will practice conducting a neighborhood radio coverage survey (radio mapping) to identify strong, weak, and dead zones for FRS/GMRS communications within their Service Area.

Facilitation Guide:

Begin with the scenario: after an earthquake, cell networks may be down, and NETs will depend on FRS/GMRS radios for tactical communication. But radio range is limited by terrain, buildings, and other obstacles. Knowing where communications succeed and where they fail can save time, reduce anxiety, and improve safety for deployed strike teams.

Step 1 – Introduction & Purpose:

Explain that the goal of radio mapping is to:

  • Measure Delivered Audio Quality (DAQ) of signals at various points in the Service Area.
  • Create a color-coded map showing reliable coverage and dead zones.
  • Help teams plan for the use of relays, runners, or alternate channels when needed.

Step 2 – Organize Roles:

Assign participants to the following roles:

  • Survey Command Post: Stays at the NET’s Incident Command Post with a Survey Radio Operator (SRO) and Scribe.
  • Rover Teams: Travel to predetermined survey points and check in by radio with the Command Post. Each rover records DAQ from their end as well.
  • Optional Listening Posts: Stationed at key sites (e.g., BEECN, fire station) to record DAQ passively.

Step 3 – Survey Setup:

  • Distribute a Survey Area Map with marked survey points (preferably in a grid pattern).
  • Issue Rover Log forms to rover teams and Command Log forms to the Command Post.
  • Provide all participants with radio protocols, including backup communication via mobile phone.
  • Review safety: rovers must work in pairs, park safely, and avoid entering private property.

Step 4 – Conduct the Survey:

  1. Each rover team travels to an assigned point.
  2. The rover radios the Command Post, announces location, and exchanges a short message.
  3. Both the rover and Command Post assign a DAQ score (0–5).
    • 5 = clear broadcast quality; 0 = no signal.
  4. Logs are completed at both ends.
  5. Repeat at the next point until the area is covered.

Step 5 – Map the Data:

After the session, transfer data into a summary spreadsheet and plot results using My Google Maps or similar software.

  • Use color-coded markers to match DAQ values (green = strong, red/black = poor/no signal).
  • Optionally, enclose adjacent markers with shapes to visualize coverage areas.

Step 6 – Hotwash & Reflection:

  • Gather participants after the survey to discuss:
  • Where were signals strong? Where did dead zones appear?
  • What locations might serve as relay points?
  • How could this information be integrated into the Team Ops Plan and Strike Team assignments?

Debrief Questions:

  • Did this exercise improve our understanding of our Service Area?
  • How might poor radio coverage affect strike team deployment during a disaster?
  • Should we consider alternate Command Post or relay locations?
  • How will we keep this map updated as buildings or vegetation change?


BEECN Training/Review

TBA

Radio Speaking Skills and Etiquette

Learning Objective:

Team members will practice clear, efficient radio communication by developing practical message-handling skills—using phonetics, “I spell,” pacing, and fills—to ensure information is accurately sent and received during disaster response.

Facilitation Guide:

Begin by setting expectations clearly:

This module is not radio certification training. It is a practical, team-based exercise designed to help all NET volunteers—especially those who use radios infrequently—communicate clearly and confidently under stress. The focus is not perfection, but making sure the person on the other end actually understands the message.

Emphasize that good radio communication is less about sounding “professional” and more about being helpful, patient, and precise.

Step 1 – What Radios Are Good (and Bad) At:

Briefly discuss radio realities:

  • Radios are shared channels
  • Messages may be missed or cut off
  • Background noise is common
  • Stress affects how we speak and listen

Frame the goal:

“Your job on the radio is not to talk fast or fancy. Your job is to make it easy for the listener to copy your message.”

Step 2 – Call-Up Basics (Keep It Simple):

Review the basic call-up pattern: Who you are calling → who you are

Example: “Staging, this is Team Alpha.”

Reinforce:

  • Use tactical identifiers, not names
  • Pause briefly before speaking
  • Speak clearly, not loudly

Step 3 – Message Handling Skills (Core Focus):

Explain that most radio problems are message problems, not equipment problems. Introduce the four core skills adapted from GRO practice.

A.) Pacing (speed)

Demonstrate the difference between:

  • Talking at conversation speed
  • Talking at radio speed (slower, deliberate)

Practice:

  • Read a short message too fast
  • Then read it slowly enough that someone could write it down

Key coaching point: "If someone is writing, you are probably talking too fast"

B.) Phonetics (Flexible, not formal)

Explain: Phonetics simply means using words to make letters clear. There is no requirement to memorize a specific alphabet.

Examples:

  • “J as in Jelly”
  • “B as in Boy”
  • “M as in Mountain”

Encourage improvisation — clarity matters more than correctness.

Practice:

  • Spell names, street names, or intersections using any clear phonetics
  • Listener repeats back what they heard

C.) "I spell"

Introduce “I spell” as a listener-friendly cue. Example:

“The street name is I spell: J as in Jelly, E as in Eagle, R as in Raspberry.”

Practice:

  • Have volunteers announce “I spell”
  • Spell slowly
  • Pause between letters

D.) Fills, Repeats, and Corrections

Explain that mistakes are normal. What matters is fixing them clearly. Useful techniques:

  • “Correction…”
  • “Say again from…”
  • Repeating critical info twice (addresses, numbers)

Practice:

  • Intentionally introduce a garbled message
  • Ask the listener to request a fill
  • Practice clean corrections without frustration

Step 4 – Numbers and Addresses:

Review best practices:

  • Speak numbers slowly
  • Group long numbers
  • Repeat addresses if important

Example: "Address is one-two-three Pine Street. I repeat: one-two-three Pine Street."

Practice with:

  • Addresses
  • Block numbers
  • Unit counts

Step 5 – Paired Message Practice:

Pair participants with radios. Give each pair short, realistic messages:

  • Requesting supplies
  • Reporting damage
  • Checking in on status

Focus coaching on:

  • Pacing
  • Phonetics
  • Listener confirmation

Rotate roles so everyone speaks and listens.

Step 6 – Group Net Practice

Set up a simple radio net:

  • One Net Control
  • Several teams checking in

Inject common challenges:

  • “Say again”
  • Missed numbers
  • Competing traffic

Pause occasionally to coach: What could make that message easier to copy?"

Debrief Questions:

  • What made messages easiest to understand?
  • When did pacing matter most?
  • What helped you as a listener?
  • What habits do we want to practice regularly as a team?

Module Outputs:

By the end of this module, teams should have:

  • Practiced pacing messages for clarity
  • Used phonetics flexibly and confidently
  • Used “I spell” appropriately
  • Corrected and repeated messages effectively
  • Increased confidence speaking on the radio without overthinking it

Development Arc V: Basic Response Skills

Development Arc VI: Disaster DIY

VI.01 DIY Air Cleaner

Load video
YouTube
Video: How to Make a DIY Air Filter

Learning Objective

Team members will learn how to construct a low-cost, do-it-yourself air cleaner using readily available materials, understand when and why it should be used during smoke or poor air quality events, and practice assembling one together to build skills they can share with neighbors.

Materials List

Item Qty. Example Cost
20" x 20" box fan 1
20" x 20" x 1" or 4" MERV 13 air filter 1 to 5
Sheet of scrap cardboard (at least 20" x 20" 1
Clamps, bungee cords, or duct tape

Instructions

Relevant Documents/Resources Updated
EPA Instructions 2024.08.26


VI.02 Hands-Free Portable Sink

Learning Objective

Team members will learn how to build a portable, hands-free handwashing station using two plastic buckets and a one-way squeeze pump, with an option to organize a community “work party” to produce multiple stations. Volunteers will also recognize how pre-positioning several units across the neighborhood—along with stored water—ensures immediate access to safe, sanitary handwashing after a disaster. This module was created by NET volunteer Merilee Karr.

Materials List

See instructions.

Instructions

Relevant Documents/Resources Updated
Hands-Free Portable Sink at Instructables ≈ 2020


VI.03 Easy-Build Handwashing Station

Learning Objective

Team members will recognize the importance of maintaining safe handwashing practices when plumbing is unavailable—whether due to a major or minor disaster, or in everyday off-grid settings such as community events or camping. Volunteers will explore low-cost, portable solutions that ensure hygiene and reduce the spread of illness when conventional water systems are disrupted. This module was created by NET volunteer Merilee Karr.

Materials List

See instructions.

Instructions

Relevant Documents/Resources Updated
Easy-Build Handwashing Station at Instructables 2021.02.26


Team Development Arcs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can ATVs participate in these modules with NET volunteers?

A: Absolutely! PBEM just recommends using sound judgement, as always, when engaged in training that introduces even a little risk (e.g. survivor carries).

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