Team Development Arcs

Another term for a "Team Development Arc" in the context of NETs is "developmental pathway". PBEM asks NET teams to meet regularly, but many Team Leaders have requested guidance on the "why" of meeting. 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 is to structure a team's movement from a baseline of organization to higher level disaster response skills and capacity. Arcs give TLs a roadmap rather than running meetings by "what should we talk about this month?"

Team Development Arc Leadership Approach

A NET Team Leader is responsible for developing their team. PBEM recommends NET Team Leaders approach the task with the following in mind:

• Use team meetings to develop the team (not necessarily individual NETs)
• Think of your operations plan
• Begin with the end in mind: TLs should visualize what a capable NET team for their neighborhood looks like. For example, by the end of the arc, the team...
  • Can set up a command post quickly and assign roles.
  • Knows local hazards and prospective resources.
  • Can deploy BEECN, DAMM, or other comms with little prompting.
  • Has regularly practiced light search and rescue and other basic skillsets.
  • Has team cohesion and a predictable meeting rhythm.
• Delegate: A TL is responsible for being the "conductor" at the front of the orchestra, but the conductor does not play an instrument. After a TL develops their team's Development Arcs, they should assign responsibility for most meeting topics to different members of the team
• Braid arcs together and pursue simultaneously

(TBA)

Maintenance and recycling...

Individual vs. Team development

Team Development Arcs Table

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

Developmental Arc I:Team Organization and Cohesion
Activity	Indoors/Outdoors
NET Response Kit Inventory	Either
Local Fire Station Meeting	Indoors
NETwiki Team Page Discussion	Indoors
Team Recruitment Strategy	Either
Team Equipment Cache Evaluation/Checkup	Depends on cache
Family Preparedness Discussion	Either
Non-EM Socializing Event	Either
Fundraising Review	Either

Developmental Arc II: Response Operations Planning
Activity	Indoors/Outdoors
VSF Gap Analysis	Either
Neighborhood URM Inventory	Outdoors
Operations Plan Check-In	Either
Local Business Outreach	Outdoors
Severe Weather Planning	Either
Sanitation Planning	Either
Neighborhood Profile Discussion	Either
Neighborhood Risk Assessment Discussion	Either
Incident Objective Discussion	Either

Developmental Arc III: Exercises and Tabletops
Activity	Indoors/Outdoors
Scenario Village	Indoors
Scenario Village Preparation	Either
Tabletop: Windstorm	Indoors
Disasterville Board Game	Indoors
Railway Accident Tabletop	Indoors
Triage Boardgame	Indoors
Citywide Deployment Exercise (CDE)	Outdoors

Developmental Arc IV: Communications
Activity	Indoors/Outdoors
Personal Accountability Reporting (PAR)	Either
Damage Assessment Mapping Module (DAMM) Exercise	Outdoors
FRS/GMRS Radio Mapping	Outdoors
BEECN Training/Review	Outdoors
Radio Speaking Skills and Etiquette	Outdoors

Developmental Arc V: Basic Response Skills
Activity	Indoors/Outdoors
Managing SUVs Tabletop or Exercise	Either
Knot Techniques	Either
Survivor Carry Techniques	Either (Outdoors is best)
ICS Forms Review	Either
Triage Tabletop or Exercise	Either
Utility Shutoff Review	Both
Damaged Building Assessments	Either
Fire Extinguisher Review	Outdoors
Staging Area Setup	Outdoors
Splinting Review	Either
Building Markings	Either

Developmental Arc I: Team Organization and Cohesion

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.

Facilitation: Ask each team member to bring their NET bag or response kit to the meeting. Begin by reviewing the official NET kit list or a sample packing list you provide. 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?

Local Fire Station Meeting

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.

Facilitation: The NET Team Leader should first contact their PBEM District Liaison ( net@portlandoregon.gov) to help them schedule a day and time with the NET's nearest fire station.

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. 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?

NETwiki Team Page Discussion

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.

Preparation: 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?

Team Recruitment Strategy

Learning objective: Team members will identify practical ways to recruit new volunteers and create a simple strategy to sustain team membership over time.

Preparation: Review the NETwiki pages 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.