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 |
| Fundraising Review | Either |
| Non-Disaster Related Social Event | 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 design a recruitment approach that attracts both new Active NET volunteers and Affiliated Team Volunteers (ATVs), building a sustainable pipeline of engaged responders.
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.
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?
Team Equipment Cache Evaluation/Checkup
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.
Preparation:
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)?
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)?
Family Preparedness Discussion
Learning objective: 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.
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?
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.
Preparation: Review the Friends of Portland NET website.
Facilitation: Open the discussion by asking: “What are the things our team would like to do or have that require money?” 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 FoPNET 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 FoPNET, 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 FoPNET simplify the process for us?
- Which fundraising methods feel both achievable and consistent with our team’s values?
- Who will connect with FoPNET and take the first step toward pursuing this?
Non-Disaster Related Social Event
Learning objective: Loosen up, nerds!
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.
