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 Cold Weather Planning | Either |
| Severe Hot Weather Planning | Either |
| Post-Earthquake Sanitation Planning | Either |
| Post-Earthquake Decedent Care | Either |
| Neighborhood Profile Discussion | Either |
| Neighborhood Risk Assessment Discussion | Either |
| Incident Objectives 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! Also, to help get to know each other better.
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.
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.
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?
Developmental 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.
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)?
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:
- 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).
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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?
Local Business Outreach
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.
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:
- 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.
- Define Outreach Goals: Clarify what your team hopes to achieve:
- Share a simple preparedness checklist for businesses.
- Build relationships so business owners know the NET exists.
- Ask about what role (if any) they could play in a disaster (e.g., offering space, supplies, refrigeration, or communication hubs).
- 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?”).
- Assign Contacts: Divide up outreach tasks among team members. Each volunteer can take responsibility for 1–2 businesses to visit or call.
- 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)?
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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).
- 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).
- 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.
- 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?
