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 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 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.
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?