Community Coordination

Overview

Neighbors are your fastest mutual aid network. Simple structures (check‑ins, roles, radios) turn chaos into coordinated help. Keep it light; build trust.

Neighborhood Check-Ins

Block captains; door‑to‑door checks for vulnerable residents; share status boards.

CERT Concepts

CERT trains volunteers in light search/rescue, triage, and fire suppression. Consider training and exercises.

ICS Basics (Roles, Comms)

ICS provides a common structure: Incident Commander, Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Admin. Use scaled‑down versions for community efforts.

Mutual Aid Etiquette

Offer within capacity; accept help graciously; communicate limits; document tasks and hazards; don’t self‑deploy into other neighborhoods without invitation/coordination.

Information Hygiene

Verify before sharing; cite sources; avoid amplifying rumors; monitor official channels; correct mistakes publicly.

Neighborhood Ops Center (Lightweight)

Pick a predictable spot (lobby, cul‑de‑sac, community room) to post updates and run quick briefs.

• Board: Whiteboard or door sheet with columns: Time, Situation, Tasks, Owners, Status, Needs.
• Signage: Simple arrows to the board; multilingual if needed; clear quiet hours.
• Safety: First‑aid kit, extinguisher, PPE; keep aisles clear; post emergency numbers.
• Brief cadence: Top‑of‑hour 5‑minute huddles. One lead, timeboxed decisions.

Door Tags & Wellness Checks

Fast visual triage of households without intruding.

• Door tags: Slip simple cards or tape paper: “OK” (no urgent needs) / “HELP” (urgent). Add optional notes (pets, meds).
• Knock script: “Hi, I’m Pat from next door. We’re doing quick checks. Is anyone hurt? Do you need anything urgent?”
• Record: Mark the status board with addresses, time, and any follow‑ups.

Radio Net & Message Flow (ICS‑Lite)

Run a neighborhood net at set times on a known channel (see PACE plan).

• Net control script: “Neighborhood Net, this is Net Control on FRS 2, time 1800. Check in with address, status, and needs. Over.”
• Check‑in format: “123 Oak: OK, two adults, one child, no needs; have chainsaw; next check 2000.”
• Message form (short ICS‑213): TO, FROM, TIME, MESSAGE, ACTION TAKEN. Snap a photo and post to the board after read‑back.

Resource Pods

Stage tools and supplies where they’re needed and tracked.

• Pods: Saw + fuel + PPE; tarp + ties + poles; water filter + containers; shovel + salt/sand.
• Sign‑out: Who took what, when, return time; avoids duplication and loss; improves accountability.

Privacy & Dignity

Share only what’s needed to coordinate tasks. Avoid posting medical details publicly; use “contact Pat in 2B” instead of sensitive notes.

☑️ Checklist — Block Readiness

• Contact list; roles; check‑in schedule
• Simple channel plan (FRS/GMRS) and message board
• Map of residents, skills, resources, vulnerabilities
• Drill quarterly; after‑action notes

Examples — Narrative The lobby became your ops center. A handwritten sign pointed to a table with a whiteboard: Time, Situation, Tasks, Owners, Status. At 18:00, you ran a five‑minute brief. “Tree down on Maple, power likely overnight. We’ll check on oxygen users, post ‘OK/HELP’ door tags, and set a radio net at 20:00.” By 18:30, a quiet knock routine covered the third floor. Most doors showed “OK”; one “HELP” note led to a battery bank delivery for a CPAP. Tools lived in labeled tubs—saws with chaps and eye pro in one, tarps and line in another. A simple sign‑out sheet stopped the fourth duplicate broom run.

Examples

• Storm prep: Text tree confirm; radios on Ch 2 at top‑of‑hour; collect needs/offerings list; assign snow/branch clearing teams.
• Outage: Share extension cord etiquette; warming/cooling centers list; check on oxygen‑dependent neighbors.

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Key Takeaways

• Light structure beats chaos; keep it simple and humane.
• Train with CERT if available; borrow ICS concepts as needed.
• Verify information; share only what you’d stake your name on.

Scenario

🧭 Scenario (Text tree in outage): Power out; rumors fly.
🔍 Decisions: Which info to share; channel/time; roles.
✅ Outcome: You run hourly check‑ins on FRS Ch 2, post a simple board in the lobby, and squash a false evacuation rumor.
🧠 Lessons: ICS‑lite + verification prevents chaos
🏋️ Drill: Make a one‑page block plan with channels/times.