Activity 1: Set up the Community Planning Team
If you have not yet done so, now would be a good time to set up your ADRP Community Account. Go back to the Introduction to see the Short Instructional Video on setting up your community.
The Community Planning Team is the group who will gather the information necessary to assess the community’s disaster resilience, and who will draft a plan for enhancing resilience.
The very first step in the planning process is to identify who will be involved in the process. This first activity focuses on creating a team based on some of the recommendations outlined below and in the resources.
The best size and makeup of the community planning team is 3-4 individuals who are committed to the process. They should have a variety of skills among them, such as interviewing skills, writing and basic research skills. It is an advantage to include different types of people on the team, such as:
- a member of the fire department or local first responder,
- a long-term community member or Elder with extensive knowledge of the community and its people,
- a small business owner,
- and/or a relative newcomer who brings a unique perspective.
Because team members will be asking community members for information and opinions, it is important that they are well-respected in the community.
Ideally, there will be a “champion” for the planning process. This may be the mayor or council member, or a well-respected informal community leader or Elder. This person’s role is to support and advise the planning team, and gain community member’s trust and willingness to participate.
For more information about creating a team and working together, click on the resource link on the top right side of this page.
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