Transportation Team: Team Development

Step 1. The easiest way to develop transportation teams is to start where there is already interest. Reach out to clubs and organizations that revolve around different types of transportation, like mountain biking clubs, yacht clubs, aviation clubs, and even running clubs. Find people there who would be interested in applying their interest to disaster preparedness and response. Recruit volunteers for different transportation teams.

Step 2. Identify Team Leads for each team.

Step 3. Create an overall Transportation Leadership team to oversee subteams.

Step 4. Have volunteers take FEMA IS-100 (An Introduction to the Incident Command System) and IS-700 (An Introduction to the National Incident Command System).

Step 5. Identify the potential transportation routes given different disaster scenarios. For example, in earthquake country, assume that many roads will be unpassable. You might need to consider more flexible modes of transportation, like bicycles.

Step 6. Meet with the community’s Emergency Manager and the Fire Department to discuss post-disaster transportation needs. 

Step 7. Develop Standard Operating Procedures for each subteam.

Step 8. Identify pre- and post-disaster actions for all transportation teams.

Step 9. Provide annual exercises and trainings for each transportation team. Ideally, connect the trainings so there is practiced collaboration among the different teams. For example, the Bike Brigade might transport an injured person to the Flotilla for further transportation. 

Step 10. Have your Transportation Leadership Team participate in Emergency Operations Center desktop exercises.