Community Preparedness Pods
What is a pod?
Community Preparedness Pods are small groups of neighbors (two or more neighborhing households) with a shared interest in being able to help each other during emergencies, big or small.
Why should I join a pod?
Being part of a pod helps us
- expand our social connections
- strengthen our sense of belonging in our neighborhood
- pool skills and resources with our neighbors
- better understand who in our neighborhood may need help in an emergency
- learn about emergency preparedness
- improve decision-making skills during emergencies
Studies show that after major disasters worldwide, the majority of people who get help in an emergency get it from neighbors and bystanders, often before official responders can reach everyone. Our neighbors are the real first responders. It helps if these are people you know and who know you.
Belonging to a pod also helps grow the circle of people you can count on for everyday things, like rescuing a package from your doorstep or feeding your pets when you’re out of town.
How is a pod organized?
A pod is two or more households — neighboring houses on the same block or around the corner, or apartment units on the same floor. Pods work best when they are small, joining households “within shouting distance” of each other. If a pod starts to get too big, split up into two smaller groups.
Pods are self-organized from the bottom up. The local Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET) provides guidance and support, but each pod makes its own decisions about where and how often to meet, and how to operate.
What is a NET?
Woodstock NET is one of more than 50 neighborhood-based disaster assistance teams organized by the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM).
Your neighbors on the Woodstock NET are volunteers who have been trained by PBEM and Portland Fire & Rescue in emergency response, light search and rescue, medical triage, radio communications, and other skills.
Sign up to become an active NET Volunteer and get free training in lifesaving skills.
How do I start a pod?
Ask if your neighbors are interested in being able to help each other in an emergency, and plan a first meeting. A NET volunteer can join you to help answer questions.
Woodstock NET provides a starter kit of tools and resources. You also have the support of other pod leaders who can share their experiences.
Join us Saturday, October 11 at the Woodstock Library for a Pod Starter Kit workshop!