Keeping your block captains engaged

[AZ Prepper]

What has your ward/stake done to keep your block captains engaged?

Please share your thoughts, ideas, etc.

[BackBlast]

What has your ward/stake done to keep your block captains engaged?

Please share your thoughts, ideas, etc.

Our block captains were not engaged... I think some kind of regular reporting of something or other will help remind people of their responcibilities. With no reminders we tend to forget... But, ultimately I'm not sure. This isn't a program I've ever seen successfully run unfortunately.

[Phil801]

Our block captains were not engaged... I think some kind of regular reporting of something or other will help remind people of their responcibilities. With no reminders we tend to forget... But, ultimately I'm not sure. This isn't a program I've ever seen successfully run unfortunately.

That's actually a BIG reason that this site was started. I was my Ward's Prep Coordinator and we had a hard time with the Block Captain program. The lack of resources and ideas available for doing this well was one of the things that drove us to create this site. Hopefully by having lots of people who have run this program share their individual insight into what works, other community leaders will be able to have more success with it.

Reminders is definitely a huge benefit to this program. When I was putting my block captain program together, we scheduled monthly training meetings for the captains to come to. I know other wards have had very successful drills and so on. A lot of it depends on the Bishop and their commitment to the program - as well as the members and the captains. I've seen it run successfully in a few of the wards I've been in - this particular forum is meant to become a resource for MORE wards having a successful program!

[Northmountain]

It is hard keeping them engaged over time. We've worked to get almost all of them through CERT training which changes their perspective on emergency preparedness. We've also asked husband / wife, parent / adult child teams to be block captains in every case which tends to help keep them interested.

And yes, in many cases, the sisters prod their husband / father to 'get in gear'. Nothing new there.

With the block assignment, block captains can't respond to community emergencies until their block is fully secure which can cause feelings of 'loss of belonging' with community CERT teams. This can impact their interest in participating unless you make sure to issue special invitations to them to participate in community CERT training activities, mock disasters and related activities.

We coordinate our 'outside of church sponsored' emergency preparedness purchases and activities through the block captains to help keep them active with their own groups. Additionally, we ask them to host / coordinate a couple of block parties / gatherings each year, one of which is associated with the annual city preparedness drill each September 11th. The February / March gathering is typically potluck meals which are followed with emergency prep updates, coordination, show and tells and a short presentation by an invited speaker or subject matter expert.

No matter what choices you make in this effort, the ward emprep specialist will work harder than anyone to keep the interest and engagement levels in the 'functioning' range. Without real emergencies to shock folks, a friendly face, handshakes and conversations continue to be the best motivators.

Be sure to keep your non-LDS neighbors engaged in block and CERT teams and leadership. We'll all be in emergencies together.

[Ready1]

I love the idea of involving the block captains in group buy logistics. What a great idea...I have been aflicted with the 'do-it-all' gene and I need to repent and delegate more. I have been thinking of implementing a monthly FRS call-in, just to make sure radios are charged and our comm net is functioning. In my experience, people are most interested when you have preparedness in front of them often. Each week in RS they get a Preparedness minute from me. It was a heavy ball to push when I first started, but now that ball has momentum and is picking up speed. People are waking up more and more now, and it's fun to watch them as they realize how much there is to do.

[cporter]

I have only 'heard of' block captains. Could someone explain? dh is trying to come up with a plan since he is stake comm specialist. We visited with another member last Sun evening whom I had heard talk about 'block' programs and she said it was a 'red cross' program, not a church program. How do we implement that as a ward or stake?
Thank you,
Cynthia

[Northmountain]

The Block Captain concept has been around for a long time in one form or another. It is well described in the booklet "3 Steps to Family and Neighborhood Preparedness". http://www.3steps.org It isn't a Red Cross program.

Short description: Locations are organized in small manageable groupings - typically for emergency preparedness / disaster preparedness planning and quick response in a real emergency.

The group size typically ranges from 10 - 15 family units. In a more densely populated location, a loose rule of thumb is -- When a block captain stands on their front porch and looks around, the homes they can see are their 'block' or 'neighborhood'.

I have only 'heard of' block captains. Could someone explain? dh is trying to come up with a plan since he is stake comm specialist. We visited with another member last Sun evening whom I had heard talk about 'block' programs and she said it was a 'red cross' program, not a church program. How do we implement that as a ward or stake?
Thank you,
Cynthia

The block captains are volunteers (yes, frequently drafted screaming and kicking, but with personalities that won't allow them to not do their best). As often as possible, we use couples or a parent and adult child in a home as block captains. It helps with communication and increases the odds that one of them will be home when a disaster or emergency strikes as opposed to being stuck in their office 30 miles from their neighborhood.

The block captains organize their neighborhood into a cohesive group that will respond to help each other in an emergency. Together, they establish a staging area where everyone in the block will gather in an emergency. They know all the folks living in the neighborhood -- how many live in each home, their names, their ages, special needs and approximately how prepared they are for a disaster.

The neighborhoods are typically mapped on 81/2" x 11" paper with a copy in the block captain's binder. All neighborhoods in an 'Area' are included on area maps for leaders at that level (city, church, etc) . Many cities and towns, including I'm told, Los Angeles, use LDS ward and stake boundaries for area boundaries too. It makes sense, a large organized group uses them and maintains them and few if any other organizations do, so why reinvent the wheel?

The block captains work with folks in their blocks calling meetings where the group decides how they will work together in an emergency. From those meetings they jointly establish an emergency plan for the group. Everyone brings their skills and resources to the table ... you have medical skills - good ... you have chain saws and a back hoe -- good, you have extra water storage outside -- good... etc.... and the neighborhood plan emerges. (Hopefully, stake and ward emergency prep specialists will provide each block captain with forms, instructions, the 3-Steps booklets, etc., in binders)

Remember, this is a 'Neighborhood' program. All residents in the neighborhood are included in it. The best folks for the job should be the block captains, etc.

Over time, the block captain(s) keep track of changes in residents, their names, needs, resources, etc., and brings them into the group meetings. The information is needed to keep people involved and to know who is missing in the event of a disaster and what special needs they may have in addition to the disaster.

Additionally, they work to keep people interested in preparedness. Quarterly meeting topics may include show and tells - here's how a Coleman lantern wick is installed -- here's how a hand pumped water purifier works -- here's a good idea for water storage, here's our 96-hour kits and their contents, etc.

Block captains frequently ask those with a sharp 'price buster' eye to watch for 'deals' associated with food storage, emergency equipment, etc. The price busters let the neighborhood know about these deals or arrange group buys so the neighborhood can take advantage of group purchasing power. Neighborhood groups will / can have a number of sub-teams who focus on various topics to benefit the whole neighborhood group.



We've tried to get all of our block captains and as many neighbors as possible through CERT training, so they can safely help find and possible recover others in their neighborhood in a disaster after they've taken care of their own family. CERT training and ongoing CERT involvement gives them at least a little disaster focused hands-on experience in the mock disaster drills that are part of the training in addition to all of the other tools and skills they learn in class.

Having regular neighborhood meetings, with one of them being in the staging area each year, keeps the group active and 'trained' to look for missing faces, knowing where to gather outside of their homes in a disaster and knowing what resources are available in their neighborhood to help and sustain them until emergency personnel can respond.

Go to the 3-Steps site and purchase a copy of the booklet for more details. It looks like it is still $5.00 including mailing in the states ... and knowing what is in it, it may be the best $5.00 you've ever spent.

[Imamom]

100% of our block captains are engaged (it's easy when you don't have any).