Emergency Mobilization Plan

Purpose of the Plan

• • 1. To establish a framework for a prompt and reliable response to both planned and unforeseen emergencies.

    2. To facilitate the efficient mobilization of Boy Scout Troop 529 to assist individuals affected by emergencies.

    3. To offer support to local emergency response agencies.

    4. To utilize the Phone Tree system for checking the well-being of Troop 529 members during emergencies.

Definitions

Mobilization Plan: A strategy designed to enable individuals or groups to swiftly and effectively complete tasks in an emergency situation.

Emergency: A critical situation requiring immediate assistance, such as fires, floods, earthquakes, or power outages.

Emergency Conditions: Scenarios that pose immediate threats to life or property and necessitate urgent action to ensure safety and minimize damage.

Natural Disaster: A catastrophic event resulting from natural forces, including hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, earth quakes, fires, and floods.

Man-Made Disasters: Disasters resulting from human activities, such as chemical spills, radioactive leaks, power plant failures, or civil unrest.

Personal Emergency Service Pack: A kit containing essential items for troop mobilization during an emergency to support effective response efforts.

Overview and Operation

The Troop Mobilization Plan is designed to efficiently deploy the troop to a designated location when needed. Activated during natural disasters or local emergencies, this plan demonstrates to community leaders that Troop 529 is a well-organized and dependable resource capable of effectively managing emergency situations. The plan utilizes a pyramid structure for communication, ensuring that all troop members are informed and briefed about the mobilization process.

Mobilization Steps

• • 1. Notification: The Scoutmaster receives an alert from the American Red Cross, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), or other local emergency officials requesting assistance with an Emergency Service Response.

    2. Initial Message: The Scoutmaster drafts a written message outlining the response details and instructions. This message is delivered to each Scout, usually by phone/text, and includes reminders to obtain parental permission if needed.

    3. Communication: The Scoutmaster informs the Troop Committee Chairman and Assistant Scoutmasters about the mobilization through phone and email, and also posts an announcement via Scoutbook to text and email.

    4. SPL Notification: The Scoutmaster contacts the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL), providing the written message and relevant information to initiate the Troop Mobilization Plan.

    5. Phone Tree Activation: The SPL uses the Phone Tree Steps and the written message to start contacting all Scouts and informing them about the mobilization.

    6. Contacting Scouts: Each Scout is responsible for reaching out to the Scouts on the next level of the Phone Tree.

    7. Arrival: Scouts report to the designated emergency response location at the specified time as instructed.

    8. After-Action Review: The SPL conducts an “after-action” review with the troop, utilizing the Evaluation Process of the Troop Mobilization Plan to identify improvements for future mobilizations.

    9. Drill Scheduling: After completing the task, the SPL and Scoutmasters schedule a follow-up drill approximately six months later.

Mobilization Rules

• • 1. Bring a complete Personal Emergency Service Pack and any other items you are instructed to bring.

    2. Wear a Class A and B Uniform to the emergency response mobilization location, unless instructed otherwise.

    3. Be prepared to stay for the entire duration of the Emergency Service Response, or until dismissed by the Scoutmaster or Senior Patrol Leader.

    4. Upon arrival at the emergency response location, Scouts and adults will be assigned tasks to complete as Patrols, which may be reorganized based on the number or strengths of participants. 

    5. Direct all communications, questions, or requests for information from outsiders to the Scoutmaster and/or the SPL at all times.

    6. Report all injuries, no matter how minor, to the Scoutmaster and SPL.

    7. If the response involves setting up troop living quarters (e.g., tents), a minimum of two Scouts and two adults will be assigned as security to guard the troop living quarters for the duration of the emergency response.

Phone Tree Steps

Step 1: Print a copy of the Troop Mobilization Plan and keep it with your Personal Emergency Service Pack. The plan can be found on the troop website, www.bsashalimar.org/, in the "Documents" section under the file name "Troop Mobilization Plan."

Step 2: The Scoutmaster notifies the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) to implement the Troop Mobilization Plan and provides the SPL with the scripted message and necessary information to begin the troop mobilization. The Troop Mobilization Message includes:

• • 1. Purpose of the mobilization

    2. Pen and paper

    3. Location

    4. Time

    5. Uniform requirement

    6. What to bring (Personal Emergency Service Pack, tools, etc.)

    7. Feedback for the Scoutmaster or SPL

    8. Confirmation of participation in the troop mobilization

Step 3: The SPL calls the Patrol Leaders and ASPLs using the latest Phone Tree, ensuring they have pen and paper. The SPL clearly reads the scripted message and asks them to read it back. If a Patrol Leader cannot be contacted, an ASPL will take their place.

Step 4: The caller verifies that the Scout called has the names and numbers of the people they must call in turn. If this information is inaccessible, the caller provides it.

Phone Tree Rules:

• • 1. Call until you talk to a person or call the people whom the unavailable person would have called.

    2. Ensure the Scout called has pen and paper.

    3. Read the information slowly and clearly.

    4. Ask the Scout to read the information back to verify.

    5. If needed, provide the names and numbers of Scouts in the next branch of the phone tree.

Step 5: The Patrol Leaders repeat this process to the next level on the phone tree.

Step 6: The Scouts on the next level of the phone tree repeat the calling process until everyone has been contacted.

Contingency: Plan B

If phones are unavailable, the phone tree will still be followed using personal contact instead of calls. You must find a means of transportation to the homes of the Scouts listed in the phone tree. Patrol Leaders may delegate some of this contact to other patrol members, depending on their locations. Addresses can be found in the troop roster on the website. All Scouts should have a printed copy of the troop roster.

Evaluation Process

Drill Option A: Practice mobilizing the troop once a year to test the system and ensure the phone tree is up to date. These annual tests should occur randomly to simulate a real mobilization drill.  Consider this may cause stress on family groups who don't know what is going on who may not have gotten notification.

Drill Option B:  The ultimate game of telephone tag with Emergency prep being the message delivered and actions taken.  An Emergency message shall be given to the Troop leadership (SPL, ASPL, etc)  They will construct a proper message to pass through the troop telephone tag with actions to be taken by the scouts in the different patrols:  Collect equipment for a specific task (personal kit with essentials, fire making gear, dining fly config and setup, etc...), notify the appropriate personal (predesignated adult leaders to simulate police, fire, Fema, etc..)... This could be done with a short prep time to make it happen.

The effectiveness of the drill must be evaluated by comparing it to its goals and purpose: “To provide a structure for timely and dependable response” and “To effectively mobilize a large group of local Boy Scouts to serve people in need due to an emergency.” Based on these guidelines, we can ask questions to assess the reliability of the process and identify areas for improvement.

After the drill, the following questions should be asked for evaluation:

• • 1. Did you understand the mobilization drill procedures? If not, which part(s) were unclear?

    2. Who contacted you about the drill, and how and when were you contacted?

    3. Were the drill instructions clear? If not, what could be improved?

    4. Was the drill conducted in a timely manner that would be applicable in an actual emergency?

    5. Do you think the drill was realistic compared to what might happen during an actual emergency?

    6. What was the greatest source of conflict, friction, or lack of communication encountered during the drill?

    7. Can you think of any ways the drill process could be improved?

    8. What were the successes of the drill?

    9. On a scale of one to ten, with one being the least and ten being the most, how successful was the emergency mobilization drill?

Additionally, it will be necessary to contact local relief agencies

APPENDIX B:  Call 911 for Emergencies!  For other contacts see below: