❖ Heads up! This article is intended for Site Managers with the Activate disaster dashboard enabled on their site.
By the end of this article, you will be able to:
Understand how the Disaster Dashboard supports crisis response
Prepare your volunteer community before a disaster occurs
Share information and resources effectively with your volunteers
About the Disaster Dashboard
The Activate: Disaster Dashboard helps your organization track critical data during emergencies. You can enable or disable this module based on your organization’s needs.
Use the dashboard when responding to local, state, or national emergencies such as hurricane cleanup, relief efforts, or other crisis events.
Preparing Before a Disaster
Even when there is no active disaster, there are several steps you can take to prepare your volunteer community and ensure readiness.
Help Volunteers Get Ready
Encourage volunteers to check “Contact me in the event of a disaster” in their profiles and keep their contact information up to date.
Invite users to complete their Disaster Track profile using a join link or email invitation.
Remind volunteers to respond to disaster Needs when notified.
Share Information with Your Volunteers
Use your site to share essential information with volunteers about your disaster response process.
What to Communicate
How volunteers may assist during a disaster (e.g., debris removal, distributing food and supplies, providing medical aid).
Volunteer impact — share how their work makes a difference and benefits the community.
Your organization’s role during emergencies, such as coordinating resources, providing care, or managing donation drives.
Ways to Share
Use a Spotlight or Custom Page to highlight your disaster response efforts.
Feature stories, guides, or community updates to keep volunteers informed and inspired.
Stay Informed
Review available help resources to learn how to:
Enable and manage the Disaster Dashboard
Configure related features, such as disaster tracks and user filters
Monitor volunteer activity during emergency response
Understanding how the dashboard works before a crisis occurs ensures you’re ready to act quickly and effectively when disaster strikes.