Groupings for Emergency Preparedness

[Holly0516]

I'm wondering if anyone has already posted ideas on this topic? I apologize if I'm repeating.

Our ward has been using the new mapping system for our emergency preparedness plan. We've designated our leaders for this category with the mapping system, but unfortunately we're just ahead of the curve on being able to group people with those leaders in our organized blocks. If we try to use the current mapping tools it physically moves the map icon/location for that household to the emergency leader's address as one grouping. This won't work as when ward members go to the map for other purposes they wouldn't be able to see where the household's location is on the map. It's so close to the right ability of grouping, but just enough off that it's not practical. To do the work manually is daunting and impractical as the moment you get done building a map the list will be outdated with changes to move-ins/outs.

We would like to see the ability to group households into blocks with the designated emergency preparedness leaders. The block leaders need to have access to the households they have stewardship over for correspondence and communication purposes. This grouping option in our minds would work just like those on the main LDS site of leadership groups, etc. We would simply be able to show/group certain households to geographic block organizations.

Any input is appreciated!

Thank you,
Holly

[aebrown]

I'm wondering if anyone has already posted ideas on this topic? I apologize if I'm repeating.

A related discussion is on the thread emergency prep zones support on new lds.org maps functionality.

Our ward has been using the new mapping system for our emergency preparedness plan. We've designated our leaders for this category with the mapping system, but unfortunately we're just ahead of the curve on being able to group people with those leaders in our organized blocks. If we try to use the current mapping tools it physically moves the map icon/location for that household to the emergency leader's address as one grouping. This won't work as when ward members go to the map for other purposes they wouldn't be able to see where the household's location is on the map. It's so close to the right ability of grouping, but just enough off that it's not practical.

The grouping feature of the maps on lds.org is intended only to group households living at the same physical location. If you try to use it for multiple locations, you'll just get frustrated, and you'll also be creating misleading information for those who are trying to figure out where members actually reside.

[Holly0516]

Thanks aebrown. I did see that discussion this morning and thank you for pointing it out. We have already identified several solutions, but all require a certain amount of manual effort and technical savvy such as the post you referenced shared. It also means a certain amount of recurring manual effort to keep things updated. The beauty of the new mapping system is seeing how real time and constant this type of information is and can be used. The system of grouping I am referring to is an application that already exists within lds.org, it just isn't being applied to the mapping system.

Perhaps I didn't explain it well, but we already understand the intended purpose of grouping the current map system. It is what has led us down the path of trying to find the right people to discuss it with. Is there a better place/way to do this? There are several ways to put manual bandaids on this, but one adjustment at the helm would bear the bests fruit and benefit everyone. What we are suggesting is extending the grouping application used on lds.org in areas of leadership. For example, you have a bishopric with respective ward members information as well as other auxiliary leaderships and committees. This is exactly the same technology I'm asking about but in regards to emergency preparedness. As it's not a new technology or application I'm submitting that it be included as a way to do what so many of us are already trying to do but to do it more efficiently and accurately. Block leaders would have the ability to easily see who has been added to their stewardship, see mapping information and have the ability to more effectively communicate with them. The only involvement of the mapping tools would be to easily click on households in areas and associate them with a group leader - not move their location, just identify a connection between them. Does that make sense?

Thanks,
Holly