Tool lending library
Identify useful, higher cost, sharable tools and equipment that could be gathered in one space or a people with tools who are willing to lend them.
If your area established a tool lending system during disaster response, consider building up a regularly available library for on-going use. See sections 1.3, 1.6, 1.11 for lists of tools useful for disaster response and recovery.
Read up on best practices and existing ways of doing this.
New Suns Community Center (Thetford) and Cooperation Vermont (Marshfield) have tool libraries.
Tech lending library
These items may already be a part of your local library, or could be housed and managed through the library.
| Systems | Stuff |
|---|---|
|
Ensure people know what is available and how to access it.
Consider making more items available for longer-term use or facilitating direct trades/lends between community members with an extra laptop and someone who lost theirs in a house fire.
| Potential items to include:
Phones
laptops
Tablets
portable hotspots
Projectors
speakers
AM/FM Radios
Weather Radios
Walkie Talkies
GPS (non-vehicle)
|
Internet and phone access
Identify areas for public or low-cost internet access when home systems are down. This is commonly
Consider reaching out to local businesses that could be made more accessible during disaster (maybe in the town over or a less flood-prone area).
Consider investing in a few portable, solar back-up power units as well as power banks that can be stored and ready in public spaces with wifi to create hotspots if phone service is cut out but internet can be accessed. Use tools like the Footprint Project for resources.
Printed toolkit, 2025 edition, page 42.