Glen Cove Neighborhood Watch

Emergency Phone Tree

Phone Trees
Phone trees are a great way to share information and build a sense of community in the neighborhood. Phone trees can expedite emergency information. Neighborhoods can be divided into small, workable areas using streets or natural boundaries. Each group prepares a chart (which is continuously updated) that includes the names and phone numbers of all members. A Block Captain or other person is designated to be contacted by the police or sheriff’s office. Each individual listed on the tree knows whom he is to contact should emergency or other important information

needs to be disseminated in a hurry.

When do you use the telephone tree?
• After calling 911, alert your neighbors to an emergency in progress or that one has just occurred such as a cougar sighting, hazardous material spills, major traffic accidents, acts of nature, etc.
• To control rumors about crime in the neighborhood that you have verified or found false.
Why should the Phone Tree be used?
• When someone has urgent information to share, (e.g. prowler in the area) they activate the telephone tree by calling the name at the top – the group representative.
• When you receive a call, call the next listed person under your name. If they are not home, call down the list until you get an adult at home.
• The last neighbor to receive a call, calls the representative to confirm that they have received the message.
• It is best to practice the telephone tree on a periodic basis so that problems in the process can be fixed.