Chapter 7, Inventorying the club's capital¶
Three capitals, one inventory¶
A Rotary club of 30 members is not 30 volunteers. It is 30 professionals, each with a network of contacts, specialized skills, material resources, personal and professional. One member's transport company means three available trucks. Another's medical practice means a source of medical supplies. A third's restaurant means a community kitchen already equipped.
A club's power in a disaster is not measured by the number of members, but by the quality of the inventory it has made of what those members can mobilize.
This inventory covers three capitals: - Human capital: skills, languages, availability - Material capital: equipment, vehicles, premises, stocks - Relational capital: affiliations, professional networks, institutional contacts
The Disaster Coordinator is responsible for building and updating this inventory. Frequency: annual at minimum, at the start of the Rotary year (July-September).
Human capital: your members' skills¶
Skills inventory table¶
Each member fills out a sheet. The Coordinator compiles everything in a shared spreadsheet + a laminated paper copy.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Full name | Dr. Marie DUPONT |
| Main profession | General practitioner |
| Primary disaster skill | Triage, emergency care, health assessment |
| Secondary disaster skill | First aid training, PFA |
| Specific trainings | PSC1 (2024), Red Cross PFA (2025), GMS (2025) |
| Languages spoken | French (native), English (fluent), Arabic (conversational) |
| Estimated availability in crisis | D+0 to D+3: 100% / D+4 to D+14: 50% (practice to keep running) |
| Limitations | Reduced mobility (knee), no rough terrain |
Summary table template (excerpt)¶
| Member | Profession | Disaster skill | Languages | Availability D+0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin, J. | Construction business owner | Logistics, debris removal, building assessment | FR, EN | Immediate |
| Dupont, M. | Doctor | Triage, care | FR, EN, AR | Immediate |
| Leroy, P. | Lawyer | Insurance, disaster survivors' rights | FR, EN | H+6 |
| Chen, L. | Restaurateur | Community kitchen, food hygiene | FR, ZH, EN | Immediate |
| Konaté, A. | Telecom engineer | Communications, IT systems | FR, WO, EN | H+4 |
| Moreau, S. | Chartered accountant | Accounting, TRF stewardship | FR | H+12 |
| Petit, F. | Farmer | Heavy vehicles, land, storage | FR | Immediate |
| Da Silva, R. | Pharmacist | Medication management, health advice | FR, PT, EN | H+2 |
| Berger, C. | Journalist | Crisis communication, media | FR, EN, ES | Immediate |
| Nakamura, H. | Architect | Damage assessment, reconstruction plans | FR, JA, EN | H+6 |
Members' professional networks¶
This is where Rotary distinguishes itself from any other volunteer organization. Your members do not come alone, they come with their networks.
| Member | Mobilizable professional network | Potential resource |
|---|---|---|
| Martin, J. (Construction) | Material suppliers, subcontractors, heavy-equipment operators | Tarps, wood, skilled labor, machinery |
| Chen, L. (Restaurant) | Food suppliers, wholesalers, HACCP network | Bulk food, kitchen equipment |
| Petit, F. (Agriculture) | Farming cooperative, haulers, cold storage | Trucks, refrigerated warehouses, food |
| Da Silva, R. (Pharmacy) | Pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacy network | Emergency medicines, medical supplies |
| Leroy, P. (Lawyer) | Bar network, notaries, insurers | Pro bono legal aid, insurance expertise |
Concrete action: During the annual inventory, ask each member: "If the disaster strikes tomorrow, what professional contacts could you call within the hour to obtain resources?" Note the names, the numbers, the accessible resources. These second-circle contacts multiply the club's capacity by 5 or 10.
Material capital: what your members own¶
The material inventory covers what members can make available, personally and through their businesses. The distinction matters: a member can offer their personal car immediately; the company's truck may require a partner's approval.
Sample inventory¶
Vehicles¶
| Owner | Vehicle type | Capacity | Personal/Business | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin, J. | Truck 3.5 T | 3 tons | Business | Partner approval required |
| Martin, J. | Utility van | 1.2 T | Business | Immediate |
| Petit, F. | Tractor + trailer | 5 tons | Personal | Immediate |
| Petit, F. | 4×4 pickup | 5 passengers + 500 kg | Personal | Immediate |
| Konaté, A. | Sedan | 4 passengers | Personal | Immediate |
Generators and energy¶
| Owner | Equipment | Power | Fuel | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin, J. | Portable generator | 5 kW | Gasoline | Business, approval required |
| Petit, F. | Farm generator | 12 kW | Diesel | Immediate |
| Rotary Club | Solar power bank | 100 W | Solar | At the club premises |
Premises and spaces¶
| Owner | Type of premises | Area | Hosting capacity | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen, L. | Restaurant | 120 m² | 80 people | Equipped kitchen, water, electricity, parking |
| Martin, J. | Construction warehouse | 300 m² | Storage only | Truck-accessible, secured |
| Rotary Club | Meeting room | 60 m² | 40 people | WiFi, restrooms, projector |
| Moreau, S. | Garage/workshop | 80 m² | Storage | Electricity, car access |
| Berger, C. | Office | 40 m² | 10 people | High-speed WiFi, printer |
Specialized equipment¶
| Category | Equipment | Owner | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Chainsaw | Petit, F. | 2 |
| Construction | Drill, screwdriver, circular saw | Martin, J. | Full set |
| Water | Submersible water pump | Petit, F. | 1 |
| Water | Field water filter | Rotary Club | 1 (DRC kit) |
| Communications | PMR446 walkie-talkies | Rotary Club | 4 |
| Communications | Iridium satellite phone | Konaté, A. | 1 (professional) |
| Communications | Satellite internet terminal (Starlink Mini) | Konaté, A. | 1 (to mobilize) |
| Medical | Defibrillator (AED) | Dr. Dupont | 1 (practice) |
| Medical | Full first aid kits | Rotary Club | 3 |
| Kitchen | Industrial gas burners | Chen, L. | 4 (restaurant) |
| Kitchen | 50 L pots | Chen, L. | 3 (restaurant) |
| Shelter | 4-person tents | Petit, F. | 2 |
| Shelter | 6×4 m tarps | Martin, J. | 10 (business) |
| Lighting | LED floor lights | Martin, J. | 2 (construction) |
Inventory format¶
Mandatory dual format: - Digital: Spreadsheet (Excel/Google Sheets) shared with the Coordinator, the President, and the 3 DRC committee members. Password-protected (contains personal information). - Paper: Printed, laminated version, stored at the Coordinator's home AND at the club premises. This version does not contain personal addresses, only names, skills, phones, and resources.
Relational capital: cross-affiliations¶
Rotarians do not live in a Rotary bubble. Many are active in other organizations, hold mandates, or belong to complementary networks. These cross-affiliations are a considerable asset, provided you know about them.
Cross-affiliations table¶
| Member | External affiliation | Role/Rank | Resource in disaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin, J. | Volunteer firefighters | Sergeant | Access to fire networks, rescue training, equipment |
| Leroy, P. | City Council | Deputy Mayor | Direct access to town hall, emergency decisions |
| Dupont, M. | Red Cross | Trained volunteer | Direct Red Cross liaison, PFA training |
| Petit, F. | Military reserve | Reservist | Field training, military logistics network |
| Nakamura, H. | Lions Club | Active member | Inter-service-club coordination, pooling |
| Berger, C. | Journalists' association | Board member | Media network, fast information dissemination |
| Konaté, A. | Religious community (mosque) | Solidarity coordinator | Community mutual-aid network, hosting spaces |
| Moreau, S. | Chamber of Commerce | Treasurer | Local business network, economic emergency fund |
Why it is critical: Martin, who is a volunteer firefighter, can tell you in 10 minutes whether the zone is safe for your volunteers, information you would wait hours for through official channels. Leroy, who is deputy mayor, can unlock the opening of the gymnasium to shelter disaster survivors with a single phone call. These bridges are your competitive edge.
Dual Rotary-NGO membership: formalizing the liaison role¶
When a member is also active in another organization (Red Cross, Lions, Civil Protection), formally designate them as a liaison agent between the club and that organization. This means:
- They are the club's first contact to that organization in a crisis
- They represent the club at coordination meetings with that organization
- They maintain up-to-date contacts between the two organizations
- They flag exercises or trainings the club should take part in
The call-down list system¶
The call-down list is the mechanism that allows every member to be reached in under 30 minutes, even if the networks are saturated. The principle: each person calls 2-3 people, who each call 2-3 people, and so on.
Architecture of the call tree¶
DISASTER COORDINATOR
├── Branch A Lead
│ ├── A-1 → calls 5 members
│ └── A-2 → calls 5 members
├── Branch B Lead
│ ├── B-1 → calls 5 members
│ └── B-2 → calls 5 members
└── Branch C Lead (if >30 members)
├── C-1 → calls 5 members
└── C-2 → calls 5 members
Result: The Coordinator makes 2-3 calls. In 30 minutes, 30+ members are reached.
Operating rules¶
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| No answer | 3 attempts 5 minutes apart, then move to the designated backup |
| Confirmation | The last member in each branch sends an SMS to the Coordinator: "Branch X complete, [number] reached out of [total]" |
| Hours | No calls between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. except for vital emergencies |
| Message | Relay exactly as received, do not interpret, do not add, do not comment |
| Backups | Each position in the tree has a designated backup |
Standardized call script¶
"Hello, this is [NAME], Rotary Club of [CITY].
Disaster alert message.
SITUATION: [summary in 1-2 sentences].
REQUESTED ACTION: [what the member must do].
Do you confirm receipt?
Please call now [NAME 1] at [NUMBER]
and [NAME 2] at [NUMBER]."
Mandatory quarterly test (cadence harmonized with ch00)¶
The call-down list only works if it is tested. Organize a real test four times a year:
| Month | Type of test | Method |
|---|---|---|
| September | Full test | Real activation of the tree. The Coordinator triggers, times, and notes failures. |
| December | Partial test | Activation of a single branch, by SMS. |
| March | Partial test | Activation of another branch, by phone call. |
| June | Partial test | Activation of the last branch, by WhatsApp. |
Performance indicators:
| Indicator | Target |
|---|---|
| Time to reach 80% of members | < 30 minutes |
| First-call response rate | > 60% |
| Response rate after 3 attempts + backup | > 90% |
| Obsolete numbers detected | 0 (if not, update immediately) |
Call-down list format¶
The call-down list exists in two versions:
Full version (digital): - Spreadsheet with: name, role in the tree, primary phone, secondary phone, email, skills, address - Stored on secure cloud + local copy on USB key
Field version (paper): - Folding-card format (fits in a wallet) - Contains only: name, position in the tree, primary phone, secondary phone - Laminated - Distributed to every member of the club - Kept at home AND at the office
Reminder: An obsolete number in a call-down list means an entire branch cut off. Quarterly updates are not optional.
External contacts directory¶
Beyond members, the club must have an external contacts directory, the people and organizations to reach in case of disaster. This directory is the Disaster Coordinator's responsibility.
Local emergency contacts¶
| Organization | Contact name | Direct phone | Role | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire department | Brigade commander | //___ | ||
| EMS / Medical emergency | Medical director | //___ | ||
| Police | Commissioner / Commander | //___ | ||
| Town Hall, Crisis cell | Operations director or security lead | //___ | ||
| Prefecture, Civil protection | Emergency services head | //___ | ||
| Main hospital | Emergency department director | //___ | ||
| Water utility | On-call emergency | //___ | ||
| Electricity utility | On-call emergency | //___ | ||
| Gas utility | On-call emergency | //___ |
Humanitarian and association contacts¶
| Organization | Contact name | Direct phone | Mobilizable resources | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Cross / Red Crescent | Shelters, first aid, water | //___ | ||
| Food aid association | Food aid, clothing | //___ | ||
| Food Bank | Food supplies | //___ | ||
| Salvation Army | Food, accommodation | //___ | ||
| Other local NGO 1 | //___ | |||
| Other local NGO 2 | //___ |
Rotary contacts¶
| Role | Name | Direct phone | Last verified | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District Governor | //___ | |||
| DRO (District Disaster Relief Officer) | //___ | |||
| DRFC (District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair) | //___ | |||
| DNA-RAG regional contact | //___ | |||
| ShelterBox, local contact | //___ | |||
| Closest twin club | //___ |
Economic contacts¶
| Actor | Contact name | Direct phone | Mobilizable resources | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarket / Big box | Water, food, hygiene | //___ | ||
| Transport company | Trucks, logistics | //___ | ||
| Gas station | Fuel | //___ | ||
| Pharmacy | Medications | //___ | ||
| Hotel | Emergency accommodation | //___ | ||
| Printer | Forms, posters | //___ |
Media contacts¶
| Outlet | Journalist name | Direct phone | Type | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local newspaper | //___ | |||
| Local radio | Radio | //___ | ||
| Local TV | Television | //___ | ||
| National press correspondent | Press | //___ |
Update frequency: Quarterly for emergency contacts. Annual for others. The "Last verified" column is there for a reason: a number not verified in 12 months is no longer reliable.
Digital AND paper: both are essential¶
This point deserves to be hammered home. In a disaster, one or the other will fail.
Why digital is not enough¶
| Scenario | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Prolonged power outage | No WiFi, no cloud access, limited phone battery |
| Cell towers destroyed | No 4G/5G, no mobile data |
| Cloud server unreachable | Google Drive, Dropbox, unreachable without internet |
| Lost/destroyed phone | All local data lost |
Why paper is not enough¶
| Scenario | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Home destroyed or inaccessible | Paper documents lost |
| Flood | Paper documents destroyed |
| Need for fast sharing | Impossible to copy/send a paper document to 30 people |
| Updates | Paper is not updated in real time |
The solution: systematic dual format¶
| Document | Digital version | Paper version |
|---|---|---|
| Call-down list | Cloud + USB key + phone | Laminated card (each member) |
| Resource inventory | Shared spreadsheet (protected) | Laminated binder (Coordinator + club premises) |
| External contacts directory | Shared spreadsheet | Laminated sheet (Coordinator + President) |
| Full emergency plan | PDF on cloud + USB key | Binder at club premises + Coordinator's home |
| Operational forms | Template files on USB key | 50 pre-printed copies at the premises |
Physical documentary kit¶
The Disaster Coordinator maintains an emergency binder, a physical binder, stored in a safe location (club premises + copy at the Coordinator's home), containing:
- Up-to-date call-down list (laminated)
- Members' resource inventory (summary)
- External contacts directory
- Succession plan
- 20 blank SITREP forms
- 20 blank rapid assessment forms
- 20 blank volunteer registration forms
- 10 blank daily financial tracking sheets
- 10 paper emergency message sheets
- Printed local map
- USB key with all digital files
This binder is checked and updated at the start of each quarter.
Annual inventory checklist¶
To be completed between July and September of each Rotary year:
- Skills sheet completed by each member (new and existing)
- Summary skills table updated
- Each member's professional networks documented
- Material inventory updated (vehicles, generators, premises, equipment)
- Cross-affiliations recorded
- Liaison agents formally appointed
- Call-down list updated and redistributed to all members
- External contacts directory verified (verification call)
- Digital version backed up (cloud + USB key)
- Paper version printed and filed (club premises + Coordinator's home)
- Inventory results presented to the club at a meeting
Your club's capital is not in the till. It is in the room, every week, around the table. This inventory turns a group of professionals who meet at Tuesday lunch into a structured and immediately mobilizable response force. The difference between a prepared club and one that is not is this document.