Wilton CERT — Internal Reference

Blog Post Guide

Reference for creating and editing blog posts. Describes every post type, its purpose, and how each field should be used.

Fields Common to All Post Types

Post TypeRequired

Categorizes the post. Determines which additional fields appear below and how the post is labeled on the blog. Choose the type that best describes the event before filling in anything else.

TitleRequired

The headline shown on the blog card and at the top of the full post. Keep it concise and specific. Example: "March 2026 Training — Triage Procedures"

DateOptional

The date the event occurred (not necessarily when the post is written). Shown on the card and used for sorting. Use the actual event date when known.

SummaryOptional

A one- or two-sentence description shown on the blog list card. This is what members see before clicking through. Write it like a newspaper lede — who, what, where. Example: "Twelve CERT members conducted a full-scale triage exercise at Wilton Town Hall."

TagsOptional

Keywords used for filtering and searching the blog. Type a tag and press Enter to add it. Common tags: training, deployment, triage, ICS, storm. Avoid duplicating the post type as a tag (e.g., don't add a "training" tag on a Training post — the type badge already shows that).

Post Types & Type-Specific Fields

Planned

Planned Deployment

A scheduled or anticipated activation — pre-planned events where CERT was deployed in an organized capacity.

NarrativeOptional

The full written account of the deployment. Describe what happened, how the team was organized, any notable outcomes, and lessons learned. Supports formatting codes (see the Formatting Guide below). Blank lines create new paragraphs.

CERT Members AttendedOptional

Search and select members from the CERT directory. Type a name to see matches; click to add. Each member chip can be clicked to assign an operational role (DC, TC, DDC, DTC, PC). Members are displayed on the post sorted by role then last name.

Others Section HeadingOptional

A label for the group of non-member attendees listed below. Leave blank if there are no additional attendees. Examples: "Partner Agency Representatives", "Guest Observers", "2026 Graduating Class".

Additional AttendeesOptional

Names of attendees who are not in the CERT member directory (guests, partner agency staff, trainees, etc.). Type a name and press Enter or , to add each person.

PhotosOptional

Upload event photos. Drag and drop or click to browse. Multiple files can be uploaded at once. Photos are stored in Firebase Storage and displayed as a carousel on the post. Save the post first before uploading photos in Blog Admin.

Unplanned

Unplanned Deployment

An emergency or spontaneous activation — events where CERT responded without advance notice.

NarrativeOptional

Describe the incident, the call-out, how the team responded, and the outcome. For emergency events, include the time of call-out if known. Supports formatting codes.

CERT Members AttendedOptional

Same as Planned — search and add members who responded. Assign roles as appropriate (e.g., DC for whoever led the response).

Others Section HeadingOptional

Optional label for any non-member responders or observers listed below.

Additional AttendeesOptional

Non-member responders, partner agency contacts, or others who participated. Type and press Enter to add.

PhotosOptional

Photos from the incident scene or response staging area. Upload the same way as Planned deployments.

Training

A training session, drill, exercise, or class — any event focused on developing team skills.

NarrativeOptional

Describe the training topic, format, instructor(s), key takeaways, and any skills practiced. This becomes the permanent record of what was covered. Supports formatting codes — use ## Headings to organize by topic or station.

CERT Members AttendedOptional

Add all members who participated. For training events, the TC (Training Captain) and DTC should be assigned their roles so they appear prominently in the attendee list.

Others Section HeadingOptional

Use this to label a class or cohort of trainees. Example: "2026 CERT Basic Training Class".

Additional AttendeesOptional

Guest instructors, observers from partner agencies, or trainee names not yet in the member directory.

PhotosOptional

Photos from the training session. Skills stations, team exercises, and group photos are all appropriate here.

Weather

A weather watch, advisory, or standby event — when CERT monitored conditions or was placed on notice.

Time of EventOptional

The time the weather event began, peaked, or CERT was activated. Use 24-hour or 12-hour format consistently.

Weather Event PDFOptional

Upload the official weather advisory, NWS bulletin, town notification, or any related documentation as a PDF. This file is stored in Firebase Storage and linked from the post. Only one PDF per post.

Commendation

Recognition of an individual member for outstanding service, achievement, or contribution.

Person's NameOptional

The full name of the member or individual being commended, exactly as it should appear on the post. Example: "Jane Smith".

Photo of IndividualOptional

A headshot or portrait of the person being commended. Displayed prominently on the post. Use a clear, recent photo when available. Accepted formats: JPG, PNG.

Commendation FileOptional

The formal commendation document or certificate — upload as an image (JPG, PNG) or PDF. This file is linked or displayed on the post for members to view.

Special

A general-purpose post for announcements, milestones, community events, or anything that doesn't fit another type.

BodyOptional

The full post content. No restrictions on format or length. Supports all formatting codes. Use for announcements, news, organizational updates, or any special recognition that doesn't fit the Commendation type.

PhotosOptional

Any photos relevant to the post. Upload by drag-and-drop or click to browse. Displayed as a carousel on the post.

Text Formatting Guide

The Narrative and Body fields on applicable post types support the following lightweight formatting codes. A blank line between two blocks of text creates a paragraph break.

## Heading Text → Large section heading — use to divide the narrative into major sections ### Heading Text → Smaller sub-heading — use for sub-sections within a major section **bold text** → Bold text — use to emphasize key terms or names *italic text* → Italic text — use for notes, quotes, or de-emphasized content - List item → • Bullet list item — start consecutive lines with - or * to create a list

Tip: Headings (## and ###) can appear anywhere in the text — at the start of a line or mid-paragraph. Separate headings from surrounding text with a blank line for best results.

CERT Member Roles

Deployment Captain — led the overall deployment or activation

DDC

Deputy Deployment Captain — second in command during deployment

Training Captain — led or coordinated the training session

DTC

Deputy Training Captain — assisted the Training Captain

Post Captain — commanded a specific post or station during the event

VOL

Volunteer — default role; participated without a leadership designation. No role badge is shown for VOL members.

How to assign a role: After adding a member chip to the CERT Members Attended field, click on the member's name to open the role picker. Select the role that reflects their function during this specific event. Roles affect the display order on the post — DC and TC are shown first.