Map Community Disaster Resources

Build a safety-checked map of verified disaster recovery resources.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

During a disaster, an outdated address can waste precious time. A trustworthy directory shows where each detail came from.

In this project, you will build a community disaster recovery resource map in Google My Maps. A master Google Sheets directory will preserve the source and verification date behind every marker.

What You'll Build

A resident opens your public-ready map to see clearly labelled recovery centers, shelters, and relief services with an official source and verification date attached to every marker.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

Verify each location by opening its marker to check the address, services, current status, official source, and last verification date.
Scan resource types through distinct colors and icons that separate recovery centers, shelters, and other relief services.
Refresh the directory by updating the master Sheet and reimporting matching locations without rebuilding the map.
Secret Mission: Add a reputable local government or established nonprofit source through the same verification and refresh process.

Are there any prerequisites?

You need a Mac, internet access, and a Google account. You can complete everything in Safari or Google Chrome with no previous mapping experience.

Before We Start

This checkpoint anchors your map to a real city or county before any locations are added. It also defines the residents the map should serve.

Set Up Your Resource Workspace

Public resource maps can become unreliable when their records live in scattered notes. A controlled spreadsheet gives every future pin one source of truth.

In this step, you'll create that spreadsheet in Google Sheets. You'll pair it with an unshared Google My Maps map for your selected community.

In this step, get ready to:

Create the master resource directory.
Build the two-tab data schema.
Create the unshared community map.

Create the master Google Sheet

Google Sheets gives every resource a consistent home before it reaches the map. This structure makes later checks easier to repeat.

Signing in connects the workspace to the Google account you already confirmed. This project does not require a new account or billing setup.

Open https://sheets.google.com in Safari or Google Chrome.
Sign in with your confirmed Google account if Google asks.
Click New.

You'll see a blank spreadsheet open in your signed-in account.

Click the current spreadsheet title in the upper-left corner.
Replace the title with Community Disaster Resource Directory.

The upper-left corner now shows Community Disaster Resource Directory.

Can't create the spreadsheet?

Confirm that the account shown in Google Sheets matches the Google account you selected for this project.
Refresh the browser tab if the spreadsheet stays on a loading screen.

Ask for help if the spreadsheet still does not open: Help me troubleshoot why Google Sheets is not creating a new spreadsheet in my browser.

Build the two-tab resource schema

A spreadsheet schema fixes the purpose of each column before records arrive. The first tab holds public resource details.

Double-click the current worksheet tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
Enter Resources as the tab name.

The worksheet tab now reads Resources.

Select cell A1.
Fill the header row by copying this tab-separated line into A1:

Site ID	Site Name	Address	Resource Type	Status	Services	Accessibility and Pets	Source Name	Source URL	Last Verified	Public Notes

What does this header row organize?

Site ID gives each resource a stable identifier.
Site Name through Accessibility and Pets hold the details residents need.
Source Name plus Source URL preserve source provenance.
Last Verified records when the information was checked.
Public Notes holds extra context that is safe for residents to read.

Confirm that the headers fill cells A1 through K1.

You'll see 11 separate columns across the first row of the Resources tab.

Did every header land in one cell?

Undo the paste if the full row appears inside one cell. Copy the tab-separated line directly from the code block before pasting it into A1 again.

Use this if the columns still do not separate: Help me split a tab-separated header row into separate Google Sheets columns.

The second tab separates source maintenance from the public details residents see. It stays empty until you build the refresh workflow.

Click the add-sheet plus icon at the bottom-left of Google Sheets.

You'll see a second blank worksheet beside the Resources tab.

Double-click the new worksheet tab.
Enter Source Registry as the tab name.

Your spreadsheet now has a populated Resources header row. It also has an empty Source Registry tab.

Create the unshared community map

The spreadsheet controls the records. The map gives residents a visual way to find them.

Why Google My Maps?

ArcGIS Online supports broader operational GIS workflows with more account complexity. Google My Maps fits this first browser project because it works with the Google account you already use.

It supports spreadsheet imports. It also supports category styling for the map you build later.

Record the community name from your Step 0 sentence here: your selected city or county.
Open https://mymaps.google.com/ in a new browser tab.
Continue with the same signed-in Google account.
Click Create a new map.

You'll see a new editable map with its details in the upper-left panel.

Click Untitled map in the upper-left panel.
Enter Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map in the map name field.
Fill the description field by copying this sentence:

Community disaster recovery resources for [[SELECTED_COMMUNITY="your selected city or county"]].

What does this description do?

The description states the map's geographic scope. Residents can see who the directory serves before reading any pins.

The sharing controls remain unchanged. Your map stays unshared during setup.

Apply the map details with the button at the bottom of the dialog.
Keep the map unshared by leaving its sharing controls unchanged.
Confirm that Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map appears in the upper-left panel.

The map now carries your selected community in its description. It remains private while you learn the workflow.

Map details missing?

Click the map title again if the upper-left panel still shows the original title.
Confirm that both fields contain text before applying the dialog.

Use this if the title or description still disappears: Help me save a Google My Maps title and description.

Before you compare the two windows, which workspace names and spreadsheet structure do you expect to see?

Switch back to the Google Sheets browser tab.
Drag the Google Sheets tab away from the browser tab bar to place it in a separate window.
Arrange the Google Sheets window on the left side of your screen.
Arrange the Google My Maps window on the right side of your screen.
Confirm that the complete header row is visible in the Google Sheets window.
Confirm that the map title is visible in the upper-left panel of the Google My Maps window.

You'll see the complete 11-column header row on the left. You'll see Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map in the upper-left map panel on the right.

The Sheet also shows the Resources tab beside the empty Source Registry tab.

Your controlled workspace is ready. Next, you'll add verified records before watching the first pins appear.

Put Verified Resources on the Map

Your spreadsheet in Google Sheets is now the controlled source of truth for the selected community. Your unshared map in Google My Maps is ready to turn that data into visible locations.

A public resource marker needs a current official source behind it. In this step, you'll verify at least two records before importing the first pins.

In this step, get ready to:

Verify at least two current locations using official sources.
Record source details in the Resources tab.
Import the records into a uniformly styled map layer.

Find current official records

Recovery centers and shelters change as community needs change. Checking official listings keeps each row tied to information that was current when you reviewed it.

Return to the Resources tab in the Community Disaster Resource Directory spreadsheet from earlier.
Open the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) Locator in a new browser tab.
Choose Location as the search method.
Enter the city and state or ZIP code for your selected community.
Click Submit.
Open the American Red Cross Find Open Shelters and Disaster Relief Services page in another browser tab.
Check the Red Cross map for current locations serving the same community.
Look for at least two current locations across the official source pages.

What is source provenance?

Source provenance records where each fact came from. The source name and URL let a resident or maintainer trace a marker back to its official listing.

Only facts displayed by the source belong in the spreadsheet. A field stays blank when the source does not provide that detail.

Choose the first current local location listed by either source.
Enter a stable unique value in its Site ID cell.
Complete the source-provided details in Site Name, Address, Resource Type, Status, Services, Accessibility and Pets, and Public Notes.

Read across the row. You should see one location represented only by details from its official listing.

Enter the displayed source title in Source Name.
Paste the official page address into Source URL.

The row now shows where its public details came from. That traceable link makes later verification possible.

Enter today's date in Last Verified.
Repeat the same recording process for the second current local location.

You should now see at least two rows with unique Site ID values. Each row should include an official source URL and a verification date.

Handle unavailable local records safely

Active recovery locations depend on current incidents. An empty local search can be an accurate result.

✔️ I found current local records

Your local records are ready for import. Keep the map unshared while you test how those records appear.

ⓧ No current local records are listed

Use active records from a wider area to test the import workflow. These records remain training data because they do not serve the selected community.

Choose two active wider-area locations from the official source pages already open.
Repeat the same row-completion process for both locations.
Enter TRAINING ONLY in the Status field for each fallback row.
Add a removal reminder to Public Notes for each fallback row.
Keep the map unshared while it contains fallback records.

You should see two complete training rows. Their status makes them ineligible for publication.

Import records with one uniform style

A map layer groups related records so they can be managed together. The Address column tells My Maps where to place each marker.

Switch back to the Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map from earlier.
Click Add layer in the left panel.
Rename the new layer Verified Resources.
Click Import in the new layer.

How does the import work?

My Maps reads the titled columns from your Google Sheet. It uses the selected location column to place each row on the map.

Select the Community Disaster Resource Directory Google Sheet.
Select the Resources tab as the import source.
Choose Address as the column used to locate each record.
Use Site Name for marker titles if the import flow asks for a title column.
Complete the import flow.

You'll see at least two pins on the map. Each pin represents one row from the master Sheet.

Click Style in the Verified Resources layer.
Choose Uniform style.

Before you inspect the pins, predict whether uniform symbols will make different resource types easy to distinguish.

Click the first imported pin.
Confirm its marker card shows Site Name.
Confirm the same card shows Address.
Confirm the same card shows Source URL.
Confirm the same card shows Last Verified.
Close the first marker card.
Click the second imported pin.
Repeat the same four-field check for the second marker.

Both marker cards expose the required source details. The marker symbols still share one uniform style.

That shortfall is intentional. Mixed resource types are difficult to scan when every pin looks the same.

Missing pins or marker details?

Check that every imported row contains a complete value in Address.
Check that the first spreadsheet row still contains the required column titles.
Correct any missing cells before repeating the import.

Ask for help with the import if the pins still do not appear. Help me diagnose my missing My Maps pins.

You've cleared the first hard checkpoint. Every imported pin can now be traced to an official source and verification date.

Next, you'll make each resource type recognizable at a glance.

Style Resource Types

Your verified locations are already visible in Google My Maps. Their identical pins hide each site's resource type.

This step uses categorical styling to turn Resource Type values into visible groups. The Verified Resources map layer becomes easier for residents to scan.

In this step, get ready to:

Group the Verified Resources layer by the Resource Type column.
Give every present category a distinct color or icon.
Review the public-facing text for every resource.

Group places by resource type

The current Uniform style setting treats every marker as the same category. Grouping by a data column gives each distinct Resource Type value its own legend entry.

Return to the Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map in your browser.
Click Style in the Verified Resources layer.
Select Style by data column under Group places by.
Choose Resource Type as the grouping field.

Before you inspect the result, which Resource Type values do you expect to appear in the legend?

Inspect the map legend.

You'll see one legend entry for each populated Resource Type value. You now have the categories exposed at a glance.

Missing a resource category?

Check the Resource Type cells in the Resources tab for blanks.
Correct any spelling or capitalization differences that split one category into multiple groups.

Help me fix missing or duplicated Resource Type categories in Google My Maps.

Give each category a distinct style

Simple color and icon choices make the legend faster to understand. Each category should remain recognizable on a narrow screen.

Select the style control beside one legend category.
Choose a color that is not used by another category.
Choose an icon that represents that category.

You have the first visual distinction working. That category is now easy to spot across the map.

Repeat the styling process for every remaining category.
Narrow your browser window until the map is roughly phone-sized.
Compare the marker styles at the narrower width.
Adjust any category that becomes difficult to distinguish.

You'll see a distinct color or icon for every category in the legend. The simple scheme keeps the map readable on a smaller screen.

Review every public marker

Styling helps residents find the right category. Clear marker text helps them decide whether a site fits their needs.

Open the first marker in the map.
Read its Services, Accessibility and Pets, and Public Notes fields from a resident's perspective.
Repeat the review for every marker.
Switch back to the Community Disaster Resource Directory in Google Sheets from earlier.
Select the Resources tab.
Revise every unclear cell across Services, Accessibility and Pets, and Public Notes using only source-backed information.
Keep every TRAINING ONLY label visible.
Leave the map unshared.

Before the final check, do you expect every legend label to match a value in the Resource Type column?

Return to the Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map.
Click Style in the Verified Resources layer.
Compare every legend label with the Resource Type values in the Resources tab.
Open every marker on the map.

You'll see a distinct color or icon for every present Resource Type. The legend labels will match the categories in the Sheet.

Each marker will still show its site name, address, official Source URL, and Last Verified date.

Legend and Sheet do not match?

Check the Resource Type column for blank cells.
Correct extra spaces or inconsistent capitalization in category names.

Help me reconcile my Google My Maps legend with the Resource Type values in Google Sheets.

Your map now separates each present resource type at a glance. Next, you'll build a repeatable refresh path from the master Sheet.

Build a Source Refresh Workflow

Your map already makes recovery centers, shelters, and relief service sites easy to distinguish. That visual clarity depends on details that stay current.

A disaster-resource map can become unsafe when a site's status or hours change. In this step, you'll create a documented manual refresh path in Google Sheets.

You'll use stable Site ID values to merge one verified update into Google My Maps without rebuilding the layer.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a review schedule for each official source.
Update one existing resource while preserving its Site ID.
Merge the updated Sheet into the existing map layer.

Document the official sources

Source provenance records where each map entry came from. The Source Registry pairs that evidence with responsibility for the next check.

What belongs in the source registry?

Source Name identifies the official source.
Source URL points to the page used for verification.
Geographic Scope records the area covered by the check.
Date Checked captures when the source was reviewed.
Maintainer names the person responsible for the record.
Next Review Date schedules the next verification cycle.

Switch back to the Source Registry tab in Community Disaster Resource Directory.
Enter the six field names from the callout across row 1.

You should see a six-column header row that covers source identity, review ownership, and scheduling.

Enter FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Locator in Source Name for the first source row.
Enter https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator in Source URL for the same row.

The first source row now connects the FEMA locator to its official page.

Enter American Red Cross Find Open Shelters and Disaster Relief Services in Source Name for the second source row.
Enter https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/find-an-open-shelter.html in Source URL for the same row.

You should now see two source rows with an official name and URL for each one.

Enter the area you checked in Geographic Scope for both rows.
Enter today's date in Date Checked for both rows.

Both rows now show where the verification applies and when it happened.

Enter your name in Maintainer for both rows.
Enter a future review date you can meet in Next Review Date for both rows.

Your registry now gives each official source an owner and a scheduled review date.

Update one existing resource

A stable Site ID acts as the match key between the Sheet and the map. The refresh depends on this value remaining unchanged when source details change.

Why keep Site ID stable?

Google My Maps uses the chosen match columns to pair each original feature with the corresponding Sheet row. Keeping Site ID stable gives the merge a consistent identity for that location.

Switch to the Resources tab in Community Disaster Resource Directory.
Select one existing source-backed resource row.

Follow the official link in the row's Source URL cell.
Compare the current listing with the selected resource row.

Update Status with the current source value, or set Last Verified to today's date when the row remains accurate.
Leave Site ID unchanged.

You should see a new Status or Last Verified value in the row while its original Site ID remains in place.

Merge the updated Sheet into the map

Update matching items compares Sheet rows with map features through selected match columns. Matching on Site ID lets the map preserve the existing feature while replacing its details.

The merge can remove original map features that are missing from the updated Sheet. Keeping the full Resources table intact makes this refresh safe.

Check the Resources tab for every intended row.
Switch back to the Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map from earlier.
Find the Verified Resources layer in the left panel.
Click the overflow menu for Verified Resources.
Select Reimport and merge.
Select Reimport.
Select Update matching items.

The update flow now asks for the source file that contains the latest records.

Choose Community Disaster Resource Directory as the updated file.
Click Select.
Choose Site ID as the match column for the original data.
Choose Site ID as the match column for the new data.
Confirm the merge after both matching columns show Site ID.

Before you inspect the refreshed marker, which field do you expect to change while the marker keeps its category style?

Click the marker for the resource row you updated.

You should see the updated Status or Last Verified value inside the existing marker. The Verified Resources layer name and category legend remain unchanged.

That's your refresh workflow working. The map can now absorb verified source changes without rebuilding the layer.

Still seeing the old value?

Confirm that you selected Community Disaster Resource Directory as the updated file.
Confirm that Site ID was chosen for both match columns.
Check that the updated Resources row still has its original Site ID.

Help me diagnose why my My Maps marker still shows the old Sheet value.

Your source registry and map now share a repeatable update loop. Next, you'll apply a publication gate before releasing the map to residents.

Safety-Check and Share the Map

Your map in Google My Maps now reflects the latest values from the master spreadsheet in Google Sheets. Its resource categories are already easy to scan.

Public visibility raises the consequence of stale or practice data. This step adds a publication gate before residents can use the map.

In this step, get ready to:

Remove practice records from the Sheet and map.
Preview every category and marker as a resident.
Publish only when current local records pass the safety check.

Apply the publication gate

The publication gate checks every displayed record for a current official source. Any training row or incomplete record stops publication.

Switch back to the Resources tab in the Google Sheet from earlier.
Delete every row marked TRAINING ONLY.
Check each remaining row against its linked official source.
Confirm that each remaining row contains Source URL, Status, plus Last Verified values.
Remove any row that cannot be completed from its official source.
Repeat the Update matching items reimport from Step 4 with Site ID as the matching column.
Inspect the Verified Resources layer for any remaining training records.
Keep the map unshared if no current local rows remain.

You should now see no training markers. Every marker that remains has the required source and freshness details.

Why reimport after deleting rows?

The Update matching items workflow preserves matching features. It removes original features that are absent from the updated Sheet.

Still Seeing a Training Marker?

Confirm that its row was removed from the Resources tab.
Repeat the reimport with Site ID selected as the matching column.

Help me find why a deleted Sheet row still appears after reimport.

Preview the map as a resident

The map description tells residents how to use the directory safely. Preview shows whether that guidance remains clear beside the actual markers.

Select the map title in the upper-left panel to edit its details.
Replace the description with Community resource directory. Verify status with the linked official source before travel. For immediate danger, follow local emergency instructions..
Click Save.

Before you open Preview, do you expect every marker to pass the same source and freshness check? The next view tests that prediction.

Click Preview.
Compare the category legend with the Resource Type values in the Sheet.
Open every marker.
Check each marker for its site name, address, status, official source URL, plus verification date.
Open each linked official source in a new browser tab.
Confirm that each official source still presents its location as current.

You should see a distinct style for every resource category. Each marker should expose current details plus a working official source link.

Does a Marker Fail the Check?

Return to the Resources tab if a marker lacks a required detail.
Correct the row using information from its official source.
Remove the row if the official source no longer supports it.
Repeat the Update matching items reimport.
Repeat the Preview check.

Help me resolve a marker that failed the publication check.

Publish only current local records

Preview proves that the map content is ready. Public sharing allows anyone to find the map.

Take a moment before changing visibility because this switch is the point where residents can rely on your work.

✔️ Current local records remain

Current local records make publication appropriate because every visible marker has passed the gate.

Return to the map editor from Preview.
Click Share in the left panel.
Choose Make your map public.
Click Done or Save changes.
Copy the public URL from the sharing controls here: your public map URL.

Before you load the public URL, do you expect any practice record or incomplete marker to survive the gate? The private window gives you the answer.

Open a private browser window from your browser's main menu.
Paste your public map URL into the address bar.
Press Enter.
Inspect the public category legend.
Open every visible marker.
Confirm that every marker points to a current official source.

You'll see only current sourced records. Their category styles plus marker details match the Preview check.

ⓧ No current local records remain

No current local records is a valid safety outcome. Publishing an empty map or wider-area training data would mislead residents.

Return to the map editor from Preview.
Open Share to verify the map's visibility.
Leave Make your map public unselected.
Close the sharing controls without changing visibility.
Use Public-ready as the release label in the checkpoint below.

You should see that public access remains disabled. The safety-checked map stays ready for the next verification cycle.

You have finished the hardest part: your map is public only when current local records exist. Otherwise, it is safely held as public-ready.

Secret mission

Add a New Reputable Local Source

National directories can miss services organized close to home. Add one reputable local source to your maintenance workflow. Merge its current locations through the same publication gate.

Clean Up Your Resources

Choose whether to keep your project available, pause public access for the next review cycle, or remove both resources. No new paid service or billing setup was introduced in this project.

Resources you used:

A Google Sheets file named Community Disaster Resource Directory containing the Resources tab plus the Source Registry tab.
A Google My Maps map named Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map containing the Verified Resources layer.

Keep everything running

Keep this option if you want residents to use the current map or if you plan to continue maintaining an unshared version.

Leave the map's current visibility unchanged.
Review the next review dates in Source Registry on schedule.
Rerun the publication gate after each resource refresh.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Pausing removes public access while preserving the Sheet plus map for your next verification cycle. An already unshared map needs no visibility change.

Keep the existing unshared state if the publication gate already blocked release.
Switch back to the Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map from earlier if it is public.
Click Share in the left panel.
Remove public access while keeping the map saved.
Open the copied public URL in a private browser window.

For a previously public map, you should see that the public link no longer exposes marker data.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Deleting both project resources can feel drastic. The export options below preserve a copy before you remove the originals.

Export the complete Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map to KML/KMZ if you want a map backup.
Export the Verified Resources layer to CSV if you want a tabular backup.

Permanent Means Permanent

Permanent deletion removes the maintained directory plus hosted map from your account. Any previous public link stops providing the project map.

Return to the file list in your signed-in Google account.
Search for Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map.
Delete the map from the account's file list.
Search for Community Disaster Resource Directory.
Delete the Sheet from the account's file list.

Both project resources are now removed from the active file list. One final cleanup clears their recoverable copies.

Open the deleted-items area in the same Google account.
Permanently delete Community Disaster Recovery Resource Map.
Permanently delete Community Disaster Resource Directory.
Search the active file list for both project titles.
Open the previous public URL in a private browser window.

You should find no active or recoverable item with either project title. The former public URL should no longer expose marker data.

Nice Work!

Excellent work! Your safety-checked Google My Maps directory helps residents scan sourced locations by resource type while seeing when each record was verified.

What you learned:

Replaced uniform pins with category styling so residents can distinguish recovery centers, shelters, and relief service sites at a glance.
Created a Google Sheets master directory that tracks source provenance beside each location's public details and verification date.
Tested a manual refresh workflow that updates matching markers through Site ID. Applied a publication gate that keeps stale or training records unshared.
Secret Mission: Integrated an additional reputable local source through the same source registry, verification, refresh, and publication checks.

Ready to quiz yourself?