On September 19, 2025, the Smart and Connected Communities (SCC) Project hosted its Annual Community Meeting at the EBMUD 2F training room in Oakland, California. This gathering marked a significant milestone as the National Science Foundation-funded project enters its third and final year, bringing together community partners from across Alameda County to review progress and chart the path forward for wildfire preparedness and risk reduction.
The meeting drew a diverse group of attendees, including community leaders, emergency management personnel, local organization representatives, researchers, and residents from throughout Alameda County. This broad representation created an ideal environment for collaborative discussion about wildfire preparedness strategies and the innovative tools being developed to support community resilience efforts.
The session began with an introduction and a recap of the project’s vision, highlighting its achievements over the past year. Team members provided comprehensive updates on various project workstreams, demonstrating how research has translated into practical applications for community use.
The centerpiece of the meeting featured interactive breakout stations designed to give participants hands-on experience with the project’s innovative tools and approaches:
Station 1: Network & Models – Participants explored dynamic communication networks and coordination systems, examining how these tools can enhance information sharing during wildfire events.
Station 2: Mini-Games – Attendees engaged with digital mini-game formats designed to simulate decision-making processes and preparedness scenarios in an accessible, interactive environment.
Station 3: Board Games – Community members experienced physical strategy games focused on wildfire response and preparedness planning.
Station 4: Traffic Modeling – Participants examined traffic simulations that model evacuation scenarios and transportation logistics during emergency situations.
The rotating station format encouraged active participation, allowing attendees to spend meaningful time at each station, test the tools firsthand, and provide valuable feedback that will directly inform the project’s final year development and implementation strategies.
Following the interactive sessions, participants engaged in a collaborative brainstorming session where those who had experienced different stations shared their key insights and discoveries with the broader group. Since not everyone had the opportunity to visit all four stations, this sharing session proved particularly valuable. Participants highlighted what had most impressed them about each tool and discussed potential applications they envisioned for their own communities and organizations. The exchange revealed common themes about the engaging nature of game-based learning for preparedness training, and the potential for these tools to bridge communication gaps between different community stakeholders during emergencies.
We extend our gratitude to the National Science Foundation for their continued funding support and to EBMUD for providing the excellent meeting facility. Most importantly, we thank all community partners who participated and contributed their valuable perspectives. As the project moves into its final year, the ongoing engagement and feedback from Alameda County communities remain essential to developing tools that will create lasting impact for wildfire preparedness and community resilience.
