For a first-time user during an activation
You've been called into the EOC, someone handed you a laptop, and COBRA is open in the browser. You've never used it before and the event is already underway. Here's what your first 30 minutes looks like.
Minute 0-2: Get into the event
When you log in, you land on the organization home page in Daily Operations mode. This is the "lobby." You need to get into the active event.
Look at the Recently Active Events panel on the left. Find the event name you were briefed on and click it. The top bar changes from the gray Daily Operations label to the event name with a colored status banner. You're in.
If you don't see the event, click View All Events to see the full list. If you still don't see it, the event may be private. Ask your supervisor.
What to read later: Enter a named event · Understanding operations mode
Minute 2-5: Orient yourself
You're now on the event landing page. Take 30 seconds to scan the four panels:
- Checklists (top left): tasks assigned to positions. If your position has a checklist, it appears here with a progress bar.
- Event Activity (top right): a live feed of everything happening in this event, newest first. Skim it to get a feel for what's going on.
- Map (bottom left): the geographic picture. Facility pins, annotations, incident locations. Zoom and pan to orient.
- Logbooks (bottom right): a snapshot of the most recent logbook entries. This is where the operational record lives.
Each panel has an expand icon (↗) in its top-right corner that opens the full tool.
Don't worry about understanding everything on this page. The landing page is an overview. You'll spend most of your time in the logbook.
Minute 5-10: Open your logbook and read the record
Click the logbook icon in the left sidebar (or expand the Logbooks panel). The logbook dashboard appears, showing every logbook in the organization with entry counts for this event.
Click the logbook your position is responsible for. If you're unsure, Operations Log is usually the right starting point. It opens in the tabbed view.
Read before you write. Scroll through the recent entries to understand what's been happening. Pay attention to:
- Critical and Major entries (red and orange priority tags): these are the current hotspots
- Decisions: what has been authorized or ordered
- Questions without answers: these might be things you can help with
- Threaded entries (entries with a ▸ chevron): click to expand and see the full conversation
This is your situational awareness. Five minutes of reading saves twenty minutes of asking questions other people have already answered.
What to read later: Navigate the logbook dashboard · Understanding logbooks
Minute 10-15: Set up your workspace
Now that you understand what's happening, set up the tools you'll use for the rest of your shift.
Add logbooks to your tabs. Click the + at the end of the tab strip to add logbooks relevant to your role. An Operations Section Chief might want Operations Log, Resource Tracking, and Sig Events. A PIO might want Public Information and Sig Events. Keep it focused. You can always add more later.
Check the status chart. Click the status chart icon in the left sidebar. If your section has a row, this is where you'll report your status to leadership. Note the colors and what they mean for your organization.
Check the map. Click the map icon in the left sidebar. Orient yourself: where are the facilities, where are the annotations, where is the incident? Understanding the geographic picture helps you contextualize the logbook entries you've been reading.
What to read later: Customize which logbooks appear in your tabs
Minute 15-30: Start contributing
You're oriented. Now start adding value.
Post logbook entries
This is your primary job in COBRA. Every action, decision, observation, and status update goes in the logbook.
Type in the Logbook Text input at the top of the logbook view and click Quick Entry. That's it for routine entries. Set the Priority dropdown before submitting if urgency matters (Advisory for routine, Major for important, Critical for life safety).
For entries that need a photo, a map location, or a time that isn't right now, click + Add New Detailed Entry instead.
What to read later: Create a logbook entry · Create a detailed logbook entry
Respond to threads
If someone posted a Question and you have the answer, don't post a new entry. Reply to theirs. Click the chevron (▸) on the original entry and post your response as a thread. This keeps the question and answer together in the record.
What to read later: Add a threaded response
Update the status chart
If your position has a cell on the status chart, update it when your situation changes. Click the cell, set the color, and add a brief text note if appropriate.
If you get stuck
- "I can't find the event." You might be in the wrong place. Click the home icon in the left sidebar to go back to the organization landing page and look at the event list.
- "The logbook is empty." You might be in a different logbook than the one the team is using. Check the dashboard to see which logbooks have entries.
- "I can't post an entry." Your role might not have the right permissions. Ask your admin or supervisor.
- "Where did my entry go?" Check the top bar. If you were in operations mode instead of the named event, your entry went to the default event.
- "What do the colors mean?" Priority colors: green (Advisory), yellow (Minor), orange (Major), red (Critical). Event status colors are organization-specific, so ask your supervisor.
The five things that matter most
If you remember nothing else from this page:
- Get into the event before doing anything. Check the top bar.
- Read before you write. Five minutes of scrolling the logbook saves twenty minutes of unnecessary questions.
- Log everything. If someone reviewing the event later would want to know about it, put it in the logbook.
- Thread your replies. Answer questions by clicking the original entry, not by posting a new one.
- Ask for help. COBRA is intuitive, but your colleagues have been using it longer. A quick question now is better than a misplaced entry later.