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Director's Message
Today marks the first day of November. Wildfire season is officially over, and we’re nearing the end of another exhaustive year of emergencies and disasters. While we look for moments to collectively catch our breath, we’re actively establishing Oregon’s first Department of Emergency Management, a cabinet-level department independent from the Oregon Military Department that will report directly to the governor. ODEM becomes operative on July 1, 2022.
The creation of ODEM means doing some things differently while maintaining our priority to serve Oregonians and reduce risk. The increased investments and expanded capabilities afforded in concert with the establishment of ODEM allows us to build an organization that is more appropriately staffed and resourced to further develop and sustain emergency response, risk reduction and disaster recovery programs.
These are incredibly exciting times – the positions granted by the 2021 legislative session will more than double our existing staff. Most of these new roles are in mitigation and recovery, emphasizing the recognition of the role our office plays in statewide risk reduction. You’ll start to see more job postings listed on Workday and in Weekly Watch as we build an organization with an intentional focus on people, policy and programs. We want to continue to bring in the brightest minds in emergency management while increasing the diversity of our organization and among our leadership and ensuring our programs are equitable, accessible and inclusive of those we serve. I look forward to working with our partners as we establish ODEM and build the state-level emergency management organization Oregon deserves.
Take care of yourselves, and take care of each other.
Andrew Phelps, Director, Oregon Office of Emergency Management
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Office of Emergency Management is hiring
9-1-1 Project Portfolio Manager (Information Systems Specialist 8): Full-time, limited duration. This position has primary oversight of Legacy and Next Generation 9-1-1 projects and is responsible for project portfolio management leadership and the coordination of a statewide approach to implement modern cost-effective Next Generation 9-1-1 Core Services for Oregon’s 43 Public Safety Answering Points. Application deadline: first list will be pulled Nov. 3, the list may close any time after. Apply at Workday.
9-1-1 GIS Coordinator (Information System Specialist 6): Full-time, permanent. The primary purpose of this position is to provide statewide technology planning and coordination for Oregon’s public safety 9-1-1 GIS efforts. Application deadline is Nov. 5; apply at Workday.
Response Planner (Planner 3): Full-time, permanent. This position leads planning projects for OEM, including development of plans and assisting with and coordinating the planning actions of state, local and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and local subject matter experts throughout the state. Learn more at a Zoom meeting at 1 p.m. on Nov. 2 (Meeting ID 858 3356 2777, Passcode 890267). Application deadline is Nov. 15; apply at Workday.
Regional Mitigation and Recovery Coordinator (Program Analyst 3): Five full-time, permanent positions available. Each position acts as a regional representative to coordinate with and support the State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Public Assistance Officer, and Individual assistance program manager to administer and manage the State’s Hazard Mitigation and Recovery Program objectives. Successful candidates will serve either the Clatsop, Multnomah, Douglas, Deschutes or Umatilla Region. This role requires the successful candidate to be out stationed while providing timely and professional services to the area being served. Learn more at a Zoom meeting at 1 p.m. on Nov. 12 (Meeting ID 895 0578 9749, Passcode M0fVu5). Application deadline: First list will be pulled Nov. 17, the list may close any time after. Apply at Workday.
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Local and volunteer networks in the era of COVID-19
FEMA is holding a webinar on how local and volunteer networks can stay connected in the era of COVID-19. Scheduled from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Nov. 3, the webinar will highlight a local jurisdiction’s robust partnership between county public health, local fire departments, volunteers and non-governmental organizations. With a focus on coordinated public health efforts, this event will share how organizations in Snohomish County, Washington, have supported their community during COVID-19.
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Practice safety when working from home
Although staff no longer make the commute into the office, safety hazards still exist in the home. DAS Risk Management has introduced a new tool for employees working from home that provides resources for addressing remote work safety. Topics include ergonomics, mental health and fatigue, and more.
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Cascadia: Ready or Not
The Cape Perpetua Collaborative is presenting a Fall Speaker Series with a variety of free educational presentations via Zoom at 10 a.m. most Saturdays throughout November and December. The Dec. 4 webinar, titled Cascadia: Ready or Not, features OEM's Geological Hazards Program Coordinator Althea Rizzo discussing how to get started preparing for a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake and tsunami. The good news? You're probably more prepared than you think.
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Virtual Tabletop Exercise for community groups
The Emergency Management Institute conducts a series of Virtual Tabletop Exercises (VTTX) to reach community-based training audiences around the country and provide a virtual forum for disaster training. This VTTX is designed to engage participants in a no fault, hazard-specific exercise discussion; the process involves key personnel from the emergency management Community of Practice (CoP) reviewing a pre-packaged set of exercise materials and convening for a 4-hour tabletop exercise discussion of a simulated disaster scenario with a total of 10-15 other CoP groups participating. The event allows the connected sites to assess current plans, policies, and procedures while learning from the other connected sites, as they provide their perspective and practice while exercising a similar situation.
The VTTX program is designed for a community-based group of at least five or more personnel from federal, state, local, Tribal and territorial (SLTT), corporate/industrial, higher learning/education-based facilities or Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). Emergency management organizations with representation from emergency management disciplines are encouraged to apply. Click the link to view exercise dates and steps to apply.
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World Tsunami Awareness Day
Nov. 5 is World Tsunami Awareness Day. By the year 2030, an estimated 50% of the world's population will live in coastal areas exposed to flooding, storms and tsunamis due to climate change. Here in Oregon, the Pacific Coast is at risk both from a local tsunami, arriving within minutes of a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake; and distant tsunamis that take several hours to reach the shore.
If you are near the ocean and feel a large earthquake, drop, cover and hold on until the shaking stops, then walk inland and up to high ground. Do not wait for an official warning, as a tsunami could come ashore in a few minutes. This independent response is more likely to happen and be effective if coastal populations have learned their evacuation routes and practiced walking out of the hazard zone. OEM has published a downloadable tsunami evacuation drill guidebook to help communities along the coast plan and implement community-wide tsunami evacuation drills. The guidebook offers guidance and recommendations based on best practices and the experience of coastal communities and emergency management professionals.
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SBA announces low-interest federal disaster loans for businesses & residents impacted by Bootleg Fire
The U.S. Small Business Administration has made available low-interest federal disaster loans to Oregon businesses and residents affected by the Bootleg Fire that occurred July 6-Aug. 15, 2021. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following the denial of the state’s request for a major disaster declaration on Oct. 26, 2021. The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lake and Lane counties in Oregon.
Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future. SBA virtual recovery customer service representatives are available 5 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer questions, explain the application process and help each person complete their electronic loan application. The deadline to apply for property damage is Dec. 27, 2021. Call 800-659-2955 or email FOCWAssistance@sba.gov.
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Oregon works to close vaccination gap among vulnerable populations
As of last week, 80% of people 18 and older living in Oregon have had at least one dose in their vaccination series against COVID-19. Oregon has made significant progress in closing the vaccination gap among people of color and rural communities but remains below the 80% threshold of those vaccinated for these groups. To reach more people in communities of color, Oregon Health Authority has conducted intensive outreach across the state through its Community Partner Outreach Program and Community Engagement Team to engage more than 170 community-based organizations. These partnerships led to the co-production of outreach materials in 11 languages and dozens of community-specific vaccine events.
CISA Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit
CISA recently updated its Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit to include new resources. Through the use of an interactive graphic displaying components of the emergency communications ecosystem, the toolkit is designed to help users evaluate current resiliency capabilities, identify ways to improve resiliency, and develop plans for mitigating the effects of potential resiliency threats. Since its original publication in July 2020, the toolkit has been updated with the addition of ransomware; positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) disruptions; power; and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The overarching design and layout of the toolkit has also been updated to improve the overall user experience.
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Federal Share of Disaster Funds Obligated to be Spent in Oregon
4519-2020 Flooding: $2,258,053
4562-2020 Wildfire: $256,047,887
4499-COVID-19: $365,021,939
4599-2021 Ice Storm: $921,742
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