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Director's Message
I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. Mine was filled with gratitude – for my family, for my health, and for how thankful I am to collaborate with such a talented and passionate group of professionals.
As emergency managers, we’re responsible for helping communities and individuals anticipate hazards and reduce their risk. It’s our duty to ensure Oregonians of all backgrounds and abilities can receive and understand safety actions and have access to resources to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. In doing so, we must reduce and eliminate gaps, barriers, and disparities to diverse populations regarding their access to services and information during an emergency.
To this end, I’m pleased to announce OEM’s newly launched Equity, Inclusion and Language Access website, which packages our ongoing outreach and communications efforts into a more accessible format for partners and the public. This user-friendly site is an important addition to the emergency management toolbox to make sure our programs and services are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible for all Oregonians. It serves as a one-stop shop for public and internal audiences to access DEI resources, including state and partner DEI websites, as well as essential information about anti-discrimination laws, regulations and policies that all state agencies must follow in the planning and execution of emergency management programs and services.
Equity is at the core of our mission to ensure we can all be more resilient against disasters and quickly recover when bad days happen. This website enhances equity within emergency management across the state.
Take care of yourselves, and take care of each other.
Andrew Phelps, Director, Oregon Office of Emergency Management
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Dec. 18 is Blood Donor Day in Ore. and Wash.
Blood donations are currently down both locally and nationally, with inventory levels at unprecedented lows. While a four or five-day supply is ideal for patients, the Northwest has less than a 24-hour supply in stock of Type O positive – the most commonly transfused blood type. Emergencies and disasters happen without warning, so a strong blood supply is integral to supporting people in a critical condition. Dec. 18 is Blood Donor Day in Oregon and Washington – as proclaimed by Governor Brown and Washington Governor Inslee to commemorate the Amtrak 501 derailment that occurred on that date in 2017. Injured passengers from that event received blood donations made by the community, made possible because blood supplies were stocked weeks prior. That accident underscores the need for communities to be prepared for the next local emergency. Help save lives -- book a donation at Bloodworks Northwest or the American Red Cross.
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Deadline approaches for Bootleg Fire SBA federal disaster loans
Dec. 27 is the deadline for Oregon businesses and residents to apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration federal disaster loan for property damage caused by the Bootleg Fire in Klamath County that occurred on July 6 - Aug. 15. These low-interest federal disaster loans are available in Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lake and Lane counties.
Businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters may apply for SBA federal disaster loans to repair or replace disaster damaged property. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future. Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications; call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955; or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339.
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OEM Director Andrew Phelps discusses disaster preparedness
OEM Director Andrew Phelps recently did an interview with AM Northwest, a lifestyle morning show that airs on Portland’s ABC affiliate, to discuss preparing for a disaster. Director Phelps shared how a little effort on the front end can help ensure we all make it through whatever bad day may lie ahead. Highlights included:
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Talking with friends, family and neighbors about potential risks and resources to determine where to get help and who might need help in the community.
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Making an emergency plan that touches on shelter, communications and evacuation, and adapting the plan to match specific needs, and discussing the plan with your household.
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Being "2 Weeks Ready" and planning to be self-sufficient for at least 14 days following any type of disaster, including assembling an emergency kit that includes supplies you’ll need if you must evacuate quickly to a safer location, and making sure you have food, water and necessities on hand in case you need to shelter at home.
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Signing up at ORAlert.gov for emergency alerts and paying attention to weather forecasts in your area.
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Building a digital defense against utility scams
Utility scams increase during cold weather, and often just the threat of a problem can cause someone to act without thinking. Common scams include someone pretending to be a utility provider threatening shut-off if payment is not received immediately; asking for payment via cash, a money transfer app or a gift card; or stating there's been an overpayment and bank account information is needed to transfer the money back. According to Oregon’s FBI, there are several ways consumers can protect themselves:
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Don’t be rushed to act. Utilities will always send late payment and cut-off notices with time to respond.
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Utilities will ask for payment in traditional ways; they will not demand payment through gift cards, pre-paid debit cards or cryptocurrency.
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Don’t click on links or open attachments in text messages or emails.
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Don’t give out account or other financial information to unsolicited callers.
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If someone shows up at your door, demand proof of identity and contact the utility to confirm the person is legitimate.
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Contact the utility directly to confirm any issues, using the contact information off a regular bill or its publicly available website.
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NFIP resources for flooding
Winter is approaching, bringing with it the potential for heavy rain and floods. Unfortunately, many property owners do not find out until it’s too late that their homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers a number of informative Resources on its program, including a social media toolkit; a resource library with videos, fact sheets and other products to communicate the value of flood insurance; help with filing a claim; tips for recovering from a flood; and more. Request a one-pager with links to NFIP resources by emailing Ugo Iteogu, Mitigation and Risk Communications Specialist with FEMA.
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OEM seeks input on crisis management software
OEM is seeking input on a proposed crisis management software solution. Emergency managers are asked to fill out a survey ranking the necessity of the project’s base functions. The survey is due by close of business on Dec. 31. OEM will review the results at the start of 2022 and will compile a report by the end of January, which will then be distributed to the community to ensure transparency in this process.
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Resources for emotional and mental health during the holidays
The holidays are a time for sharing, connecting, remembering and celebrating, but for some, holidays and families can trigger states of anxiety, depression and loneliness. The holidays often present a dizzying array of demands — cooking meals, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name just a few. People might also feel stressed, sad or anxious because their holiday plans look different during COVID-19. These kinds of experiences are common and can make the holidays challenging. The Oregon Health Authority has shared several options to support mental and emotional health while preparing for the holidays. Read more at CovidBlog.oregon.gov.
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Federal Share of Disaster Funds Obligated to be Spent in Oregon
DR4519—2020 Flooding: $2,010,130
DR4562—2020 Wildfire: $265,673,408
DR4499—COVID-19: $365,425,053
DR4599—2021 Ice Storm: $1,620,736
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