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Director's Message
OEM has awarded six fire districts across the state with new high-axle, all-terrain vehicles to assist their communities with disaster preparedness and response. These six vehicles have been or are in the process of being delivered to fire districts in Aurora, Cannon Beach, Eugene/Springfield, Evans Valley, Hoodland and Warrenton.
We’ve had several communities and organizations ask how they can get similar equipment. These vehicles were provided through the State Preparedness and Incident Response Equipment, or SPIRE, Grant program, which funds the purchase and distribution of equipment to be used during an emergency to decrease the risk for loss of life and property damage.
Oregon House Bill 2687 established the SPIRE Grant in 2017 and tasked OEM with developing a grant selection committee, made up of members of the community, to evaluate applications. A total of $5 million was made available in the first round of the grant, which awarded 81 pieces of equipment to 79 different awardees. Individual items had a minimum cost of $5,000 per item and were selected from an approved equipment list. In addition to the CORE Vehicles, equipment included generators, fuel tankers, big-water rescue boats, a low-water rescue boat, rescue jet skis, mass casualty trailers and water purification trailers.
Clackamas Fire uses its 21-foot-long SJX water rescue boat to respond to water-related emergencies in waters as shallow as two inches. Lane Co. employs its 56kW generator to power a pump for an emergency water supply system at the county fairgrounds. Hoodland Fire District's all-terrain vehicle serves as a combination of a water tank, pump and hose reel to augment its brush vehicles. SPIRE equipment has also been shared among jurisdictions: Deschutes Co.’s generator was used to assist Warm Springs when its EOC generator went down. While the state purchases the equipment, the awardee is responsible for the maintenance, staffing and response. The state retains the option to request use of the equipment elsewhere if an emergency occurs.
Oregon legislature has funded SPIRE with $10 million for 2022-2023; the next grant round opens March 1 and will remain open for 90 days. It will include similar equipment as previously offered, with the addition of urban search and rescue equipment, morgue trailers and solar generators. Qualified applicants include any organization responsible for or containing expertise in emergency preparedness that is a local government, special government body or a private 501(c)(3) organization.
Our county and tribal partners and communities are continually challenged by emergencies and disasters. The SPIRE Grant provides practical equipment that allows for a more efficient response at the local level, strengthening our state’s collective emergency response system.
Take care of yourselves and take care of each other. Andrew Phelps, Director, Oregon Office of Emergency Management
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Blood donors needed as national blood shortage continues
The nation is facing its worst blood shortage in more than a decade, citing a drop in blood drives due to the pandemic. This national blood crisis is threatening patient care and forcing hospitals to prioritize their limited supply of blood and platelets to those who are actively bleeding or undergoing emergency surgeries. In recent weeks, both the American Red Cross and Bloodworks NW have had less than a one-day supply of critical blood types and have had to limit blood product distributions to hospitals. The recent surge of COVID-19 cases and staffing shortages are compounding the already-dire situation. Eligible blood donors – especially type O donors – are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets in the days and weeks ahead. Blood can't be manufactured or stockpiled, so donors are asked to consider booking additional appointments in advance. Encourage your communities to be prepared for the next local emergency by making an appointment through the Red Cross or Bloodworks NW.
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Virtual public hearing for wildfire survivors
The Oregon Legislature House Special Committee on Wildfire Recovery would like to hear from wildfire survivors about their recovery experience. The Committee wants to learn about ongoing challenges faced rebuilding homes, communities, and lives. These stories will help legislators understand what is going well in fire-affected areas, and what needs still remain. The public hearing will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Feb. 15. Those wishing to testify will need to register in advance; survivors are also invited to provide written testimony. For more information, visit wildfire.oregon.gov.
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New video helps raise awareness about earthquake insurance and financial preparedness
The Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW) has shared a new educational video to help raise awareness about earthquake insurance and financial preparedness. The 3-minute video is available in both English and Spanish and includes closed captioning. CREW is a non-profit coalition of private, public, and academic partners working together to improve the ability of communities, businesses, and homeowners across Cascadia and the western U.S. to reduce the effects of earthquakes and related hazards, including tsunami.
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Final issue of Wildfire Recovery Update
The final issue of the Wildfire Recovery Update deliverable will be distributed statewide on Feb. 15. The Office of Emergency Management developed the first Recovery Update in coordination with state and federal partners on Sept. 15, 2020, just one week following the devastating Labor Day wildfires. The product has served as a collated and verified situation summary of Oregon's wildfire recovery efforts, highlighting human impacts, statistics, information resources and volunteer opportunities. OEM has produced 75 issues of the Wildfire Recovery Update to inform external audiences and partners of the ongoing status of the state’s recovery efforts. Recovery doesn't move nearly as quickly as any of us would like, especially for disaster survivors who are still working to replace what was taken from them during the fires. While this is the last time OEM will distribute the Wildfire Recovery Update, the agency will maintain strong connectivity and partnerships with our local and federal partners, non-profit organizations, and the private sector until each community has fully completed its recovery process. View all issues at wildfire.oregon.gov.
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OSFM holds Oregon Defensible Space Code kick-off meeting
Under Senate Bill 762, the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is mandated to adopt a statewide minimum defensible space code on lands that meet the definition of the wildland-urban interface (WUI) in “High” and “Extreme” risk classifications as mapped by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) by Dec. 31. OSFM and stakeholders will go through the code adoption process using the framework of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code model language. OSFM is holding an information meeting from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Feb. 23 outlining the process, timelines and scope of this process. The meeting is open to the public and will be presented via Microsoft Teams. Click here to join the meeting or call in for audio only: 1-773-917-3509, meeting ID 693015874#.
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OSFM to hold listening and understanding sessions
The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is hosting virtual listening and understanding sessions in March 2022. These sessions will assist the agency in informing the strategic investment of two new funding opportunities for Oregon communities with wildfire preparedness and response. The discussions and resulting outcomes from the listening and understanding sessions will ensure that OSFM focuses efforts where communities best need investments from the specific funding. These sessions are designed for two separate topic areas and will be an opportunity for stakeholders to ask questions, seek clarification, and make recommendations for OSFM’s next steps.
Community Risk Reduction Funding Listening and Understanding Session Reviewing the funding provided through Senate Bill 762 as it relates specifically to Community Risk Reduction. Takes place 1:30-3:30 p.m. on March 1: Register via eventbrite.com.
Response Ready Oregon Funding: Listening and Understanding Session Explaining the funding provided through Senate Bill 762, which is specifically for wildfire response facilitated through OSFM in Oregon. Takes place 1:30-3:30 p.m. on March 8: Register via eventbrite.com.
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OEM press release distribution platform change
Starting March 1, the Office of Emergency Management will transition its method of distributing press releases to GovDelivery from FlashAlert. While the media will continue to receive press releases through FlashAlert, county and tribal emergency managers, OERS Council members and agency partners will receive the information through the GovDelivery platform. GovDelivery is used exclusively by government agencies to elevate, streamline and track communication efforts with the public and to drive public engagements with the government programs and services. Subscribers can opt in or opt out of receiving email notifications based on individual needs and interests; click here to manage subscriptions.
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Battery Day
Feb. 18 is National Battery Day, in commemoration of the anniversary of Alessandro Volta’s birth in 1745. The day serves to appreciate the convenience batteries provide to our everyday lives. It's also a good reminder to inventory emergency kits and swap out old and dead batteries for new ones. When assembling an emergency kit, consider battery powered requirements during a power outage—for radios, lanterns and flashlights—and make sure each device has a compatible spare battery. Learn more at OEM's Be 2 Weeks Ready page.
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City of Seaside completes alternative EOC
The City of Seaside is completing an alternative emergency operations center (EOC), located near the city’s new school campus and 2-million-gallon water tank in the hills above town east of US-101. The center will provide a single location where city staff and stakeholders can help support an incident. The city’s primary emergency operations center is located near the downtown core, City Hall and public works; a back-up location was needed to be both seismic and tsunami resilient as well as to allow emergency response to be more easily coordinated when incidents take place near crowded downtown areas. An additional parking area at the new EOC will allow room for operations and staging outside of the tsunami inundation zone. (Photo Credit: The Seaside Signal.)
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Deadline approaching for SBA working capital loans due to drought
Small nonfarm businesses in 17 Oregon counties have until March 7 to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury to offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought that began May 11, 2021. The impacted counties include Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Hood River, Lane, Lincoln, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Washington and Yamhill. Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Learn more and apply at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov.
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COVID update: Oregon will lift indoor mask requirements no later than March 31
OHA announced Oregon will remove general mask requirements for indoor public places no later than March 31. By late March, health scientists expect that about 400 or fewer Oregonians would be hospitalized with COVID-19, the level of hospitalizations the state experienced before the Omicron variant began to spread. Mask requirements for schools will be lifted on March 31. However, state health officials say Oregon needs to keep mask requirements in place for now as COVID-19 hospitalizations crest and Oregon’s health care system strains to treat high numbers of severely ill patients. On Feb. 7, OHA filed a new rule with the Oregon Secretary of State to require people to wear masks while indoors in public places. The new rule replaces a temporary rule that expires Feb. 8. The rule, as well as the hearing officer report for the public hearing and a written comment period, can be found here. Health experts strongly recommend high-risk individuals continue wearing masks in indoor public settings after mask requirements are lifted.
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Training opportunities
AWR-328 All Hazards Preparedness for Animals in Disasters (Lincoln City) 8 a.m.-5 p.m., March 7. Click here to register.
MGT-448 All Hazards Planning for Animal, Agricultural, and Food-Related Disaster (Lincoln City) 8 a.m.-5 p.m., March 8. Click here to register.
FEMA CIT/CITAP: Conducting Continuous Improvement Interviews Webinar 10-11 a.m., Feb. 16 When developing an After-Action Report (AAR), emergency managers should strive to have a deep understanding of the challenges and associated impacts experienced throughout an incident. Interviews are one form of data collection that supports the identification of lessons learned, best practices, and areas for improvement. Learn best practices for developing high quality interview questions and how to manage and organize data collected in interviews. Click here to register.
FEMA CIT/CITAP: Planning Your After-Action Webinar 10-11 a.m., March 9 Emergency managers are often met with recommendations and criticisms after an incident. This webinar will explain how to collect the information from the right people, organize it, and build products to improve your programs. Click here to register.
Master Public Information Officer Program The Master Public Information Officer Program (MPIOP) is a three-course series that prepares Public Information Officers for an expanded role in delivering public information and warning using a strategic whole community approach. The Emergency Management Institute Emergency Management Professional Program Branch will accept applications for the MPIOP from April 1–June 1, 2022, for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Cohort. Learn more here.
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OEM career opportunities
Principal Executive Manager/E - Finance Section Manager: Apply at Workday by Feb. 15. Responsible for the overall financial and budget management and functions as the primary liaison with DAS Chief Financial Officer and the Legislative Financial Office. Manages all department accountants and works directly with executive leadership as a subject matter expert on accounting and finance laws, rules, regulations and policies. Full-time, limited duration position in Salem.
9-1-1 Project Portfolio Manager (Information Systems Specialist 8): Apply at Workday by Feb. 18. Responsible for providing 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 (PSAPs). Full-time, limited-duration position in Salem.
Digital Platform Coordinator (Information Systems Specialist 5): Apply at Workday by March 7. Applicant information discussion from 1-2 p.m. on Feb. 25 via Zoom. Position is a member of the strategic communications and partnerships team and develops end user Web-based software applications as well as other environments and provides end user desktop support services for critical areas such as preparedness and education, program guidance, grants opportunities, critical public notification and community engagement opportunities for all programs within the department. Full-time, limited duration position in Salem.
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Federal Share of Disaster Funds Obligated to be Spent in Oregon
DR4499—COVID-19: $366,503,722 DR4519—2020 Flooding: $2,751,834 DR4562—2020 Wildfire: $333,166,062 DR4599—2021 Ice Storm: $3,598,265
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