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Director's Message
Oregon’s dedicated 911 emergency operators and dispatchers answer nearly 2 million emergency calls annually for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. Over the past two years, these professionals have additionally served on the front line through unprecedented disaster response efforts across the state. In honor of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 10-16, Governor Kate Brown has issued a proclamation recognizing the critical role the state’s 911 operators and dispatchers play in keeping our communities safe and secure.
911 call takers, dispatchers, and technicians work behind the scenes to help citizens during emergencies ranging from mental health crises, car accidents, missing person reports, burglaries and domestic violence disturbances. Since early 2020, Oregon’s 911 professionals have had the added responsibility of serving throughout a pandemic, historic wildfires, heatwaves, winter storms, floods and severe staffing shortages.
On any given day, our public safety dispatchers have an incredibly stressful job; during the last two years, that’s been compounded as they’ve responded to unprecedented disasters in which they were the first to answer the call. The Governor’s proclamation for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, brings well-deserved attention and recognition to these invaluable professionals. We join Governor Brown in thanking them for their unwavering service and dedication to Oregonians every single day.
Take care of yourselves and take care of each other. Andrew Phelps, Director, Oregon Office of Emergency Management
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Oregon Basin Outlook Report
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have released the Oregon Basin Outlook Report for April. Dry conditions, in addition to above normal temperatures, continued well into peak snowpack season providing little drought relief across the state. As a result, water-year precipitation declined from March 1, with all basins now below to well-below the 1991-2020 median. Snowpack is at a much lower percentage median for all basins in part due to rapid early onset of melting that began in March in several parts of the state. The report advises water users and managers in many regions to prepare for significantly reduced water supplies during the summer. Read the full report at the State Library of Oregon's digital collections.
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April 15 is National ASL Day
Emergencies and disasters affect millions of Americans each year. With over 48 million Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing, this population can experience greater difficulty when it comes to preparing for and recovering from emergencies and disasters. April 15 is National ASL (American Sign Language) Day. The National Association of the Deaf shares on its website best practices, including an “Emergency Planner Checklist,” to provide local emergency managers with tools and resources they can reference to provide access to emergency services for their deaf and hard of hearing community members. Learn more at NAD.org.
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Research has shown an increase in domestic violence during COVID-19 in several states, including Oregon. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), and this year's campaign is focused on Building Safe Online Spaces Together. This is possible when we practice digital consent, intervene when seeing harmful content and behaviors, and promote online communities that value respect, inclusion and safety. Learn more at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Additionally, Multnomah County Department of Human Services is holding a Sexual Assault Awareness Month webinar series. Each event will be live streamed on the department’s Facebook page.
9-10:30 a.m., April 13: NCCASA Human Trafficking Advocacy and Prevention from a Public Health Framework: Our Story. Join via Zoom.
2-3:30 p.m., April 20: The Dynamics of Child Sexual Abuse. Join via Zoom.
1-2:30 p.m., April 27: It's All Connected: Intersectional Approaches to Preventing Violence Before it Occurs. Join via Zoom.
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CISA Publishes Secure Tomorrow Series Toolkit
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published the first iteration of the Secure Tomorrow Series Toolkit, a powerful means of increasing risk awareness, identifying risk mitigation solutions, and encouraging systems-level thinking and long-term planning to strengthen the security and resiliency of critical infrastructure systems. This iteration of the toolkit focuses on anonymity and privacy; trust and social cohesion; and data storage and transmission. The toolkit contains game templates; facilitator, player and controller guides; read-ahead materials; and other materials needed for users to self-facilitate four different activities. Learn more and access the free resources at CISA.gov.
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OHA AmeriCorps VISTA Partnership Project
Positions are open for the May 2022 cohort in the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) AmeriCorps VISTA Partnership Project. OHA is a statewide sponsoring organization for approximately 35 AmeriCorps VISTA members. Its team members lead anti-poverty public health initiatives in their agencies and communities. The team serves in the areas of community wellness programs, behavioral health, chronic disease prevention, COVID-19 response, public health department accreditation, quality improvement processes, health equity and more. Positions must be filled by April 15; learn more and apply at HealthOregon.org. The AmeriCorps VISTA program is also recruiting host sites for the August 2022 cohort; applications are due by April 15. Learn more at Oregon.Gov.
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Oregon Immunization Program Seeks Input on Regional In-Person Meetings
The Oregon Immunization Program (OIP) is in the early planning stages for regional in-person meetings for Sept. and Oct. in Portland-Metro, Newport, Bend, La Grande, Burns, Medford, Eugene and possibly The Dalles. The goal is to start a discussion on how OHA/OIP can address health gaps for immunization policies and procedures, vaccine confidence and messaging, and other communications strategies. These will be half- or full-day meetings with LPHAs, tribes, immunizing providers and community-based organizations interested in participating in building vaccine confidence in their respective communities. OIP is reaching out to partners to help plan these meetings and identify those at the local level who would like to be involved. If interested, please fill out this very short survey by April 14 to help with planning.
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OSFM Firewise USA Webinar
Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Risk Reduction Specialists are hosting a series of virtual wildfire webinars to prepare Oregonians and the fire service for wildfire. The second webinar in the series will take place at noon on April 21 and focus on the Firewise USA program. Details for registration will be forthcoming. Future webinar topics later this spring include wildfire prevention tips and evacuation readiness. Here's a link to the first webinar in the series, The Home Ignition Zone.
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American Red Cross National Sound the Alarm Campaign
Home fires claim seven lives every day, but having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half. The American Red Cross will present a 15 minute informational session on its National Home Fire Campaign, Sound the Alarm, an ongoing program that helps to educate households about home fire safety as well as installing smoke alarms free of cost. Oregonians can learn more about how to prepare for a home fire and how to get involved with the Red Cross as they work to make households safer. Register for the event at FEMA.ZoomGov.com.
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Alert and Warning Technical Assistance Workshops
The FEMA National Integration Center, in partnership with the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Office, is providing two workshops of Collaborative Technical Assistance (TA) to help jurisdictions improve the speed, reach and effectiveness of alerts and warnings. This assistance is appropriate for all public sector alert and warning authorities, including emergency managers, public information officers, social media coordinators and public outreach coordinators. The first workshop is April 19-20 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days with a pre-workshop webinar from noon to 1:30 p.m. on April 12; register at EventBrite.com. The second workshop will take place June 7-8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, with a pre-workshop webinar from noon-1:30 p.m. on May 24; register at EventBrite.com.
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CISA Cyber Event Information Sharing Fact Sheet
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) continues to encourage stakeholders to voluntarily share information about cyber-related events that could help mitigate current or emerging cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure. CISA has developed a Cyber Event Information Sharing Fact Sheet offering clear guidance about what to share, who should share and how to share information about unusual cyber incidents or activity. Please share this resource with your networks, on your websites and across your social media accounts.
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National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15
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April 11-15 is National Work Zone Awareness Week. From 2015 through 2019 in Oregon, there was an average of 584 total crashes each year in work zones. Transportation safety and delivery of projects are key priorities under ODOT's Strategic Action Plan. Work zone safety is doubly important because it's about sustaining Oregon’s transportation infrastructure safely for people doing the vital work in road crews and people traveling through work zones. Please help amplify ODOT's message this week on social media; learn more at Oregon.gov/ODOT. |
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Upcoming Forums will Present Information for Wildfire Recovery
Southern Oregon Representative Pam Marsh will be hosting two forums on Zoom in mid-April to provide an update and new information on programs for fire survivors, including Oregon’s newly revamped housing replacement assistance through Oregon Housing and Community Services and ACCESS; energy efficiency programs available from Energy Trust of Oregon and Oregon Department of Energy; and a fire hardening incentive offered by Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. Presenters from each agency will provide information about requirements for eligibility, the applications process, timelines, cost commitments and contact information. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions. Watch the event in English from 6-7:30 p.m. on April 13. Watch the event in Spanish from 6-7:30 p.m. on April 14.
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Managing Service and Emotional Support Animals in Emergencies Webinar
ADA Presentations is offering a webinar exploring the issues around assistance animals in an emergency. Topics covered will include a basic overview of definitions and rules around assistance animals, evacuations of assistance animals, and the differences between the types of shelters that allow service animals and those that allow emotional support animals. The webinar will be held at 11:30 a.m. on April 14th. Register at ADAPresentations.org.
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Assessing the Economic Impact of Disaster-Induced Transportation Disruptions
Transportation systems play a critical role in maintaining supply chains for effective post-disaster recovery. Modeling the potential economic impact of transportation-related disruptions is an important step to promoting pre-event community-wide recovery and resilience planning. The National Institute for Transportation (NITC) and Communities is hosting a webinar presenting a collaborative framework for supply chain and economic impact assessments, and guidance on how to transfer this framework to other communities. The webinar will take place from 10-11 a.m. on April 17. Register at NITC.Trec.Pdx.edu.
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Emergency Management Job Postings |
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Do you have an emergency management-related job posting you’d like included in Weekly Watch? Submit listings by Friday morning to be considered for the following Monday's report; send to OEM Public Affairs at public.info@state.or.us.
Multnomah County Emergency Management Planner. Apply at Workday by April 14.
City of Hillsboro Public Information Officer: Economic and Community Development Department. Apply at governmentjobs.com by April 17.
City of Hillsboro Public Information Officer: Parks & Recreation Department. Apply at governmentjobs.com by April 17.
OEM Chief Audit Executive (Internal Auditor 3). Apply at Workday by April 18. Conference call for all interested applicants from noon-1 p.m. on April 7 via Zoom (Meeting ID: 853 5713 7617, Passcode: 657814).
OEM Strategic Planner (Operations & Policy Analyst 4). Apply at Workday by April 19. Conference call for all interested applicants from 11 a.m. to noon on April 5 via Zoom.
OEM Recovery Program Representative (Program Analyst 2) - 3 positions available. Apply at Workday by April 28. Conference call held from 1-2 p.m. on April 15 via Zoom.
OEM 911 Project Portfolio Manager (Information Systems Specialist 8) (Internal). Apply at Workday by May 24.
OEM Grants Accountant (Accountant 2) - 2 positions available. Apply at Workday by May 30 (pulling a list of candidates on April 18; list may close anytime after that date).
Douglas County: Emergency Services Manager. Apply at governmentjobs.com (no closing date).
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OEM has produced several graphics to help message preparedness. Click on the image and save as a picture, then post, share or embed as needed! You can find additional images on OEM's Facebook and Twitter pages. |
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Total Federal Share of Public Assistance Disaster Funds Obligated to be Spent in Oregon
DR4499—COVID-19: $377,042,485 DR4519—2020 Flooding: $3,014,760 DR4562—2020 Wildfire: $356,831,870 DR4599—2021 Ice Storm: $6,196,215
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Want something included in Weekly Watch? Submit items by Friday morning to be considered for the following Monday's report. Send to OEM Public Affairs at public.info@state.or.us. |
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