|
Weekly Watch is a bulletin for emergency managers, partners and stakeholders. If you have topics pertaining to emergency management you'd like included in a future issue, please email OEM Public Affairs. Content must be received by noon on Friday to be considered for the following Monday's report. If you'd like to unsubscribe, you'll find directions at the bottom of this issue. |
|
Director's Message
This week’s Director’s Message is brought to you by OEM Mitigation Section Manager Stephen Richardson.
Last week, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Vice President Kamala Harris announced the sub-applications selected for the $1.16 billion available in Fiscal Year 2021 for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant programs to help communities across the nation enhance climate and disaster resilience.
The OEM Mitigation Team is pleased to share that several competitive projects from Oregon were identified for further review in the national competition. Congratulations to Lane and Clackamas counties and the State of Oregon for being selected in the National Competition; and to the City of Gresham, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development and the state for being selected in the State Allocation category.
While the announcement is not an award, it is a decision on the status of all sub-applications and provides insight on next steps. FEMA and the OEM mitigation team will work with the selected applicants and conduct reviews of the selected sub-applications before making a final decision for funding. The projects that move forward with funding will help improve community resilience to a multitude of hazards including floods, droughts and wildfires.
Anticipating that climate change impacts will also be a focus of BRIC FY 2022, the OEM mitigation team is starting to engage with state agencies focused on climate change impacts, including the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) Climate Change Adaptation Group and the State Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team (IHMT).
The BRIC and FMA grants announcement represents a continued commitment by the current administration to take action to make communities across the nation more resilient to climate change. These investments will help us all be better prepared for the threats we face today, along with the ones that will come tomorrow.
|
2021 GIS After-Action Report and Improvement Plan
OEM recently completed a GIS after-action review and improvement plan report for 2021. This process incorporated asking the Oregon Preparedness Framework Implementation Team (PrepFIT) – a community comprised of GIS professionals in the emergency management sector – to submit information regarding the use of GIS during the last year’s events, including what datasets were used and lessons learned from the response and recovery activities. The responses resulted in an analysis of data used, specific issues encountered with the data, and community recommendations for new datasets to include moving forward. This feedback allows this group of GIS emergency management professionals to help drive GIS initiatives moving forward for the State of Oregon.
|
Seeking Dog Photos for International Dog Day
International Dog Day, held annually on Aug. 26, celebrates how special dogs are to people and their everyday lives. OEM will celebrate the day as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of including our furry family members in our emergency plans! We’re looking for as many photos of dogs practicing preparedness as possible to be featured on OEM’s social media on Aug. 26 and in the Weekly Watch on Aug. 29. The deadline to submit photos is Aug. 18. If you’re interested, please read the parameters below:
- Photos of dogs only, please (when we have people in photos, we need to identify them, which takes up valuable real estate in a social media collage).
- Horizontal/landscape photos will work best.
- Send either a jpg or png (no videos or gifs).
- The photo should be as high-resolution as possible, 300 dpi is preferred.
- Color photos are preferred.
- The photo must show the dog practicing some sort of preparedness or risk reduction, e.g. a dog with an emergency kit, a dog wearing a life vest, a dog staying cool in the heat, a dog with an emergency plan/My Pocket Plan, etc.
- Please include the dog’s name.
|
Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $20 million in FY 2023 (which begins Oct. 1) to help conservation partners protect and restore critical wetlands through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is prioritizing proposals that support efforts to mitigate climate change by restoring wetlands while also prioritizing assistance to underserved communities. Proposals are due by Sept. 23. Learn more at a virtual WREP workshop at 10 a.m. on Aug. 17; Contact Lisa McCauley at lisa.mccauley@usda.gov for login information.
|
Webinar on FEMA's Role Before, During and After Disaster
Join FEMA Region 10 Individual and Community Preparedness for its monthly Third Thursday Tips Webinar from noon-12:15 p.m. on Aug. 18. The webinar will cover a brief overview of the disaster life cycle of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery and discuss FEMA's role before, during and after disasters.
|
OSFM Debuts New Incident Blog
The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) has a new incident blog to keep communities and the Oregon fire service informed about wildfire and other incidents. Live at OSFMInfo.org, OSFM posts information about mobilized resources for incidents. The blog also features the NWCC large fire map, Oregon DEQ air quality index map, and other useful links and information.
|
Excessive Heat Resources
Parts of Oregon are experiencing another life-threatening heat wave. Overnight cooling shelters are open throughout different regions; make sure your audiences have resources to stay cool and encourage community members to reach out to their loved ones and neighbors, especially those who may be vulnerable to heat.
|
Oregon Fires and Hotspots Dashboard
Oregon is in the middle of wildfire season, with numerous fires burning throughout the state. View current fire data and evacuation maps using the State of Oregon Fires and Hotspots Dashboard, which tracks data from local, state and federal partners. To learn about current smoke impacts, visit the Oregon Smoke Information Blog.
|
Disaster Responders Resource Portal
The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) administers a Responders Resource Portal that provides resources and training supporting the behavioral health of first responders in a wide variety of disciplines, including disaster management, law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services and others. These resources help responders with stress management, burnout, substance abuse, compassion fatigue and more.
Additionally, a new podcast, CASAT Conversations, dedicated its entire first season to first responders’ behavioral health issues. Behind the Frontline: Supporting the Families of Frontline Staff and First Responders provides educational tips, stress management techniques and ways to build resilience within the family.
|
Oregon Lifts Animal Import Requirements for Evacuations
Due to the ongoing threat of wildfires in Oregon and neighboring states, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is providing an emergency exemption to all import requirements for companion animals and livestock under an evacuation order for fire or other natural disaster through Sept. 30. The exemption applies only when the farm or residence of origin is under a level 1, 2 or 3 evacuation order at the time of entry into Oregon; and notification of entry must be made to the Oregon State Veterinarian by email or by calling 503-986-4680 within 72 hours after entry into Oregon.
Notification must include:
- Complete physical address of origin where animals have been evacuated from
- Name and phone number of owner of animals
- Complete physical address of location in Oregon where animals were evacuated to
- Name and phone number of contact for animals while in Oregon
- Number and species of animals evacuated to Oregon
- Animals must return to the state of origin within 30 days of entry into Oregon. If return within that timeframe is not possible, the Oregon State Veterinarian must be notified by telephone (503-986-4680) prior to the 30th day in Oregon.
|
ORWAARN/CISA Free Cyber Tabletop Exercise
Oregon Water/Wastewater Agency Response (ORWAN) and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are hosting a free Cyber Tabletop Exercise that will improve stakeholders' knowledge, plans, processes, procedures and capabilities regarding a cyber incident. The exercise scenario will be a threat actor that uses a compromised vendor to steal sensitive business data, disrupt water/wastewater and disrupt the organization's billing processes. The exercise will be held virtually from 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 16.
|
|
|
Oregon is experiencing several wildfires currently with a number of evacuation orders in place. Share these flyers with your audiences so they are familiar with the evacuation levels and know what to do when they receive an evacuation notice.
|
|
Emergency Management Job Postings |
|
Training Opportunities and Resources |
|
Aug. 9-10, 2022: MGT-439 Pediatric Disaster Response & Emergency Preparedness (McMinnville). Register with Teex.
Aug. 11-12, 2022: MGT-439 Pediatric Disaster Response & Emergency Preparedness (Oregon City). Register with TEEX.
Aug. 22-26: King County Emergency Management Advanced Public Information Officer Course (Renton, Wash.) featuring instructors from the Emergency Management Institute. Learn more and apply at Washington Emergency Management Division’s registration site.
Aug. 22-25: L0209 State Recovery Planning and Coordination (Salem). This course is designed to provide participants with a step-by-step review of their roles in state recovery planning and on the strengths and weaknesses of their current state recovery plans or framework. Learn more and register at Eventbrite.
Aug. 22-26: G2300 Intermediate Emergency Operations Course (Virtual). Learn more and register at Eventbrite.
Sept. 27-28, 2022: PER-344 Social Media Tools and Techniques (Virtual). Learn more and register at the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center.
Oct. 18-19, 2022: PER-343 Social Media Engagement Strategies (Virtual). Learn more and register at the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center.
E0388 Advanced Public Information Officer (three offerings): Jan. 23-27, 2023, April 24-28, 2023, or July 31-Aug. 4, 2023. Learn more and apply at NETC.
For additional training information and resources, please click the links below.
|
|
Total Federal Share of Public Assistance Disaster Funds Obligated to be Spent in Oregon
DR4499—COVID-19: $506,212,441 DR4519—2020 Flooding: $4,150,142 DR4562—2020 Wildfire: $363,228,978 DR4599—2021 Ice Storm: $12,442,004
|
|
|
|
|