Weekly Watch UPDATED with missing Readiness Resource link, apologies!

After a historically hot and long summer and fall, rain has finally arrived in Oregon! As we enter the rainy season – and persistent La Niña conditions – it’s a reminder to inform our community members living and traveling in and around wildfire-impacted areas about the increased risk of flooding, landslides and debris flows.

With incredibly destructive wildfires in Oregon over the past three years, our landscape and ground conditions have changed dramatically. Wildfire effects are often felt for years after the flames are out. For those in or near these impacted areas, threats like flash floods and debris flows can happen quickly and with little to no warning. Just this past weekend, a Flash Flood Watch was in effect for the Cedar Creek Fire burn scar.

It's critical we prepare our communities to evacuate immediately if conditions warrant or if folks feel it’s unsafe to remain in their home. Remind them to have an evacuation route planned that is less likely to be impacted by flash flooding and debris flow. And encourage them to stay informed by signing up to receive local emergency alerts and paying attention to weather forecasts in the area.

This is also a time to emphasize the importance of flood insurance and ensure your communities understand homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate policy and policies typically take 30 days to go into effect, so people need to plan in advance. Following are some good resources:

• Flood risk and mitigation: Ready.gov/floods.
• Landslides and debris flow: Ready.gov/landslides-debris-flow.
• Flood insurance: Fema.gov/flood-insurance.

Take care of yourselves and take care of each other.
Andrew Phelps, Director, Oregon Department of Emergency Management

OEM is moving its offices this week from the Anderson Readiness Center to its new home at 3930 Fairview Industrial Avenue SE in Salem. There may be potential issues contacting OEM staff through Nov. 4 due to network connectivity. If there is an urgent matter, call or text the staff member. If there is an emergency, contact OERS at 800- 452-0311 and request the Executive Duty Office return the call.

As part of the move, OEM’s OpsCenter and RAPTOR critical applications will be down for maintenance from 10 a.m. on Oct. 29 to 10 a.m. on Oct. 30. During this time, requests for assistance can be made through OERS at 800-452-0311. Communication with relevant partners will be made through alternate processes as necessary, and notifications will be sent out once they systems are back up and available.

Oregon DEQ’s Fuel Tank Seismic Stability Program will evaluate the vulnerability of fuel tank systems to earthquakes and require facilities to develop plans to minimize risk. DEQ will hold the first of three rules advisory committee meetings at 9 a.m. on Oct. 26 to discuss what rules will govern the program. The meeting will include discussions on DEQ’s proposed approach to the rules, what it means to minimize risk and how to ensure environmental justice is incorporated into the process. These rules, which will apply to all facilities that can store over 2 million gallons of fuel in Lane, Multnomah and Columbia counties, will be critical for protecting people and the environment and keeping communities safer in the event of a major earthquake. All committee meetings are open to the public to listen. DEQ will post meeting information and materials on the Fuel Tanks and Seismic Stability rulemaking webpage two weeks before each meeting.

Extreme heat is responsible for the highest number of annual deaths among all weather-related hazards. Even when extreme heat doesn’t prove deadly, it can increase the risk of heart and respiratory problems and is especially dangerous for children, seniors and people with underlying health conditions. Mathematica, a research and data analytics consultancy, produces On the Evidence, a podcast that examines today’s most urgent challenges and discusses ways to make progress in addressing them. The latest episode explores the risks extreme heat poses to human health, how climate change is exacerbating those risks, and what role data-driven strategies are playing in mitigating the harmful effects of extreme heat.

Emergency managers are not expected to be technical experts on cyber incidents, but they do need to understand and prepare for the potential impacts of an incident on their communities and operations. FEMA has released a draft of a new publication, Planning Considerations for Cyber Incidents: Guidance for Emergency Managers, which provides state, local and tribal emergency managers with foundational knowledge of cyber incidents to increase cyber preparedness efforts in their jurisdictions. FEMA is seeking input, especially real-world case studies, that can be incorporated into the guide. The agency is hosting webinars on Oct. 26 and Nov. 3, 8 and 15, to give an overview of the draft document and gather feedback from whole community partners. The sessions will include facilitated discussions to help improve the existing draft. Register for one of the webinar sessions and submit feedback at FEMA’s Planning Guidance page. The engagement period will conclude on Nov. 22.

The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) grant assists state, local and tribal efforts to build, sustain and deliver the capabilities necessary to prevent, prepare for, protect against and respond to acts of terrorism. OEM has posted the FY22 SHSP award list and will be holding virtual SHSP program trainings to reestablish reporting expectations and address other frequently asked questions. Program and fiscal leads for each project are encouraged to attend these trainings; dates will be announced in the coming weeks. OEM will be sending out grant agreements shortly. The agency is still collecting Environmental and Historical Preservation screening information from some of the applicants and working with FEMA to finalize their review. Those with an EHP impact should expect at least a 2-month delay to the project; this information will be highlighted in the agreement under the budget section Exhibit A.

Oregon FE23 is a Functional Exercise (FE) intended to test the abilities of local, state, tribal and federal governments, as well as selected private sector and non-governmental organizations, to respond jointly to a Cascadia Subduction Zone 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami with associated aftershocks along the West Coast. OEM has extended an invitation to local and tribal partners to engage in local exercise activity in conjunction with the statewide functional exercise taking place June 12-15, 2023. FE23 Exercise Extent of Play Agreements (XPAs) have been offered to both individual and multiple jurisdiction efforts. All local and tribal partner XPAs must be submitted to OEM no later than Nov. 1; the deadline for state XPAs has passed.

The Sept. 28 issue of Weekly Watch included a story about the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), which provides $1 billion in funding to partners over four years to support efforts to reduce cyber risk and build resilience to the evolving cybersecurity threat environment. The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Cyber Security Services is the lead agency; please direct any questions on this grant to Cinnamon Albin at DAS, cinnamon.s.albin@das.oregon.gov.

Last Thursday, OEM staff joined more than half a million Oregonians and millions more around the world in the Great ShakeOut, practicing Drop or Lock, Cover and Hold On. Knowing what to do when the earth starts shaking helps reduces risk and offers better protection during an earthquake; OEM takes part in this annual exercise so these actions will become a routine. If it had been a real earthquake of magnitude 4.5 or larger, Oregonians would have received a ShakeAlert-powered alerts on their cell phone. There are several ways people can ensure they get these notifications, as outlined on the USGS website. For those looking to continue their earthquake preparedness plan, the Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA) has worked with experts in earthquake science, preparedness and mitigation to develop a step-by-step guide for staying safe before, during and after an earthquake. View the ECA website to learn, practice and share the seven steps.

The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is hosting an educational webinar on upcoming grant programs for community wildfire preparedness programs. These grants will give local community leaders, counties, fire service agencies and organizations additional support to create defensible space and prepare their communities for wildfire. The webinar will cover the grants, examples of successful projects and steps Oregonians can take to create defensible space around their home. The webinar will take place at 1 p.m. on Nov. 3 on Microsoft Teams.

Portland's Tribal Relations Team is holding a training to help build skills in effective, culturally relevant engagement with tribes and urban native communities. The virtual one-day training on Nov. 8 will highlight opportunities for collaboration and continue education about tribal sovereignty, consultation best practices and the nuances of Indigenous worldviews. There will be plenary sessions in the morning and two rounds of breakout sessions in the afternoon. Registration for the training is $130 per person. The registration and payment system are currently being configured and a URL will be provided once confirmed. Direct any questions to tribal.relations@portlandoregon.gov.

As a result of the unprecedented level of school shootings in 2022, school safety is top of mind for first responders, businesses and communities. To help improve community safety, companies that specialize in school safety software are linking their emergency data directly to 911 through the RapidSOS intelligent safety platform, enabling first responders to deliver a faster, more contextual response to school-related emergencies. Rapid SOS’s live webinar series Tech for 911 will share how Raptor Technologies and RapidSOS deliver school safety data to 911 call centers and help save lives during an emergency at 11 a.m. on Nov. 16. Click here to learn more and register.

Oregon’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) brings together community stakeholders to identify and resolve natural resource problems. The NRCS has announced new sign-up deadlines for its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands; and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land.  Applicants must apply by Nov. 18 to be considered for the first round of fiscal year 2023 funding. Visit the Oregon EQIP webpage for more information about NRCS Oregon EQIP funding opportunities and program eligibility; learn more about Oregon RCPP and how to apply here. Search for current projects and funding opportunities specific to each county by visiting the What’s Available in My County? webpage. To apply, contact the local USDA Service Center.

Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW) has released five new quick-draw videos to help spread the word about earthquake preparedness. Each short video shares tips and messaging about financial preparedness for earthquakes, which can help ensure a quicker, stronger recovery after a disaster. The videos are free, easy to download, and can be shared as part of a social media campaign or embedded in a web page. They’re available in both English and Spanish and come with closed captioning.

Financial Preparedness video

Earthquake Insurance for Renters video

Earthquake Insurance for Homeowners video

Disaster Aid / Earthquake Insurance video

Know What’s In Your Insurance Policy video

A longer 3-minute financial preparedness video is also available — and you can access many other free preparedness education products on the Insure Against Earthquakes outreach hub.

The State Interoperability Executive Council will hold the 2023 Radio Activities and Discussions on Interoperability in Oregon (RADIO) Conference April 3-5, 2023, in Hood River at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn. The SEIC will cohost the 2023 conference with the Oregon joint chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). Registration will open Jan. 2, 2023, and more details will be announced closer to the event.