Readiness Report: Engaging with underserved communities.

June is an important month that offers us an opportunity to reflect, learn and engage with two of our often-underserved communities. We celebrate Pride Month in solidarity and support of our LGBTQIA+ community in its pursuit of dignity, equality and acceptance every day. And we commemorate Juneteenth, or June 19, the anniversary of the day in 1865 when the last group of enslaved Black Americans were freed by Union troops. Juneteenth celebrates Black Americans’ freedom and achievements, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all communities, people and cultures.

Here at the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, we serve Oregonians in times of crisis. These two events remind us of our responsibility to ensure everyone in Oregon has the capability to get help in an emergency and to protect, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies or disasters, regardless of cause. To succeed in this mission, we must continue to play our part in building a more inclusive and equitable world, starting with our own organization.

Pride Month and Juneteenth are tangible opportunities to amplify understanding of the unique experiences of these communities. As a state agency serving all Oregonians, it’s our responsibility to do everything we can to bring community conversation to the work that we do, day in and day out. We need to ensure we are representative of the state, in terms of composition and complexion. This informs better business decisions at the end of the day.

As a newly formed standalone agency, accountability measures are part and parcel of what we need to do, and we embrace these activities. We are working to implement structures to guide us as we move forward and grow as an organization so we can truly represent all the communities that make up this great state. This includes recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. It involves fostering a culture of inclusivity that transcends age, race, gender, identity and lived experience. It means actively engaging in a meaningful and intentional way to better understand and embrace the whole community we seek to protect. We will continue to seek out and eradicate inequities and barriers to inclusivity in our data and operational processes. And we will communicate our successes and failures with transparency and accountability.

To make Juneteenth and Pride Month meaningful in the workplace, I encourage you all to advance your knowledge and deepen your awareness of these events.

All my best,

Matt Garrett, Interim Director
Oregon Department of Emergency Management

OEM is evaluating its current library of publications in advance of rebranding several of them. Partners are asked to take a short survey to view and vote for each existing publication based on the following criteria:

1.) Keep the publication as is but make necessary branding updates.
2.) Keep the publication, but update the content, design and branding.
3.) The information is no longer valid and the publication should be discontinued.

Publications receiving more than 50% of the votes for option 1 and or option 2 will remain and be reprinted with necessary updates and OEM’s new branding. Take the survey by June 23 at Survey Monkey.

Please note: OEM is running extremely low on publications in anticipation of the rebrand. However, all publications can still be viewed and downloaded from OEM's website. The existing 2 Weeks Ready brochures are not available in hard copy; they were purposefully designed to be downloaded and reproduced on any copy machine. These will be updated in the future with the new Be 2 Weeks Ready program.

The Private Sector Preparedness Response and Recovery (PSPR2): Mass Casualty Impact and Recovery seminar series is a nine-part series that shares critical infrastructure best practices, valuable lessons and planning resources and tools to assist with mass casualty impact and recovery. The fourth session will take place from 9-10:30 a.m. on June 15. "When the Crime Tape Comes Down” will address coordinating with law enforcement and other government entities and assisting families through mental health crisis, grief and reunification. Speakers include Chief of Police Ken Strish of the Borough of Berwick Police Department in Berwick, Penn., who will present on an impactful mass casualty event; and Dionne Waugh, Public Safety PIO of Boulder Police and Fire in Boulder, Colo., who will present on the mass shooting at the King Soopers supermarket and its impact on the surrounding community. Learn more and register with Eventbrite.

Join FEMA, OEM and the Oregon State Marine Board from 11:30 a.m.-noon on June 15 on Zoom as they provide safety tips and what to “know before you go” into the great outdoors. Gain insight into how to recreate safely and responsibly. Presenters will share lessons they’ve learned through their search and rescue experiences and the skills to utilize to locate missing individuals. Learn more and register with FEMA Zoom.

OEM and the Oregon State Marine Board have partnered to promote June as Search and Rescue Month. One of the best ways people can avoid being the focus of a search and rescue is to let people know where they're going, what they'll be doing, who they're going with, and when they'll return. In recreational boating, it's called "having a float plan." Download a printable float plan on the OSMB website.

The Natural Hazards Center is hosting a series of listening sessions on tribal engagement and Indigenous-led public health disaster research. Understanding the current state of public health among Indigenous populations and in tribal areas is key to identifying future directions for research, strengthening intercultural collaborations, developing engagement strategies and sustaining a community of practice. Two virtual listening sessions have already taken place; two more are scheduled, followed by a third session in person at the 48th Natural Hazards Workshop in July:

• Listening Session 3: noon-1 p.m., June 20
• Listening Session 4: 10-11 a.m., June 27
• Listening Session 5: 2:45-4 p.m., July 9

Learn more and to register on the Natural Hazards Center website.

• Community Lifelines: 11 a.m.-noon, June 21
• Public Safety Power Shutoffs: 11 a.m.-noon, June 28
• Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Damage Assessment: 11 a.m.-noon, July 5

As part of Wildfire Awareness Month, the Office of State Fire Marshal is hosting one final webinar in a series geared toward preparing for wildfire. Learn about the Fire Season Forecast from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on June 21, and view past webinars on OSFM's website.

OEM, OHA and ODHS are offering a 16-hour training for Oregon Immediate Emotional Support in Disasters (OR-IESD), a Psychological First Aid (PFA) and disaster behavioral health field response training. The training will include eight hours of individual learning before the class and eight hours of in-person class instruction and group collaboration. PFA is a supportive intervention for use in the immediate aftermath of disasters and terrorism. PFA intervention strategies are intended for use with children, adolescents, parents and caretakers, families and adults who are survivors of or witnesses to disaster or terrorism. PFA can also be provided to first responders and other disaster relief workers. Trainings will be held June 22 in Portland, June 23 in Florence and July 6 in Bend. Click the individual links to learn more and register through Eventbrite.

Tyler Technologies is offering a webinar, Fighting Back Against Cyberthreats, at 11 a.m. on June 28. Cybersecurity expert Tim Walsh will discuss how state, county and local government agencies and school districts can approach the way they think about cybersecurity. He’ll share strategies and best practices ranging from innovative and strategic implementation to practical applications, network testing, threat detection, and response mechanisms to advance the security of data and valuable assets while increasing resilience in the face of cyberthreats. Register at Tyler Technologies.

OEM’s accounting team will host its monthly office hours at 2 p.m. on June 28. Office hours are provided to answer questions for submitting and documenting Requests for Reimbursements (RFR) for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants and allow for discussions and problem-solving as subrecipient awardees work through RFR documentation. Future office hours will be held at 2 p.m. on July 26, Aug. 23, Sept. 27, Oct. 25, Nov. 29 and Dec. 20. Click here to join on Microsoft Teams. Anyone needing more assistance can request a meeting with an HMA accountant by emailing oem.hazardmitigation@oem.oregon.gov. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) "If You See Something, Say Something®" public awareness campaign is hosting an interactive webinar for people to learn how to help protect public spaces and mass gatherings. Join "Summer Safety: Resources to Protect Public Spaces & Mass Gatherings" from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on June 29. Register at Webex. The virtual webinar will share information about: 

• The newly-released report, “Mass Attacks in Public Spaces: 2016-2020”, which covers a 5-year study analyzing 173 targeted attacks that occurred from 2016 through 2020 in public or semi-public locations in the U.S., including businesses, schools, open spaces and other locations. 
• Leveraging the Mass Gathering Security Planning Tool, which provides a framework to protect mass gatherings. It includes event-planning checklists, venue characteristics, and planning considerations.
• How individuals and organizations can protect their communities by recognizing, addressing, and reporting suspicious behavior.
• How to obtain additional trainings and resources.

The National CERT Conference will be in San Francisco June 29-July 1 (with pre-conference training from June 26-28). The conference theme is CERT 360°, which will highlight CERT's ability to be flexible as a community resource and serve as an inclusive entity to all community members. The conference will feature training and presentations for all levels of CERT, including emergency managers, program managers, instructors, volunteers and CERT partners. Learn more and register on the National CERT website.

Members of Portland NET (Neighborhood Emergency Team) and Sacramento CERT recently held a virtual webinar where they shared more information about some of the supplemental trainings their CERT programs offer. Trainings discussed included wilderness first aid and animal evacuation and rescue. If you missed the webinar and would like to watch it, you can view it at R10 CERT Promising Practices Supplemental Trainings. 

FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) website will be offline and under construction between June 30 and July 10 so EMI can roll out its new Learning Management System. Once the new system is live on July 10, students must log in to access their records and Independent Study Courses. Users are strongly encouraged to prepare their account for the new system before the closure by taking the following steps:

Verify FEMA SID information

• Log into FEMA Student Identification (SID) System (dhs.gov).
• Click Edit Profile and verify the accuracy of the account information.

Request a copy of student transcripts (Independent Study only)

• Log into the EMI Student Portal.
• Click on Student IS Transcript.
• Review the transcript for accuracy.
• Make inquires for any corrections with the Independent Study Program before the new system goes live.

Applications for the FY 2023 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) are now available and due July 24. OEM is offering office hours to explain the application and answer questions on Zoom from 2-3 p.m. on July 10; 11 a.m.-noon on July 13; and 9-10 a.m. on July 19. The EMPG program provides funds to assist state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management agencies implement the National Preparedness System and support the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. All application information can be found under the Grants section on OEM’s website.

June is National Pet Preparedness Month, an important reminder for people to review their family’s emergency plans and ensure they’ve incorporated a plan for their pets as well. Owners should include supplies for their pet in their emergency kit or assemble an emergency kit for their pet. Pets should also be considered in any evacuation plan, as many hotels and shelters don’t accept animal guests, other than service animals. The Red Cross offers a free Pet First Aid app that covers what emergency supplies to have, when to contact a veterinarian, and where to find a pet care facility or pet-friendly hotel. Learn more at the Red Cross website.

Smoke from wildfires is adversely affecting air quality and potentially putting more people at health risk from smoke exposure. EPA, the USDA Forest Service, and other federal, state and community agencies and organizations are working together to identify ways the public can prepare to reduce their health risk before a wildfire. Public health officials and others can use the resources in the Smoke-Ready Toolbox to help educate people about the risks of smoke exposure and actions they can take to protect their health. In Oregon, people can check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog, view the Oregon DEQ Air Quality Index or search for and download the free OregonAIR app for smartphones.

Oregon Housing and Community Services has announced the income limits for Phase 1 of the Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program (HARP) have been updated to reflect the 2023 numbers provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These updated numbers are for people who are considered low- and-moderate Income (LMI) within the affected areas by the 2020 Labor Day Fires. Impacted homeowners who have yet to recover fully from the disaster and are within the LMI income limits may be eligible for Phase 1 of HARP. View the HARP fact sheet for updated numbers and more information on the program.

OEM’s training program has announced two upcoming virtual office hours to talk about the direction and development of the state training program, including the rollout of the National Qualification System (NQS) this fall. The events will take place from 9-11 a.m. Aug. 17 and 9-11 a.m. Nov. 16. Anyone with specific questions or concerns they’d like addressed at the office hours is encouraged to email oem.training@oem.oregon.gov in advance.     

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for economic injury to businesses in five Oregon counties to offset economic losses caused by drought that began April 1. Counties include Gilliam, Morrow, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler. Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.  The deadline to apply is Jan. 30, 2024. Learn more and apply at www.disasterloanassistance.sba.gov.

FEMA is publishing an update to the FEMA Acronyms, Abbreviations and Terms – A Capability Assurance Job and Field Aid. The “FAAT Book”, as it is known, is a comprehensive list of FEMA and emergency management-related acronyms, terms and abbreviations. The updated book will be published online at https://www.fema.gov/about/glossary; FEMA will not publish hard copies of the 2023 update.

OEM Deputy Director and Mitigation and Recovery Division Director Stan Thomas recently attended the FEMA Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC) meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and FEMA are currently working on recovery operations from Typhoon Merbok, which devastated several villages along the west coast of Alaska last September.  At the request of both FEMA and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency director, Stan spent an additional day meeting with both state and federal teams to share how OEM organized its recovery operations during the 2020 wildfires. At FEMA's request, Thomas recently gave a presentation to Louisiana as well. We're honored to see Oregon's efforts being shared with other states as a best practice!

Pictured left to right: Duke Davis, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer; OEM Deputy Director and Mitigation and Recovery Division Director Stan Thomas; Bryan Fisher, Director of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency.