OEM's Readiness Report for July 12

Technology has simplified calling 911, with smartphones, smartwatches and tablets all offering shortcuts to dialing 911 in an emergency. Unfortunately, this has also led to a drastic increase in accidental 911 calls and hangups.

Oregon’s 43 Public Safety Answering Points have seen a 40% increase in accidental dialing of 911 over the past year. As harmless as hangup calls may seem, they impact resources. Each one of these calls ties up a call taker, who must call the number back to ensure there’s no emergency. If those callbacks are unanswered, an officer must locate the caller and check on their welfare. This ties up emergency responders who are then unavailable for actual emergency calls.

Here are some useful tips to share with your communities about what to do if they end up calling 911 on accident:

• If you do misdial, don’t hang up. Stay on the line, let the telecommunicator know it was an accident, and answer the questions they may have.
• If you do hang up, the telecommunicator will call you back. Answer the call and explain what happened.
• Deactivated call phones will still call 911. If the phone turns on, it can call 911. Don’t let kids play with deactivated call phones unless the battery is removed or dead.
• Teach kids about 911. It’s not a game when a child is calling 911 repeatedly and hanging up or making false statements to the dispatcher.
• Turn off the automatic dialing setting so your phone doesn’t accidentally dial 911.

Both Android and iPhones have crash detection and emergency SOS features that have the potential to trigger false 911 calls. When these features are activated, an alarm may sound, and a countdown timer will appear on the phone to allow the user to cancel. If the countdown isn’t canceled, the phone will call 911. Phones settings can be changed or turned off, depending on the phone.

Let’s work together to remind our communities of the actions they can take to help save lives. Check out today’s Readiness Resource below for social media graphics to share with your audiences.

All the best,

Matt Garrett, Director
Oregon Department of Emergency Management

The FEMA Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council is holding a Zoom workshop from 2 to 3 p.m. on July 13 (updated date) to discuss Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Stop the Bleed, and how to apply these trainings to wildfires preparedness and response. This workshop is targeted for teens in 8th to 12th grade, but all are welcome. Register at zoomgov.com.

OEM, DAS and Veoci are continuing to collaborate on implementing the Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) Solution Replacement Project and building a statewide continuity program coordinated by OEM. Data migration from the BOLDPlanning system to the Veoci system is expected to be completed by July 17; July 21 is the expected launch date for the Veoci system; and July 24 is the last day data will be available in the BOLDPlanning system. Agencies are encouraged to use the COOP platform to develop and maintain continuity plans, but use of the system is not required. A portal for uploading plans as PDF, Word or Excel documents will be available when the new COOP solution is launched later this month.

The FEMA National Integration Center will be presenting three sessions of its EOC Toolkit informational webinar for state, local and tribal community partners. The webinar will provide participants with an overview of the EOC Toolkit and discuss how to access the EOC Toolkit and its included resources. Click on the link to register:

7 to 8 a.m. on July 18
12 to 1 p.m. on July 19
2 to 3 p.m. on July 25

Another good resource is FEMA's Before, During & After Podcast, which offers an episode titled Unpacking the EOC How To Quick Reference Guide.

The Private Sector Preparedness Response and Recovery (PSPR2) Mass Casualty Impact and Recovery seminar series' fifth session, Reopening and Resuming Operations, will take place from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on July 20. This session will guide participants through the process of returning to business following a mass casualty event. Speakers include Empathia Director of Crisis Management Services Rick Hoaglund, who has over 25 years of safety, emergency response and emergency management experience; Empathia-Black Swan Solutions Account Executive Jessica Storm, who assists organizations in effectively preparing for crises of any magnitude; State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services Trauma-Informed Care Coordinator Scott Webb, a trauma survivor who provides training and technical assistance on trauma-informed care principles to more than 18,000 clinicians statewide; and Holland America Group Director of Family Assistance and Support Services Greg Crick, who has responded to multiple large-scale emergencies and mass casualty events throughout his career. Learn more and register with Eventbrite and find recordings of previous sessions on the Region X Public/Private Partnership Platform.

The Oregon Department of Forestry is accepting applications for the Landscape Resiliency Program for projects taking place from 2023-2025. The grants are for large projects and emphasize collaboration and mitigation of wildfire risk. The minimum award is $300,000, so joint projects to treat large areas are highly encouraged. The projects can include all types of treatments including mechanical and non-mechanical forest and rangeland fuels reduction that may include removal of slash through piling and burning, chipping, masticating, and grinding. Prescribed fire, fuel breaks, invasive species treatment and native species planting may also be used, but most use a combination of many of these treatments. Grant applications are being accepted through July 21 on the ODF website.

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 11 a.m. to noon on July 13 and from 9 to 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 the OEM website.

The SAFECOM Nationwide Survey (SNS) is a nationwide data collection tool used to advance emergency communications capabilities. SNS results help government officials and emergency responders better understand emergency communications needs so they can make data-driven funding, policy and programmatic decisions to strengthen emergency communications capabilities. Any agency or organization that's charged with a public safety-related mission and uses emergency communications technology is encouraged to take the survey, including ECCs, PSAPs, emergency management, EMS, fire and rescue, and law enforcement. The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and is open through July 21. Take the survey on the CISA website.

July 26 is the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA makes sure these individuals have the same chances as everyone else at work, when using state and local government services,​and ​when buying ​goods and services from places open to the public. To honor this important day, the ADA National Network has created an ADA 33rd Anniversary Tool Kit that lists events, publications, training and more.

Join FEMA from 11:30 a.m. to noon on July 27 for an engaging webinar on Neighborhood Preparedness. The presentation will highlight the ongoing work being done by residents to build resilient communities in Washington and Alaska. The Hood Canal Improvement Club and Alaska CERT members will talk about how they promote neighborhood preparedness and what to do to get started. Register at zoomgov.com.

The American Red Cross has collected about 50,000 fewer blood donations than needed over the last two months. Donors are asked to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now to avoid a looming blood shortage. The Red Cross is offering incentives to donors who come out to give blood or platelets: Those who give July 12-Aug. 12 will be automatically entered for a chance to win a three-night New York getaway for two with a private shark dive adventure at Long Island Aquarium, while those who give July 17-31 will receive an officially licensed Shark Week T-shirt, while supplies last. To schedule an appointment to donate, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App or visit RedCrossBlood.org.

OEM will be hosting office hours to discuss the new approach on the Capabilities Assessment from 1 to 2 p.m. on Aug. 8.  This year marks the first year of a three-year cycle to rotate through all 32 core capabilities. Each year will include the three cross cutting capabilities: Planning, Operational Coordination and Public Information and Warning. Additionally, 2023 will focus on Forensics and Attribution; Screening, Search and Detection; Interdiction and Disruption; Physical Protective Measures; Access Control and Identity Information; Search and Rescue; On scene Security and Protection; Fire Management and Suppression and Environmental Response health and safety. Join on Zoom.

The 2023 National Tribal Emergency Management Conference will take place Aug. 16-17 at the Tulalip Resort Casino in Tulalip, Wash. The agenda includes two full days of training opportunities, followed by three days of presentations, break-out sessions and workshops. Learn more and register at Eventbrite.

CISA Region 10 is holding an Active Shooter preparedness webinar from 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 15, focusing on providing awareness training that supports the development of emergency action planning capabilities. The webinar will provide information about best practices, communications protocols and resources that will assist stakeholders to develop or enhance their emergency planning, preparedness, and response to active shooter incidents. Expert instructors will discuss the elements of active shooter incident response planning; describe common behaviors, conditions and situations associated with active shooter events; and discuss how to recognize potential workplace violence indicators. Learn more and register on Eventbrite.com.

The Northwest Citizen Corps Expo is a free event filled with hands-on workshops and info sessions with skills to use when volunteering during a disaster. The expo takes place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 16-17 at Edmonds College in Lynnwood, Wash., with an additional meeting for CERT program managers on Sept. 15. Learn about basic triage, roles in the incident command system, radio communications, emergency planning for animal response, CPR/first aid/NARCAN training and more. The event wraps up with a disaster simulation drill to practice what was learned. The expo is ideal for CERT volunteers, people who work or serve within first responder, medical and emergency management organizations, and anyone interested in learning how to help their community before, during and after a disaster. Click here to learn more and register for the 2023 NW Citizen Corps Expo.

As the threat of wildfire increases into the summer months, stay up-to-date on any wildfire or incident to which the OSFM has mobilized resources. OSFM's public affairs team has an incident information blog where they share updates, pictures, and video from the fire line of the great work the Oregon fire service does when it's mobilized. Check out the blog at www.OSFMInfo.org.

In 2009, the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) published Protocol for Inventory Mapping of Landslide Deposits from Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) Imagery (Special Paper SP-42. This was a roadmap developed to create and maintain a consistent landslide inventory for the state. DOGAMI has now released A GIS-Based Toolbox for Improved Efficiency and Precision of Landslide Inventory Mapping. This new publication and associated ESRI ArcToolbox, called the SP-42 Toolbox, are designed to assist landslide mapping following the SP-42 method by improving its efficiency and precision.

OEM held a virtual wildfire season education series earlier this summer for local, tribal and state emergency management professionals. The series of videos – including the Wildfire Season Kickoff Briefing; Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program; Community Lifelines; Public Safety Power Shutoffs; and Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Damage Assessment – have been posted to the State Training Program website.

Douglas County Emergency Manager Wayne Stinson is retiring. Wayne has served in emergency management for 50 years, including as Douglas County's Emergency Manager since 1978. An Oregon native, Wayne has spent most of his years in Southern Oregon and Northern California. He's married to his wife, Kimberly, and has two daughters, Demi and Brenna. Wayne enjoys most outdoor recreation and is a wannabe rancher. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management thanks Wayne for his 50 years of dedicated service to the field of emergency management and wishes him nothing but the best. Congratulations!

OEM Community Preparedness Coordinator Kayla Thompson got to meet so many amazing partners at the National CERT Conference June 29 through July 1, including the FEMA Region 10 Individual & Community Preparedness team; hundreds of volunteers; CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) members; and local, state and community leaders! (Kayla is the third person in from the right in the middle row.)