|
Did you hear? The Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade is returning to downtown Portland this summer. We’ll see you there!
|
|
Answering the call
9-1-1 dispatchers like Erica Gregg answer Portland’s calls for help
|
|
Portland’s 9-1-1 Center fielded 42,194 calls in January – an average of 56 calls every hour of the day. Whatever the nature of the emergency – fire, police, or medical – the city's dispatchers are standing by 24/7. We recently caught up with Erica Gregg, one of the 125 dispatchers who take calls at the City’s Bureau of Emergency Communications to find out more about her work.
What does an emergency dispatcher do? We're the connection point with anybody having an emergency. We answer 911 phone calls and send out emergency responders for police, fire, and ambulance. So we’re here anytime anyone needs that type of help.
Emotions must run high sometimes. People are scared. They are afraid of what might happen. They just witnessed something traumatic or something traumatic happened to them. It could be a passerby just going about their day and being put in the midst of something, like someone driving by a car accident and seeing something horrific. Or someone coming home to find a loved one that’s sick. So they're calling us at the worst moments of their life. Something is changing for them in that moment, and we witness that through their voices.
How do you help people calm down and communicate? We use a lot of tactics. Sometimes we have to meet them at their level and then try to bring them down. Sometimes it's just maintaining a calm voice. Sometimes it's explaining what we're trying to accomplish, getting some details that will help the responders. Some callers are like, “Stop asking me these questions, just please get someone here.” And I let them know the responders are already on their way, but I need to help them know more about the scenario.
So in some cases, the responders are on their way while you’re asking questions. Exactly. So like a fire, we get those dispatched within 30 seconds. But we’re still asking questions to find out if someone’s inside, make sure the caller is safe, get information to help the firefighters.
|
|
|
Resources and engagement opportunities |
|
 |
|
Portland is known as a bike-friendly city, but do Portlanders feel the same way? The Portland Bureau of Transportation wants to know what you think about bicycling, whether you currently bike or not. Our short survey (takes about 5 minutes) will help inform future planning and community engagement at PBOT. All answers are anonymous, and you can enter for a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card at the end of the survey!
Hurry – take the survey before March 7!
|
|
|
 |
|
Small business owners and current and future entrepreneurs welcome! We want to help you access the resources you need to thrive. Join the City of Portland, other government agencies, and community associations at this fair being held by the APANO Communities United Fund. View multilingual flyers
|
|
|
 |
|
This is a competitive grant opportunity designed to provide funding and technical assistance for local Portland events positioned to grow and attract attendance beyond the Portland metro region. In partnership with Travel Portland, the Events and Film Office at Prosper Portland is proud to announce the next round of the Scale Up Grant Program.
Apply by March 17
|
|
|
 |
|
Calling all tree care professionals! This is a virtual workshop to learn about different kinds of tree permits and how to submit applications. If you work on trees within the city limits of Portland, then this workshop is for you!
|
|
|
 |
|
The Planning Commission is seeking five community members who are enthusiastic about long-range planning issues and urban solutions.
|
Budget Listening Sessions
Save the date!
District 1: Thursday, March 20, 6–8:30 p.m.; location TBD, virtual link to come
District 2: Tuesday, April 3, 6–8:30 p.m.; location TBD, virtual link to come
District 3: Tuesday, March 18, 6–8:30 p.m.; location TBD, virtual link to come
District 4: Thursday, April 1, 6–8:30 p.m.; location TBD, virtual link to come
|
|
Meetings and Ongoing Opportunities
|
|
 |
Thanks to Portlanders across the city, more than 2,910 trees were planted in 2024 through the Urban Forestry’s Yard Tree Giveaway! It was the eighth year for the City program that focuses on making trees accessible to people who want to plant on private property. Trees were planted in nearly every neighborhood, with some large clusters in Southeast and East Portland.
The Jade Apartments broke ground last week! The development will bring 40 new affordable housing units to the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood. It’s in the heart of the Jade District, a major Asian-American business and cultural center, and in the vicinity of frequent high-capacity transit, schools, shopping, and various other amenities.
“Along with our City Council and City Administrator, I’ll be proposing, sharing, discussing, and negotiating a final budget. This budget must reflect Portland’s values and prioritize the issues we were elected to solve.” Read the latest newsletter from Mayor Keith Wilson.
An interactive tool showing internet access disparities has been launched by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. Called the Broadband Equity Study Story Map, it combines data and resident insights to identify connectivity gaps, inform policy, and support broadband affordability.
The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability will be expanding its pioneering work in deconstruction with support from a grant provided by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The funds will be used to explore commercial sector deconstruction and provide important data to promote the use of salvaged lumber in new construction.
Urban Forestry crews deployed a successful rapid response to the weather emergency as wind gusts reached 50 miles per hour. Remember to call (503) 823-TREE to report downed trees in roadways or other City property. Call takers are available 24/7 and will dispatch Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry arborists as needed.
|
|
|
The City of Portland wants you to get home safely from your Saint Patrick's Day celebrations. We are providing a limited number of coupons for discounted rides in a taxi, Uber, or Lyft for you to use to get home after celebrating. Read more about Safe Ride Home Saint Patrick's Day 2025.
|
|
Request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for any City of Portland program, service, event, or activity. To ensure the best response, please make your request at least five business days before the program or event, if possible. |
|
Free events
Community organization events in Portland parks
|
|
Volunteer events
Admission pricing
|
|
Your Portland moment
Last week, community members gathered with Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund staff to learn more about the grant process, get technical assistance, and connect with other prospective grantees. The 2025 grant cycle is expected to open in late March. Sign up for the PCEF newsletter to receive updates on this and other program news.
|
|
|
Traducción e Interpretación | Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch | अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या
口笔译服务 | Устный и письменный перевод | Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad
Письмовий і усний переклад | Traducere și interpretariat | Chiaku me
Awewen Kapas
Translation and Interpretation: 3-1-1
The City of Portland ensures meaningful access and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, call 311 for Relay Service or TTY: 711.
|
|
|
|
|
