Emergency Preparedness
Latest Stories

Oregon offering emergency kits, power stations to older adults, people with disabilities
With support from the American Rescue Plan Act, the department is offering 18,000 emergency kits and 1,200 power stations for older adults and people with physical disabilities who get Medicaid in-home support.
Wildfire danger is rising in Oregon. Here’s how to prepare for safe evacuation
Being prepared can save lives, reduce panic, and help you and your loved ones act quickly and safely when time is critical. Here are some essential tips to help you get ready in case an evacuation becomes necessary.

Natural Disasters
ODOT receives $83 million in disaster recovery reimbursement grants
The Oregon Department of Transportation has been awarded over $83 million in grants from the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program to reimburse the state for expenses related to repairing infrastructure damaged by natural disasters.
Environment
Loss of a federal grant program will limit Oregon’s disaster readiness, emergency management officials say
Oregon’s Department of Emergency Management says the Trump administration’s decision to abruptly cancel a hazard mitigation grant program will “significantly impact communities” across the state.
Oregon Coast dotted with community supply caches for the Big One and other emergencies
The threat of earthquakes, tsunamis and wildfires is turning Oregon into a state peppered with emergency caches.

Eugene, Springfield utilities say they’ve made improvements one year since destructive ice storm
Utilities for Eugene and Springfield have taken steps to prepare for future disasters similar to the 2024 ice storm, which knocked out power for tens of thousands of people.
Weather
Emergency warming shelters activate in Clark County ahead of cold weather
Organizers in Clark County have issued a severe weather alert and opened an emergency shelter system, possibly through Sunday.

What to do during a tsunami warning
Anyone in an area under a tsunami warning should immediately move to higher ground or move inland.

Politics
Portland’s only earthquake preparedness employee on budget chopping block
Portland, a city of 635,000 that’s under the ever-looming threat of a massive earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone, has just one city employee solely dedicated to earthquake preparedness. But after the city's annual budget planning process, that staffing number may drop to zero.
‘Exceeding capacity’: 2 Oregon counties seek help storing bodies, as COVID-19 deaths surge
Tillamook and Josephine counties have both requested refrigerated trucks to store bodies. Most of Oregon's emergency planning has centered on different kinds of disasters.