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Multnomah County Emergency Management Monthly Newsletter
May 2022
Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management (MCEM) compiles this monthly email to provide information related to emergency management activities. If you have content for this newsletter, please submit to em.dutyofficer@multco.us.

For COVID-19 information and updates, visit Multnomah County's COVID-19 website.
Volunteer Management Plan

Multnomah County and partners are undergoing an effort to develop a Multnomah County Emergency/Disaster Volunteer Management Plan which aims to provide a safe, supportive program for volunteers and volunteer managers during disasters. CONSTANT Associates, an emergency management consulting firm, will coordinate this collaborative effort with MCEM. The Plan will serve as a framework that identifies which County partners, departments, divisions, and offices will have a role and/or the responsibility for addressing the various elements needed to equitably, safely, and supportively integrate volunteers into the County’s emergency and disaster response.
Three volunteers measure space and lay out sleeping mats at a warming shelter
In addition to the plan, CONSTANT will also complete a best practice assessment to identify emerging practices, lessons learned, and gaps concerning volunteers and volunteer management before, during, and after a disaster. Findings from after action reports and previous activations of Multnomah County such as COVID-19 and extreme weather events will be incorporated into the assessment. A Disaster Volunteers Toolkit will also be created to support the plan for use and those managing volunteers to develop capability. 
Planning Process and Activities
Leading up to this phase, a tremendous amount of research and interviews have been done to gather lessons learned from the experiences of volunteer managers who coordinate the efforts of County volunteers. On April 21, a kick off meeting was held with local stakeholders to begin the planning process. The next Planning team meeting will be on Wednesday, May 11, 9:00-10:00. We will discuss our draft best practice assessment as well as the draft plan outline. If you have any questions about this planning process, please contact: alice.busch@multco.us or gina@constantassociates.com. 
Upcoming Damage Assessment Exercise

Multnomah County is kicking off our planning for a Fall 2022 Damage Assessment Functional/Full-Scale Exercise. This exercise will test the initial damage assessment information gathering operations, a phase called Rapid Damage Assessment (RDA). DRAFT exercise objectives include:

  1. Demonstrate the ability of County, City, and other local partners to conduct and submit local Rapid Damage Assessment (RDA) reports to the County Damage Assessment Unit within 4 hours of incident following a mid-level earthquake event (5.0-5.9), and
  2. The Multnomah County Damage Assessment Unit will develop an Executive Summary to be distributed to EOC Leadership and local partners within 8 hours following a mid-level earthquake event (5.0-5.9).

Participation can be at a variety of levels, including: a full-scale level (field assessments) or functional level (simulated data provided to EOC/ECC). MCEM will be hosting a Concept & Objectives Meeting on May 27th from 10:30-12:00. Reach out to Matt Burke (matt.burke@multco.us) or Robert Quinn (robert.quinn@multco.us) for more information. Use this link to register for the kick-off meeting.
Upcoming Fuel Management Plan Exercise

Multnomah County is kicking off our planning to host a Summer 2022 Fuel Management Plan Workshop and Tabletop Exercise. This event will help test the operational components of the Version 1 County Fuel Management Plan. DRAFT exercise objectives include:

  1. Tabletop: Multnomah County Partners will discuss the activation of Emergency Support Function #12 - Fuel Group in the County Emergency Operations Center, in response to a fuel disruption event.
  2. Tabletop: Multnomah County Partners will discuss the activation and operation of Fuel Points of Distribution in response to a fuel disruption event.
  3. Workshop: Multnomah County ESF #12 Fuel Group will develop a resource list, staffing plan, and identify operational gaps for the Unit.
  4. Workshop: Multnomah County ESF #12 Fuel Group will develop a resource list, staffing plan, and identify operational gaps for FPODs.

This event will be the second exercise of the Fuel Management Plan Training and Exercise Plan. The next will be a Fuel Point of Distribution (FPOD) full-scale during Winter 2022-2023.

MCEM is hosting an Initial Planning Meeting (IPM) on Tuesday, May 10th from 2:00-3:00. Reach out to the MCEM Training & Exercise Specialist, Robert Quinn (robert.quinn@multco.us) for more information.
Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Monthly Newsletter

The Multnomah County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of federally licensed amateur radio operators trained in emergency communications that support county-wide emergency preparedness and response. This Team maintains a membership around 100 that conduct communications-related communications training and exercise and frequently collaborate with MCEM building our local redundant communications capabilities.

Interested to learn more? Visit their website or view their April 2022 Newsletter.
A person in a reflective coat peering down from a bridge onto the flooded Sandy River in 2011
Natural Hazards survey: we want to hear from you!

Tell us what natural hazards you are most concerned about by filling out our brief survey. Your input will help us plan better for future earthquakes, floods, landslides, volcanoes, wildfires, and severe weather events. 

We are in the process of updating Multnomah County’s Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. This plan is used to identify strategies to reduce the impact of future natural disasters. Read more about the update. And please share the survey with others! The survey and information are also available in other languages.
Webinar: Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities

Preparing for Heat Waves, Wildfires and Power Outages
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
4:00-5:30 p.m. PDT

Do you or a family member depend on life-support equipment and/or refrigeration for life-sustaining medications? If so, you need a power outage plan. This live webinar presentation hosted by OHSU will provide a power planning checklist and look at alternative power resources. 

Panelists will also talk about their experience with heat waves and wildfires and share tips on how to be prepared for heat and wildfire related emergencies.  

The webinar will offer live captioning and ASL interpretation. Learn more about the webinar and register.
SPIRE Grant Applications Still Being Accepted!

The State Preparedness and Incident Response Equipment (SPIRE) Grant Program application process is open through 5:00PM June 7th, 2022.

What does SPIRE fund?
SPIRE is an emergency equipment grant. Applicants can request equipment listed on the Oregon Emergency Management's (OEM's) SPIRE Equipment List website.

Who is eligible?
Qualified applicants include any organization responsible for or containing expertise in emergency preparedness and that is a local government, as defined by ORS 174.116, special government body, or a private organization eligible for tax exempt status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 

Want to learn more?
Visit the OEM SPIRE website for Guidance, FAQs, the Equipment List, and the Project Application.

OEM also hosts SPIRE Information Calls every other Thursday. 
Upcoming Training & Exercises Events

Please review upcoming training opportunities through the following events calendars: Multnomah County, the Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization, the State of Oregon, and the State of Washington.

Trainings

  • All-Hazards Incident Commander (May 2-6): This course is intended for individuals that will be performing in the Incident Command role during an emergency response activation. Please email alice.busch@multco.us for registration.
  • All-Hazards Logistics Section Chief (June 20-24): This course is intended for individuals that will be performing in the Logistics Section Lead role during an emergency response activation. Please email alice.busch@multco.us for registration.

Exercises

  • Port of Portland Triennial (May 18): The Port is hosting their Triennial exercise in May to practice a Family Reunification Center (FRC) in collaboration with regional partners. Please reach out to Robert Quinn (robert.quinn@multco.us).
  • Fuel Management Workshop & Tabletop (Summer 2022): See information above.
  • Regional Fuel Management Tabletop (Fall 2022): This regional exercise hosted by the Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization (RDPO) will test fuel management operations during a west hill fault earthquake event. Additional information will be shared when it becomes available. Reach out to Robert Quinn (robert.quinn@multco.us) for additional information.
  • Damage Assessment Full-Scale Exercise (Fall/Winter 2022): See information above.
Have something you'd like to include in one of our future newsletters? We'd love to hear from you! To have your upcoming trainings, exercises, events, or other announcements added, please email em.dutyofficer@multco.us.

Have feedback about our newsletter? Take our survey.