The City of Portland prepares for hazards all year long. As climate change increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather, flooding, and wildfires – and the effects of the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake – having a plan is critical. But preparedness is also about being ready for routine events that could interrupt our typical way of doing business.
Taking a look back at National Preparedness Month, which is a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the importance of being prepared for emergencies, we invite you to join us in getting yourself and your household ready!
Governor Tina Kotek also issued a Proclamation recognizing September as Preparedness Month in Oregon.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Participate in a National Earthquake Drill
At 10:17 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17, the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill will take place. I hope you will join us in practicing what to do when an earthquake happens. Look for more information about the Great ShakeOut in your inboxes soon!
Participate! Learn more at www.shakeout.org. You can also learn more about earthquakes at publicalerts.org/earthquakes and find out how to get your family, your pets and yourself prepared at publicalerts.org/get-ready.
Read about Citywide Preparedness
Citywide preparedness involves dedicated staff from all parts of our City. Click here for some highlights on how the City prepares for a range of hazards.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) partnered with other Public Works bureaus to host a Lunch & Learn event on emergency preparedness for City staff. The online meeting featured speakers from the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) and Public Works Emergency Managers, who shared preparedness tips from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s Be 2 Weeks Ready Program. A recording of the one-hour video is available to City staff here. Slides are also available here.
Clear storm drains to prevent street flooding
This rainy season is the ideal time to think about community preparedness by checking on your storm drains to be sure they are cleared to prevent street flooding. If you’re able, please rake, shovel or sweep storm drains to clear surface debris. For more info, visit portland.gov/transportation/weather/adopt-storm-drain.
Prepare Yourself and Your Family
We cannot respond to and recover from a citywide emergency without you! Use the resources on this emergency checklist to help you get started.
- Volunteer: Register for the next in-person Basic Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET) Training cohort now through 5 p.m. Oct. 14 at pbem.link/joinnet. The next virtual Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Nodes (BEECN) training is at 6 p.m. Oct. 15. Sign up at portland.gov/pbem/about-beecn
- Update your information: Please update your personal and emergency contact information in SAP.
- Get connected: Sign up for Public Alerts. The Public Alerts system notifies registered people when an emergency is happening in the area, and what they can do to stay safe. Start with water: Start your emergency prep with water. Learn how to build and safely store an emergency water supply.
- Be 2 Weeks Ready: Have an emergency plan and enough supplies for you and everyone in your household to survive for at least two weeks following a disaster. Build your plans and kits. Learn about how to get ready for fall and winter weather emergencies. It may be easier than you think!
- Read up: Check out OPB’s Unprepared series. Explore this series from OPB to increase your knowledge about emergency preparedness, including stories from families who tried “Living Off [Their] Quake Kits.”
We each play a vital role in ensuring that our community is ready. We strengthen our ability to respond and recover together. Preparedness is a shared responsibility, and together, we can make a difference.
Stay ready, stay safe.