Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS)

The purpose of the Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS) is to coordinate and manage state resources in response to natural and technological emergencies and civil unrest involving multi-jurisdictional cooperation between all levels of government and the private sector.

OERS is the primary point of contact by which any public agency provides the state notification of an emergency or disaster, or requests access to state or federal resources.
OERS was established in 1972 by the Governor of Oregon to improve communications and coordination between government agencies responding to hazardous materials incidents across the state.
Since that time OERS has become an "all-hazards" system, responding to other types of emergencies: Natural Hazards such as floods, wildfire and earthquakes and Search and Rescue missions.
OERS operates under Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 401, Executive Order of the Governor and Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 104, Division 40.

For more information on OERS, contact OERS staff.

Activating OERS

Local public safety agencies such as law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services normally provide the first response to an incident through 9-1-1.

Once notified, local public safety agencies call OERS at 800-452-0311 (or in Salem 503-378-6377) . If necessary, responsible parties would then call the National Response Center at 800-424-8802.

OERS provides 24-hour service. Callers are asked to provide the following information:

Name and agency
Telephone number
Type of incident and the materials involved
Location and time of incident
Background and how the incident occurred
On-scene contact and how to reach them
Severity of incident (threat to people, property or the environment)
Actions taken (containment, evacuation, etc.)
Responsible party and telephone number

Compliance with Law

ORS 466.635 requires any person owning or having control over oil or hazardous material who has knowledge of a spill or release shall immediately notify OEM as soon as that person knows the spill or release is a reportable quantity.
ORS 824.088 requires each railroad that gives notice to the United States Department of Transportation of an incident that occurs during the course of transporting hazardous materials as defined by federal regulations shall also notify OEM by contacting OERS.
OAR 345-60-030 requires similar notification for radioactive material incidents.
Sections 304, Title III of the Federal superfund Amendments and Re-authorization Act (SARA) of 1986 requires facilities to notify the Local Emergency Planning committee (LEPC) and the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) if there is a release of a listed hazardous substance that exceeds the reportable quantity for that substances.

Your call to OERS will satisfy these notification requirements:

Advise the duty officer that you are making a SERC/LEPC notification and submit the required written report to:

SERC/LEPC
c/o CR2K,
3565 Trelstad Ave SE
Salem, OR 97317

You may also be required to notify the local 9-1-1 Center and the National Response Center.

OERS Council

All agencies participating in the Oregon Emergency Response System Council are directed to provide cooperative assistance within their resources and authority to other agencies, including but not limited to federal, state, county, city, special districts, and tribal entities in responding to mitigating hazards that threaten the State of Oregon, pending further directives of the Governor.

OERS Council Roster