Oregon Department of Emergency Management : Community Preparedness : Community Preparedness : State of Oregon

A disaster can happen anywhere, at any time. In Oregon, we face potential hazards such as wildfires, floods, winter storms, earthquakes and tsunamis. Preparing for disasters can feel overwhelming, but you are probably more prepared than you think.

When disasters happen, first responders can become overwhelmed quickly and community members must rely on each other for help. You can increase community preparedness by:

Learning about the hazards in the area by visiting your local emergency management website
Following your local emergency management agency on social media
Requesting a preparedness presentation.
Building an emergency kit with essential supplies like food, water, medications, flashlights, and batteries.
Creating a family communication plan so everyone knows how to reach each other in case of an emergency.
Practicing evacuation routes and knowing multiple ways to leave your home or workplace safely.
Securing important documents in a waterproof and fireproof container.
Preparing for power outages by having backup charging methods for phones and other essential devices.

Read the Community Preparedness FY 2024 Report

Create and practice your personal emergency action plan.

Programs

Be 2 Weeks Ready

Being 2 Weeks Ready means having an emergency plan and enough supplies for you and everyone in your household to survive for at least two weeks following a disaster.

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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

As a member of a CERT program, you will be trained in basic disaster response skills, such as disaster medical operations, disaster psychology, fire safety, and light search and rescue.

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Youth Preparedness Council (YPC)

The Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) brings teens together from across the country who are passionate about emergency preparedness and making a difference in their communities.

Learn More

For more information on community preparedness, email community.preparedness@oem.oregon.gov

Click here to subscribe to Community Preparedness email updates.

Resources

Ready.gov

Make a Plan

Low and No Cost Preparedness

Pet Preparedness

Wireless Emergency Alerts

American Red Cross

Oregon Emergency Manager Contacts

Local and Tribal Emergency Managers List

OEM Regional Coordinators

Past Events

The 2025 Communities Prepared for Disasters webinar series focused on how to help older adults prepare for the disasters we face every year in Oregon such as ice storms, wildfires and extreme heat. This free event was offered in English with Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, and Chinese translation and ASL interpreting. Both sessions were recorded and posted to OEM’s Be 2 Weeks Ready YouTube channel.

Watch the 2024 webinar focusing on Spanish-speaking communities in Oregon.

Webinar Materials

Session #1 (4/23/2025)

Video Recording (English) (Spanish) (Russian) (Vietnamese) (Chinese)
Presentation Slides (English) (Spanish) (Russian) (Vietnamese) (Chinese)

Session #2 (5/21/2025)

Video Recording (English) (Spanish) (Russian) (Vietnamese) (Chinese)
Presentation Slides (English) (Spanish) (Russian) (Vietnamese) (Chinese)

Download the flyer: English | Spanish

To cap off Preparedness Month, OEM invites the public to attend the Ready Fair. This free, family-friendly event is designed to help our communities build resilience and preparedness. The event will bring together subject-matter experts and community partners to share practical tips and resources aligned with OEM’s Be 2 Weeks Ready program.