Program Specialist – Neighborhood Emergency Teams

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Portland Emergency Management has a job opening for NET Program Specialist.

Here are some details from their post:

  • “The NET Program Specialist is responsible for recruiting, training, managing and motivating NET volunteers and activities in coordination with local emergency response plans and National Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) curriculum.”
  • “Plans and conducts program outreach; develops information, outreach and educational materials including brochures, handbooks and other guidance documents; organizes NET participation in planned events including planning and carrying out event/activity logistical arrangements.”
  • “Serves as PBEM Duty Officer on a rotating basis, which involves monitoring emergency situations, maintaining communication with government officials and the public, as well as activating the City’s Emergency Coordination Center as necessary.” Continue reading

Resilience Expo Review

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On June 2, 2012 Resilience PDX had their first emergency preparedness expo.  I will give a quick background for those that don’t know.  A gentleman by the name of Arif Khan ,who manages disaster relief overseas, thought it would be a great idea to bring different people/resources together.  If you would like to learn more about the different organizations and people that helped bring this together I would invite you to visit their about page. There were a multitude of areas a person could visit.  This article is focused on the classes I attended.

10:00am to 11:00am:  They opened the event with a Key speaker; State Representative Lew Frederick.  He talked about his connection to this neighborhood and living only 8 blocks away.  He knew firsthand the devastation that comes from an unprepared community.  He had a family home in New Orleans that was washed away during the levee break. His son lived through the Japanese quake; he told us that his son could feel the shaking from Tokyo.  He talked about the concerns that are schools are not ready for the “big one.”  He suggested that we start communicating with our neighbors, visiting beauty salons, and at the very least try to get prepared once a week or month.  Continue reading

June and July Training

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Below you will find a wide range of excellent training opportunities.  These are all low to no cost training.  This is NOT a complete list.  Please go to my training/resource page for a complete list. 

Do you know of training that is not on the list? Please send me an email at preparepdx@gmail.com.  If possible include a link to the original source of information.  I do not post classes that are over $40.00 dollars. 

I am trying to get the word out about PreparePDX, so if you attend a class please let them know you saw it on my website. 

Thank you.

  Continue reading

News Flash

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Solar Activity: News on the solar front is the poles are about to flip.  This is a normal occurance that happens every ll years.  The difference  this year is that the poles will flip one year early and there will be four poles! Two negative and two positive poles, scientist say this happened 300 years ago and there were lower temperatures.  

Avian flu:  “The work by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was submitted last year to the journal, but was delayed after the US government’s biosecurity advisers said key sections of the paper should be struck out to prevent the details being exploited by bioterrorists.” 

The biosecurity advisers decided to allow Mr. Kawaoka to publish full details about how he created the virus.  We will have to see what future effects this will have. Continue reading

ResiliencePDX- A Free Disaster Preparedness Expo in June

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Portland, Oregon – If a magnitude 9.0 earthquake rattles the Pacific Northwest and topples bridges, interrupts power, and cuts off your supply to drinkable water, would you know what to do? What resources should be available in your house or neighborhood in the days before emergency responders arrive?

ResiliencePDX will help you answer these tough questions. ResiliencePDX is a one-day emergency preparedness expo taking place on June 2nd, 10am-5pm, at King Elementary School where you can learn valuable life-saving emergency skills, share knowledge, and get your questions answered by a diverse group of disaster experts. Geologists state we are due for a major earthquake in this region, and better preparedness can save lives and reduce impacts of a disaster.

“ResiliencePDX will be a fantastic way for people to gain skills that will not only help their friends, family and loved ones survive a disaster, but will also go a long way in creating a more sustainable, disaster resilient community.”  Alice Busch, Emergency Management Instructor at Portland Community College .

At ResiliencePDX, experts from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, the Oregon Red Cross, Portland Public Schools, and more than 35 other groups from around Portland will inform you about resources for the community before, during, and after a major emergency. There will be more than 20 skills workshops, where experts will share knowledge to help you prepare for and recover from a disaster. All ages are welcome and attendance at the entire event is free.  Food vendors will be on site selling lunch, snacks, and desserts throughout the day.

Come to the workshop if you are interested in learning:

  • How to safely treat and drink water from any other fresh water source
  • What to do when your toilet no longer flushes
  • How to prepare household kits for your family
  • Tips on growing, buying and preserving food for long-term storage
  • How to organize your neighbors
  • Ways in which bicycles can be used to transport hundreds of pounds of cargo
  • Information on using social media and other technologies in a disaster

If you live, work or play in Portland, or merely care about preparedness, please come, learn, and share in this fun and FREE event!

Event Details:

ResiliencePDX – A Family-Friendly Disaster Preparedness Expo

Cost: Free to the public

Date: June 2, 2012 ; 10AM – 5PM

Location: King School and Park, 4906 NE 6th Ave, Portland, Oregon

www.resiliencePDX.org

About the Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management (Sponsor)

The mission of the Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management is to coordinate and support the efforts of local governments to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from natural and human caused emergencies and disasters.

About the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (Sponsor)

The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) works before, during and after emergencies to minimize impacts on the community. Their work depends upon coordination with others in government, the private sector and the wider community to promote risk reduction, readiness, response, and recovery. Our goal is a resilient community that can endure all hazards, adapt quickly to disruptions and return to normal activities as soon as possible.

About Portland Public Schools (Sponsor)

The Portland Public Schools received a grant to enhance the School Emergency Response Plan for the district, train all Principals in the Principles of Incident Command, train 120 students in CPR/First Aid/AED, conduct a school vulnerability assessment at all schools, and participate in a full-scale exercise with the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management. The district additionally was able to create site specific emergency plans for each school, purchase emergency flip charts for each classroom, provide a series of training sessions for all school emergency teams and Principals, purchase over 3,000 emergency “Go-Kit” buckets for each classrooms, create a pandemic influenza and food defense plan and conduct emergency site specific drills at all 86 public schools as well as participating private schools.

About the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (ResiliencePDX Host)

Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) serves as one of seven district coalitions advancing neighborhood livability through highly inclusive civic engagement. The organization is set up as an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit for more opportunities to respond to community needs. NECN believes in creating healthy communities by engaging citizens to become directly involved in determining how their neighborhood evolves.