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Emergency Preparedness
Our Role In a Disaster
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue's (TVF&R's) 27 fire stations respond to incidents in their immediate community and in neighboring cities throughout our service area; we have almost 100 volunteer firefighters who augment the emergency response services of our career firefighters.
Our crews are trained to operate independently during a major disaster, even with degraded communications systems. They will likely be out of their fire stations, assessing damage in their immediate area and rendering aid where most needed - which means that someone going to a fire station to seek aid or to volunteer may not find our crews there.
TVF&R’s Fire Operations Center (FOC) activates during disasters and other major events, to coordinate our operations across our service area and with other local governments and service providers. The FOC is located in a seismically resilient building with backup power, designed to maintain our information and emergency communications systems during and after a disaster.
How to (barely) survive a week without power
Your role
Prepare yourself and your family. Although TVF&R assists with training for its member cities who manage their own CERT programs, there are many simple steps that individuals and families can take on their own that do not require extensive training or program membership. Work with your neighbors to prepare your community (PDF).
YOU can increase your ability to survive - or just reduce the unpleasantness, by doing the following:
- Keep up with local weather and road conditions . Sign up for Public Alerts where you live and work!
- Develop an emergency plan (PDF) for you and your family, including how you'll contact each other (PDF) if separated during an emergency: this card can help (PDF)!
- See what hazards are in your area, using DOGAMI's interactive HazVu tool (Adobe Flash required) and SLIDO (landslide hazards) tool.
- DOGAMI: Landslides in Oregon, including new Homeowner's Guide to Landslides
- FCC/FEMA tips for communicating during an emergency
- Ready.gov Tech Ready
- Learn about additional resources for emergency communication and reunification with your family:
- American Red Cross Safe and Well website (free; no preregistration)
- FEMA National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (free; activated only for Presidentially-declared major disasters or emergencies; more information)
- Assemble emergency supplies that you'll need (PDF)
- CDC: 3 Types of Post-Disaster Poisoning to Know, Prepare For
- Food, water, and personal hygiene before, during, and after disasters: 2 Weeks Ready (Oregon Emergency Mgmt)
- 2 Weeks Ready videos: Overview, 1st Aid, Food, Hydration, Home Safety, Kids, Pets, Staying in Your Home
- CDC: food allergies and preparing for emergencies
- OPB video: Securing Water In Your Home After Disaster
- Emergency Water Sources in Your Home(Regional Water Providers Consortium)
- Tips on emergency drinking-water disinfection
- How long does bottled water last? The FDA considers bottled water to have an indefinite shelf life if it’s produced in accordance with regulations and remains unopened. So expiration dates on bottles are voluntary and may reflect concerns about taste and odor rather than safety. Bottled water should be stored in a cool location away from direct sunlight. (Courtesy Consumer Reports)
- Additional info on bottled water (PDF)
- Personal sanitation: Regional Emergency Toilet Project
- APIC: Preventing infections during and after a natural disaster
- CDC: Preparing your Medicine Cabinet for a Disaster: a Checklist
- Consumer Reports: What to Put in Your Medication Go-Bag
- Tips on safe use of medications after a fire or disaster
- Tips on food safety after a disaster (PDF version)
- Consumer Reports: What to feed your family when the power goes out
- Preparedness as a Single Parent (blog)
- If you're dependent on electricity for life-safety equipment (PDF) or other critical uses, consider a generator. For safe installation and usage, your local electric utility may be able to provide assistance. Would a short video help? How about some tips for safely getting a generator up and running in a hurry?
- Beware of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning after a disaster, especially if you're using a generator, camp stove, or other means of heating/cooking/power that you're not used to.
- Learn CPR, first-aid, and how to use a fire extinguisher
- Don't forget financial preparedness and other aspects of disaster recovery!
- FEMA: replacing important papers after a disaster
- Toolkit for identifying critical documents and information (PDF) (PDF with fillable forms; 44 pages); shorter version for easier printing and manual completion (PDF) (PDF; 16 pages)
- Ready.gov Financial Preparedness
- Are you adequately insured?
- Learn how (and whether) to shut off your utilities (PDF)
Want to see how it's done? Check out even more videos on preparing for emergencies! (Courtesy Washington State Emergency Management Division)
Preparing your workplace: How much do disasters cost?
- Tips from TVF&R on preparing your business for emergency response (PDF)
- Tips from TVF&R on preparing your business for disasters (PDF)
- DisasterSafety.org(Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety: business and home preparedness)
- OEM: Business Preparedness Scorecard (PDF)
- FEMA: Ready.gov for Business
- Forbes: Disaster Preparedness Tips for Your Startup
Local TVF&R emergency management partners
- Clackamas County
- Multnomah County
- Washington County
- Yamhill County
- City of Beaverton
- City of Newberg
- City of Sherwood
- City of Tigard
- City of Tualatin
- City of Wilsonville
Featured (external) websites
- SF72 (San Francisco)
- Disaster Hero (interactive preparedness game from FEMA and the American College of Emergency Physicians)
- Ready.gov
- Oregon Health Authority - Preparedness
- Consumer Reports Emergency Preparedness portal
Links to private (commercial and non-profit) sites do not constitute an endorsement by TVF&R.