Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management

Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management
Name	Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management
Formed	1970s
Jurisdiction	Multnomah County, Oregon
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Chief1 position	Director
Parent agency	Multnomah County, Oregon

Contents

Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management is the primary emergency management agency serving Multnomah County, Oregon, coordinating preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery for hazards affecting Portland, Oregon, Gresham, Oregon, Troutdale, Oregon, and surrounding communities. It collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners including Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, and Multnomah County Sheriff's Office to plan for natural disasters, technological incidents, and public health emergencies. The office operates emergency operations centers, maintains hazard mitigation plans, and conducts community outreach programs with agencies such as Portland Public Schools, Oregon Health Authority, and American Red Cross.

History

The office traces its origins to civil defense programs of the Cold War era and the expansion of emergency management following the 1970s energy crisis and seismic research such as studies by the United States Geological Survey. Growth accelerated after events like the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, the 1996 Willamette Valley flood, and the rise of interagency coordination led by entities including Metro (Oregon regional government), Oregon Department of Transportation, and the Port of Portland. Major milestones include adoption of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act frameworks, integration with regional emergency management efforts prompted by the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing aftermath reforms, and post-9/11 adaptations paralleling policies from the Department of Homeland Security. The office has evolved alongside initiatives such as the National Incident Management System and the National Response Framework, incorporating lessons from incidents like the Columbia River Gorge windstorms and public health responses influenced by the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizationally, the office aligns with county leadership including the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners and the Multnomah County Chair. Directors have worked with officials from Oregon Governor's Office, chiefs from the Portland Fire & Rescue, and executives from the Multnomah County Health Department. The structure typically includes divisions for planning, operations, logistics, public information, and volunteer coordination, and maintains liaisons with partners such as TriMet, Portland International Airport, and the Oregon National Guard. Leadership roles intersect with regional councils like Joint Office of Homeless Services and advisory bodies including the Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization while engaging legal frameworks from entities like the Oregon Legislative Assembly.

Core responsibilities encompass hazard mitigation planning, continuity of operations, emergency public information, and community resilience programs. The office administers hazard-specific plans addressing risks from Cascadia Subduction Zone, Mount Hood, urban flooding in the Willamette River, dam failures at structures like Bonneville Dam, and hazardous materials incidents along transportation corridors such as Interstate 5 and U.S. Route 26. Programs include neighborhood preparedness initiatives paralleling national efforts by Ready.gov, volunteer coordination akin to Community Emergency Response Team models, and partnerships with non-profits like United Way of the Columbia-Willamette and Salvation Army. It also works with research institutions such as Oregon State University, Portland State University, and Oregon Health & Science University on risk assessment and public health preparedness.

Preparedness activities involve multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plans, catastrophic scenario planning for events like a major Cascadia earthquake, coordination of sheltering with organizations such as American Red Cross and Salvation Army, and supply chain continuity planning interfacing with Port of Portland logistics and regional transportation providers including Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway. The office conducts risk assessments informed by datasets from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Geological Survey, and the National Weather Service. Planning integrates standards from National Fire Protection Association, guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and interoperability protocols from the Department of Homeland Security to ensure alignment with state plans by the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

During incidents, the office activates emergency operations centers and implements the Incident Command System to coordinate responders from Portland Fire & Rescue, Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, TriMet Transit Police, and volunteer groups including CERT. Recovery efforts involve coordination with federal programs under the Stafford Act, economic recovery assistance through entities such as Small Business Administration, and housing recovery with partners like HUD and local housing authorities. The office has supported large-scale responses including flood recovery, wildfire smoke events affecting Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and pandemic logistics in coordination with Multnomah County Health Department and regional hospitals including Oregon Health & Science University Hospital.

Training programs include exercises based on scenarios from the National Exercise Program, tabletop exercises with partners like TriMet and Port of Portland, and functional drills for mass care, logistics, and public information. The office engages communities through public education campaigns modeled on Ready.gov and collaborates with schools such as Portland Public Schools and colleges like Portland State University for campus preparedness. Volunteer recruitment and training align with frameworks from American Red Cross, CERT, and regional volunteer organizations managed by United Way of the Columbia-Willamette. Outreach also involves partnerships with cultural institutions including the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and community groups such as Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon and Native American Youth and Family Center to address equity and access in preparedness.

Category:Emergency management in Oregon Category:Multnomah County, Oregon