Oregon Office of Emergency Management

Oregon Office of Emergency Management
Agency name	Oregon Office of Emergency Management
Formed	1987
Jurisdiction	Oregon
Headquarters	Salem, Oregon
Chief1 name	Brad Crowell
Chief1 position	Director
Parent agency	Oregon Department of Emergency Services

Contents

Oregon Office of Emergency Management is the state-level emergency management agency serving Oregon. It coordinates preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation across counties such as Multnomah County, Oregon, Clackamas County, Oregon, and Lane County, Oregon. The office works with federal partners including Federal Emergency Management Agency, state entities like the Oregon Health Authority, regional bodies such as the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, and tribal governments including the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

History

The agency traces its origins to civil defense efforts during the Cold War era and to state disaster statutes enacted after events like the Columbia River Gorge floods. Legislative milestones include enactments by the Oregon Legislative Assembly and coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency following the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and the 1996 Willamette Valley floods. Major organizational changes occurred after statewide responses to the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, the 2007 Oregon wildfires, and the 2020 Western United States wildfires, prompting revisions to the Oregon Emergency Management Plan and closer ties to agencies such as the United States Geological Survey and the National Weather Service.

The office operates under the authority of statutes passed by the Oregon Legislative Assembly and reports to the Governor of Oregon. Leadership includes a director appointed amid collaboration with the Oregon State Police and statewide emergency councils such as the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission. Divisions within the office coordinate with federally organized entities like the United States Department of Homeland Security, state-level partners such as the Oregon Department of Transportation, municipal authorities including the City of Portland, Oregon, and tribal governments like the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The leadership liaises with academic centers including Oregon State University and University of Oregon for research and resilience planning.

The office administers programs covering hazard mitigation, continuity planning, and public information aligned with federal frameworks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the United States Department of Agriculture. Programs include seismic resilience work tied to the Cascadia Subduction Zone, wildfire mitigation involving the United States Forest Service, public health emergency coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and tsunami preparedness in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The office manages the State Emergency Operations Center during incidents, oversees the State Emergency Response Commission, and implements grant programs in partnership with entities such as the Economic Development Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Planning efforts address hazards like earthquakes associated with the Cascadia Subduction Zone, floods on the Willamette River, volcanic activity from Mount Hood, and tsunami threats from the Pacific Ocean. Preparedness initiatives are coordinated with county offices such as the Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management, municipal emergency managers in Eugene, Oregon and Salem, Oregon, and tribal emergency programs from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Exercises involve federal partners including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state partners such as the Oregon State Fire Marshal, and academic partners at Portland State University. Public outreach campaigns reference guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Weather Service.

In response operations, the office activates the State Emergency Operations Center and coordinates with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Stafford Act declarations and with the Small Business Administration for disaster loans. Recovery planning involves collaboration with the Oregon Department of Human Services, the Oregon Housing and Community Services, and local governments across jurisdictions like Jackson County, Oregon and Deschutes County, Oregon. The office partners with nongovernmental organizations including the American Red Cross and Salvation Army (United States) and works alongside federal agencies such as the United States Army Corps of Engineers during infrastructure recovery and mitigation projects.

The office administers federal grant funds from programs such as the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the Homeland Security Grant Program, and Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It partners with state agencies including the Oregon Business Development Department and the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to allocate funds to counties like Klamath County, Oregon and cities including Bend, Oregon. Strategic partnerships extend to research institutions such as Oregon State University, regional entities like the Port of Portland, and tribal governments including the Coquille Indian Tribe to support resilience, mitigation, and rebuilding efforts.

Category:State emergency management agencies of the United States Category:Government of Oregon