Climate Preparedness

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month

Get 2 Weeks Ready

Climate change will keep hitting Oregonians hard, but the exact impact will depend on where you live - OPB

The funny thing about climate change is that it is a gradual change, so people do not think of climate change as a climate emergency or as disaster preparedness, people just don’t take the leap to think of it that way.

That is partly true. But we know climate drama happens. We see it in wildfire smoke, extreme storms and other disasters happening on our screens, and the fact is that these things are happening more often and as the seasons go by, we will experience them in bigger extremes.

How can our households anticipate and prepare— in tactile ways, but emotionally as well? Hint, go to a Climate Emotions Circle, and make it a part of your climate well-being practice.

Climate preparedness is to “anticipate, prepare for, and effectively respond to disruptive events and emerge stronger.”

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. This may sound overwhelming, but you're probably more prepared than you think! This Be 2 Weeks Ready program is designed to help you start from where you're at and build your self-reliance and community preparedness step-by-step.

Oregon Department of Emergency Management : Be 2 Weeks Ready : Hazards and Preparedness : State of Oregon

“The essence of Resilience, in the context of a community, is its ability to anticipate, prepare for, and effectively respond to disruptive events and emerge stronger. It’s not just about bouncing back, but bouncing forward, learning from challenges, and transforming into a more robust and adaptable entity.”

Key strategies to strengthen your community’s resilience:

• Strong Social Networks

• Effective Communication Systems

• Diversified Local Economy

• Inclusive Governance

• The city of Portland, Oregon, established a participatory budgeting process that empowers residents to directly allocate a portion of the city’s budget, ensuring that community needs are met, especially in underserved neighborhoods.

Creating a resilient community is an ongoing process that requires proactive planning, collaborative action, and continuous learning.

How to Build Resilience in Communities - HogoNext

Reported from Oregon Climate Action Hub:

“Lane County, Oregon and United Way of Lane County will invest in six facilities to create a network of community resilience hubs to support residents during emergencies, such as wildfires and heat waves. They also will build the capacity of local organizations providing resilience services; train medical and non-medical volunteers to help in emergencies; and equip the hubs with adequate supplies.”

Yay Lane County!!! - Oregon Climate Action Hub (orclimatehub.org)