As we reach the end of 2022, it’s important to reflect on the accomplishments of the year and look ahead and our goals for 2023!
This Ready NW Eugene Team was formed a few years ago by a few Northwest Eugene neighbors, with the support of the River Road, Bethel, and Santa Clara neighborhood organizations, and aims to reach all neighbors to continue the conversation about Personal and Community Preparedness. We meet on the First Tuesday of each month from 6:30 – 7:30 pm via Zoom and everyone is invited to join these conversations.
Here is a Summary of our 2022 Recorded Meetings:
- January 4, 2022 – Discussion with Catherine Zunno of the City of Eugene’s Emergency Management Department about Winter Power Outages and Personal Preparedness. – View Meeting Recording
- February 1, 2022 – We held our first Virtual Evacuation Exercise of a simulated Chlorine Gas leak at a rail yard in Northwest Eugene. We explored how neighbors would be alerted of the incident, how to identify our Evacuation Zones, if we were prepared to evacuate or shelter in place, and how to consider rapidly changing conditions. – View Meeting Recording
- March 9, 2022 – Emergency Preparedness Team Meeting with updates from neighbors about their preparedness efforts. – View Meeting Recording
- April 5, 2022 – Discussion with Travis Knudsen of LRAPA (Lane Regional Air Protection Agency) about Air Quality in Eugene and Lane County. – View Meeting Recording
- May 3, 2022 – Discussion with Lin Woodrich of Ready NW Eugene and Merrill Harrison from Eugene Springfield Fire about Fire Behavior and Defensible Space in NW Eugene. – View Meeting Recording
- July 5, 2022 – Discussion with Jacque Wurster of Ready NW Eugene about Extreme Heat and Summer Power Outages. – View Meeting Recording
- August 2, 2022 – Discussion with neighbors about generating Community outreach. – View Meeting Recording
- October 5, 2022 – Updates from Summer and Fall activities, Permaculture Tours, Damage Assessment Teams, Preparing for the Dam Safety Presentation – View Meeting Recording
- November 1, 2022 – Updates from neighbors about their preparedness efforts, Preparing for the Dam Safety Presentation. – View Meeting Recording
- November 14, 2022 – Discussion with US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) about Dam Safety and Inundation Mapping. – View Meeting Recording
We need your help to continue these efforts! The City of Eugene, Lane County, and Eugene Springfield Fire have Emergency Plans in place for how to respond to large scale disasters (https://www.eugene-or.gov/681/Emergency-Plans), but first responders may not be able to reach you or have other higher priorities after a major (or minor!) event and your immediate neighbors may become your help, until help arrives. Knowing this, it is our responsibility as residents and neighbors to research and share the necessary information, tools, and know-how to minimize the effects of the disaster on our community.
“These individual responsibilities include hazard awareness, knowledge of appropriate protective actions, taking steps to mitigate the effect of anticipated hazards, and preparing for personal and family safety and self-sufficiency.” – Eugene-Springfield Multi-Jurisdictional Emergency Operations Plan
If you have questions or are interested in any volunteering for specific areas listed below, please contact ReadyNWeugene@gmail.com. No experience necessary!
Looking to Organize in our Neighborhood:
- Map Your Neighborhood/Block Parties/Immediate Neighbor Contacts
- Establishing a Radio Network/Communication Hubs
- Establishing Damage Assessment Teams
- First Aid Training
- Power Outage Practice Event
- Evacuation Practice Event
Looking for Expert Presentations and Discussions on:
- Earthquake Damage
- Water Storage
- Water Purification
- Food Storage
- Creative ways to acquire and use multi-functional emergency supplies in everyday use and for quick access
- Small space storage ideas
- Fire and Defensible Space
- Front Yard Gardens/Food Sharing/Edible Landscapes
- Dam Safety and Flooding
- Incident Command System
Needing help from neighbors with these tasks:
- Planning monthly meetings
- Hosting monthly meetings
- Taking notes during monthly meetings
- Writing neighborhood matching grants
- Evaluating the city/county emergency plans
- Follow up with city/county officials with questions from neighbors and organize action steps
- Social media management
- Update website content
- Create “advertising” materials or content for newsletters, articles, blog posts, etc.
- Follow up on inquiries to email contacts
- Business reach outs
- Church reach outs
- School reach outs
- Youth organization reach outs
- Engaging students or interns
Next Meeting – Tuesday January 3, 2023 06:30 – 7:30 PM
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85657314800?pwd=VVQzWDRiL2dGTFE2K3diOVpSMFlIZz09
Meeting ID: 856 5731 4800
Passcode: prep