September was declared Emergency Preparedness Month in the City of Tualatin by the city council on September 13, 2021, as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Month. The goal is to encourage Tualatin residents to prepare for emergencies in their homes and businesses. How prepared are you for a weather-related emergency or a natural disaster? Were you ready for last February’s ice storm?
Did you lose power and internet? How well did you function without power and internet?
We have all heard of the probability of a massive earthquake in the region, but more than likely, we will experience more weather emergencies in the future. Flooding is a risk in Tualatin, both from heavy rains and in the event of an earthquake that damages the Hagg Lake Dam. Earthquakes, floods, and weather events can cause us to be without gasoline, food, water, power, natural gas, and the ability to get around. My message this month is to have a plan and the resources to deal with an event where you are without food, water, and power for two to three weeks. The basics of emergency preparedness include:
- Water: one gallon per person, per day (2-week supply)
- Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (2-week supply)
- Flashlights
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Extra batteries
- Family first aid kit
- Medications (14-day supply) and medical items
How can I plan for such a terrible thing, you ask?
That is where our resident-led Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) comes in. CERT was formed in 2019 and has trained over 750 disaster response volunteers.
We are lucky to have 109 residents who are currently active in CERT who go through numerous trainings a year so that they may help residents deal with a disaster or emergency. CERT members are looking to help train you and your neighborhood to be Tualatin Neighbor Ready (TNR) or get a HAM radio operator’s license. The TNR program will give you the knowledge and tools to make it through a disastrous event where emergency responders are unable to assist you because they are dealing with higher priority calls or cannot reach you due to road conditions.
CERT volunteers assisted the city with the February ice storm clean-up. Sixty CERT members staffed the debris drop-off points for five days to free up city staff.
Twenty CERT members assisted with two Washington County COVID vaccination clinics this past Spring. Want to learn more about CERT and be a member?
Training classes just started, and you may be able to fill a vacant spot, or you can sign up for this coming Spring’s training sessions. The basic certification course takes seven weeks to complete and includes:
- Disaster Awareness, Hazard Mitigation, and Community Emergency Response Team concepts
- Utility Control, Fire Suppression, Hazardous Materials
- Disaster Medicine — Triage and treatment of minor and life-threatening injuries
- Light Search and Rescue – Visual assessment of damaged buildings, search techniques, rescue techniques and patient transport
- Team Response and Management
Terrorism and Community Response Teams
Please visit www.tualatincert.org or email info@tualatincert.org to find out the details.
