Multnomah

Preparedness is about Community, not Catastrophe

Greetings – We are Happy You are Here!

We are your Multnomah neighbors who will provide disaster assistance in our community when first responders such as police or fire are not immediately available. We receive training from the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) and the Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R). We are the Multnomah Neighborhood Emergency Team – Multnomah NET.

Each member of our Team shares an interest in preparing ourselves and our neighbors for possible emergencies ranging from extreme weather events to larger disasters such as the Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake.

We have assisted in many emergency and non-emergency situations such as COVID testing and vaccination sites, parades, downed power line locations, warming and cooling centers, and a fire evacuation center during the 2020 Clackamas wildfires.

We can assist neighbors and organizations that want to organize themselves into resilient, emergency-prepared communities. We provide an understanding of the potential effects of a major earthquake and guidance in emergency water solutions, sanitation, communication planning, and other aspects of emergency preparedness.

Emergency Preparedness Information

Here is a collection of information that will help you, your family, and your neighbors deal with a wide range of emergency situations.

Water – The Most Critical Resource

Emergency preparedness agencies universally agree that we need a minimum of one gallon of water per person per day for consumption, food preparation, and basic hygiene needs. In the Pacific Northwest, this supply should last two weeks.

Here is information about storing, disinfecting, and identifying sources of usable water:

• • • Storing Emergency Water – Tips on storing a supply of emergency water.
    • Disinfecting Emergency Drinking Water – Option for disinfecting water for safe use.
    • Emergency Water Sources – Learn how to identify sources of treatable water.

Sanitation

Limitations on the water supply make good sanitation practices essential to prevent illness and the spread of disease. Food-borne illness can happen easily when there is a shortage of water for sanitation or in communal cooking situations.

• • • Twin-Bucket Toilet System – Low-cost, field-proven, and safe toilet system.
    • Food Safety – Oregon Health Authority Food Safety Self-Training Manual.

Utility Shutoff

Understanding how to shut off utilities will help you secure your water supply, protect against electrical problems, and prevent gas explosions and fires.

• • • Emergency Utility Shutoff – Water, electrical, natural gas, and propane shutoff procedures.

Learn More – Help More

If you found the above information interesting and helpful – think of how much more you could help by becoming a volunteer in your neighborhood. The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) provides free training for volunteers in several capacities:

BEECN – Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node – Fifty BEECN sites are located around the city and staffed by volunteers within 24 to 48 hours of an earthquake. When you volunteer at one of these sites, you will relay reports you receive from the community of severe damage or injuries to a local Fire Station. The Multnomah Neighborhood BEECN site is at SW Vermont Street and SW 37th Avenue. Read More…

NET – Neighborhood Emergency Team – NET volunteers receive training in emergency response techniques, including light search and rescue, medical triage, and radio communications. NET training is more extensive than BEECN training, providing knowledge and skills to address a wide range of emergency response situations. Read More…

ATV – Affiliated Team Volunteer – (Coming Soon) As an ATV, you will receive the support you need to organize your neighbors into a resilient, emergency-prepared community. You will also have opportunities to receive training in more than a dozen topics from which to choose, such as emergency response, first aid, ham radio, pet care, and logistics.

Visit Us

Our Team meetings are open to anyone who lives or works in the Multnomah Neighborhood and wishes to learn more about emergency preparedness, Multnomah NET, BEECN, and our activities.

Information about upcoming Multnomah NET meetings will be posted on this page. Team meetings are usually held on the first or second Wednesday of each month. Please check back for the exact date, time, and location. Contact us at multnomahnet@gmail.com to be added to our invite list or to make inquiries.