Lane County COAD Newsletter: August 2024

Welcome and Congratulations to The Center for Rural Livelihoods!

We are thrilled to welcome The Center for Rural Livelihoods (CRL) as our new partner and Coordinator of the Lane County COAD! Founded in the late 1970s, CRL has been a beacon of innovation in ecological forest stewardship, sustainable construction, and community building. Located on a 40-acre campus in Cottage Grove, CRL’s dedication to community-driven resilience makes them an ideal partner. We look forward to working together to expand COAD membership, enhance training opportunities, and strengthen overall community resilience in Lane County. Welcome, CRL!

Lane County Community Resilience Hubs Awarded $20M Grant

Lane County and Lane United Way won a $20 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create 6 community resilience hubs to shelter from heat, smoke, and other active disasters. The facilities chosen to become hubs include the Senior and Activities Center in Florence, the Fern Ridge Service Center in Veneta, the Fairfield Elementary School Gym in Eugene, the Bob Keefer Center in Springfield, the Willamette Activity center in Oakridge, and the Community Center and Library in Cottage Grove. The hubs will be stocked with supplies for emergencies, offer training, equip volunteers and community members on resilience.

Sourced from: “Lane County wins nearly $20 million grant to create community centers to shelter from heat, smoke” KLCC, All Things Considered, Published July 25th, 2024.

Funding Opportunity from the Oregon Disaster Funders Network

The Oregon Disaster Funders Network offers funding opportunities for qualifying organizations addressing disaster-related needs. This support is aimed at nonprofit service providers, including fiscally sponsored organizations, Tribes, and local jurisdictions, particularly in smaller and rural communities.

If your organization, county, tribal jurisdiction, or rural community has a disaster-related funding need, you can apply for consideration. The applications are reviewed by a panel of around 35 philanthropic funders.

For more information and to apply, please visit Oregon Disaster Funders Network.

211info is Available 24/7

During active wildfires, 211info maintains county-specific information about evacuations, emergency orders, and shelter options to help callers be prepared and stay safe. In addition, we can provide information about programs to protect animals, temporary financial assistance, disaster mental health services, public safety power shut-offs, emergency alerting systems, air quality information and alerts, and more! Calling 211 connects to a live agent 24 hours a day, and is available in over 240 languages.

To connect, call 211, text your zip code to 898211, email help@211info.org, or visit 211info.org.

Service providers can update their information or request inclusion in the 211Info Resource Directory on our Provider Tools page.

Learn About Your Wildfire Risk

Created by the USDA Forest Service and designed to help community leaders, the Wildfire Risk to Communities website is free and easy to use, with interactive maps, charts, and resources to help communities understand, explore, and reduce wildfire risk. It uses the best available science to identify risk and provides management and mitigation resources for communities.

Learn more about Wildfire Risk tools and resources.

August Events

August 1st, 11:00 AM: The Natural Hazards Center will host a Public Health Disaster Research Award Webinar on public health preparedness and response. This webinar will showcase the 10 research teams that received awards to support Community-Based Research on Public Health and Equity and to extend previously funded work from this program. Presenters will describe their findings and novel program interventions. A detailed schedule highlighting the speakers and the research to be presented can be found on the webinar page. Please register using this form.
August 1st, 5:00 – 9:00 PM: CERT Basic “Hands-on Practical”: Eugene Springfield Fire Station #2, 1705 W 2nd Ave, Eugene
August 3rd, 11 AM: Emergency Preparedness Fair in Cottage Grove: Last year, the Emergency Preparedness Fair had 18 organizations set up booths and approximately 2,000 individuals attended. To reserve a spot or learn more, please contact Leni Crow.
August 5-8th: E0289 Course: State Volunteer and Donations Mangement
August 8th, 10:30 AM: Lane County COAD General Meeting. United Way, 3171 Gateway Loop, Springfield, OR. Contact us for a zoom link to attend virtually.
August 8th, 2:30 PM: Lane County Severe Weather Collaborative. Contact Maria Cortez for a virtual invitation.
August 10th, 10 AM – 3 PM: 2024 Beat the Wave – Disaster Preparedness Expo, Florence Events Center.
August 10th, 8:30 AM – 5PM: Mass Care Shelter Training with Red Cross featuring class time and hands-on shelter simulation with real world scenarios to work through. Participants will leave certified as a Red Cross Mass Care Shelter Service Associate and can aid in any Red Cross Shelter. This event is free, email Micah to register.
August 14th, 8 AM -12:30 PM: Be 2 Weeks Ready Program Coordinator training. Register here.
August 15th, 11:00 AM: Third Thursday Tips: Utility Safety. Throughout 2024, the FEMA Region 10 Individual and Community Preparedness Team will partner with the Region 10 States (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) to cover the monthly themes that can help people ‘Prepare in a Year.’
August 21st, 11:00 AM: Avoid Disaster Scams. In partnership with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for a webinar on how to avoid scams post disaster.
August 23rd, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Maintaining Wellbeing During Emergency Activations: Join Heather Sielicki from 211info for an interactive session adapted from Hummingly to help you and your team maintain wellbeing during a disaster. Participants will receive a copy of the course to
Aug 27th, 6 – 7:30 PM: Cost $10, Fire Risk Reduction to Your Home in the Woods: Give your home and property the very best chance against wildfire. Session focuses on the home itself, and landscaping strategies within the first 200 feet since these areas have the greatest impact in protecting your home from a wildfire.
August 28th, 11:00 AM: Self care for Disaster Responders. This webinar will focus on the critical intersection of heat vulnerability and climate change in FEMA Region 2, focusing on lessons learned from New York City. They will explore the different factors that impact heat vulnerability, especially for people with disability, access, and functional needs, as well as individual and policy strategies to mitigate the effects of extreme heat.

Visit the Lane County COAD Calendar for more dates and information.