By Representative David Gomberg, House District 10
According to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, Oregon is among the most earthquake-prone areas in the continental U.S. Nearly 600,000 Oregonians took part in the Great Oregon ShakeOut this last week. That included 7,000 people in Lincoln County, 18,000 in Benton, and 53,000 in Lane. Participants practiced the common ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold On’ earthquake drill.
Other important no-and-low-cost actions people can take to reduce their risk include signing up to receive local emergency alerts at ORAlert.gov; creating and practicing a household emergency plan; making an emergency kit with enough food, water, and critical items for each person and pet in the household to survive for two weeks; and enabling Wireless Emergency Alerts(WEA) on mobile phones.
I talk often about the importance of being prepared for natural disasters, and that having a plan in response to a possible earthquake saved Susie and me precious time when we confronted wildfires in 2020. This past year I authored and passed legislation to better prepare our Oregon students for natural disasters and safety threats with annual classroom instruction.
When a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake eventually happens, coastal residents will have a slim handful of minutes to get to a safe place on high ground before the ensuing tsunami inundates low-lying areas. In the chaos immediately after a big earthquake and tsunami, and in the following 24+ hours, you will be dependent on what you can carry. A “Go-Bag” – a manageable and comprehensive package of survival supplies – will be your lifeline.
Learn more about Go-Bags here.
Design your Go-Bag with three main concepts: Is it manageable for you to carry in a hurry for a distance? Is it always readily at hand for you to grab and go? Is it comprehensive enough to survive a cold, wet night alone in the elements? And don’t forget supplies for your pets! Some suggest having several Go-Bags: home, car, work, and school are all places you should consider.
Design your Go-Bag with three main concepts: Is it manageable for you to carry in a hurry for a distance? Is it always readily at hand for you to grab and go? Is it comprehensive enough to survive a cold, wet night alone in the elements? And don’t forget supplies for your pets! Some suggest having several Go-Bags: home, car, work, and school are all places you should consider.
| This week, the new Joint Interim Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response held its first hearing. This committee will serve as a legislative hub for the creation of an urgent, coordinated public health and public safety response to the drug crisis with the goal of making our streets safer and saving lives.
The interim committee was announced in September amid growing criticism over Oregon’s first-of-its-kind ballot measure, Measure 110, which decriminalized small amounts of hard drugs. The criticism comes amid a nationwide spike in overdose deaths, with some of the largest increases seen in western states like Oregon, Washington and Nevada, according to the CDC.
Holding committee hearings outside of the legislative session and outside of legislative committee days is not the norm in Salem but lawmakers on this new joint committee say the crisis calls for immediate action.
An estimated 19.4% of Oregonians age 12 and up have grappled with substance use disorder in the last year, according to the most recent national survey data, higher than the national rate of 16.5%. At the same time, the state is among the worst at providing treatment. The survey suggested more than 17% of Oregonians needed but did not receive treatment for addiction in the past year, compared to around 14.5% nationally. |
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The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Interim Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response met on Wednesday, October 18, for its first meeting.
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| During Wednesday’s hearing, committee members listened to presentations about our state’s current system for preventing and treating drug addiction. The Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, an Assistant Professor from Yale School of Medicine, and many more all presented to the Joint Interim Committee. Watch the hearing at this link here.
Under Measure 110, the 2020 law that decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs, the decision to seek treatment is voluntary, with no consequences for users who decide to simply ignore tickets for being caught with drugs. An epidemic of fentanyl overdoses and widespread frustration over public drug use has led some legislators to call to repeal the law, while a group of wealthy Portlanders has vowed to push a ballot measure next year that would roll back Measure 110, create harsher penalties for dealers, ban public use of drugs and mandate treatment for people caught using drugs.
The legislature will convene the 2024 session before any measures can reach the ballot. How the Committee will prepare policy proposals for next year’s session remains to be seen. The committee plans to meet three more times ahead of the February legislative session. |
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| Oregon’s 2023 fire season ended on October 18. The most recent cycle of wet weather across the state has successfully reduced fuel conditions to a level where the risk of a large destructive wildfire is very low. Of the few remaining big fires in Oregon, all are in the final stages of mop-up and restoration.
Early detection, aggressive initial attack, improved partnerships among fire-fighting agencies, and utilization of efficient and effective aircraft, were key components to the significant reduction in acres burned this year. |
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| What these numbers show is a typical number of fire starts – with a significant increase in the number caused by people – but a major reduction in the number of acres burned to 15% of the 10-year average.
While the record-breaking September rains were a start, Oregon is still in the midst of a multi-year drought that has been hard on the state’s trees and forests and left them vulnerable to long fire seasons, intensified by climate change. Officials warned Saturday that while fire danger is reduced during cold, wetter months, wildfires can occur any time of the year. They asked Oregonians to remain cautious when burning anything outdoors. |
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| In addition to several ribbon cutting and business gatherings this past week, I was pleased to be the guest speaker at the Philomath Chamber of Commerce. It was a great gathering with about 50 people in attendance. I also joined the Oregon Agricultural Trust Porch Party in Corvallis, spoke with the Central Lincoln PUD Board, and visited with neighbors and city leaders in Toledo about homelessness. |
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Philomath Chamber of Commerce
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| Saturday evening we celebrated progress on a tribal heritage, arts and history center for the Siletz Tribal Arts & Heritage Society. I spoke briefly about the voyage of Francis Drake in 1579 and the growing body of evidence that he chose a bay in Lincoln County for repairs. This would make the indigenous peoples of the central Oregon coast the first on the North American mainland to make contact with Europeans. |
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| In the coming week, I look forward to the Oregon Coast Community College Foundation Donor & Scholar Reception and to calling bingo for the St. Augustine Church Gala-by-the-Sea event. I also have meetings scheduled with the Elk/Deer Damage Compensation Workgroup, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to discuss maritime workforce training implementation, Senator Merkley’s office, and the Oregon Small Woodlands Association.
If you have an event planned, check with my office and I’ll try and drop by. |
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