Oregon’s 2026 statewide preparedness exercise, “Getting Through Lahar’d Times,” taking place the week of October 13, 2026.
Oregon Dept of Emergency Management (OEM) is seeking support in identifying community members who may be interested in participating in Oregon’s 2026 statewide preparedness exercise, “Getting Through Lahar’d Times,” taking place the week of October 13, 2026.
We are seeking individuals whose lived experiences and community perspectives can help us better understand how statewide emergency recovery efforts impact people across Oregon. These partners play an essential role in ensuring our emergency management work reflects the needs of diverse communities.
We are looking for participants who volunteer with, or receive services from, an Oregon‑based nonprofit and who have insight into the unique needs of the communities they are part of. You can view a recording our recent community information session on our YouTube channel for more background and information on the exercise and what we are looking for.
If you know individuals who may be a good fit, please encourage them to complete the interest form by the initial deadline of May 30, 2026.
Key details about the role:
- Participants must be affiliated with an Oregon nonprofit as a volunteer or client.
- A stipend will be provided in exchange for approximately 12 hours of participation. This stipend will be provided to the Oregon-based nonprofit that the participant is affiliated with to issue the payment. Administrative costs of the nonprofit will be taken into account to issue this payment.
- Participants will attend portions of the exercise, take notes, reflect on what they observed, and complete a post‑activity survey.
- We have space for approximately 15 participants statewide.
- Our goal is to select individuals who collectively represent a broad range of regions, communities, and perspectives across Oregon.
- A selection committee will be considering where applicants live, what community or organization they are affiliate with, and the unique lens they can bring to the statewide disaster recovery process.
Please feel free to share this opportunity widely within your networks. If you have questions or would like to discuss whether someone may be a good fit, I am happy to help.