With only a few months to go, I have a lot of work to do before the end of the year to make sure all of my projects get completed.

For OEM, I’ve been helping Cory Grogan (OEM’S PIO) create a social media policy document. Members of the community increasingly utilize social media, smartphones, and other electronic technology devices to access, capture, and share emergency information.  Therefore, OEM believes it is vitally important to also utilize these resources in case of an emergency in order to effectively engage with the public.  Being involved with social media is a key factor in terms of emergency resilience and preparedness. This document will describe OEM’s policy and procedures related to the use of social media.

For the Oregon Sea Grant, I’ve been helping Joe Cone (OSG’s Assistant Director) coordinate meetings with OSG staff members who are currently working on projects pertaining to Japan tsunami marine debris (JTMD), or marine debris in general.  The purpose of these meetings is to discuss the work each person is doing and discover whether there are any opportunities for collaboration.  For the next meeting, we will also be inviting external partners from OEM, NOAA, and Hawaii Sea Grant to discuss the marine debris work they are currently doing.

I’ve also continued to help the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience (OPDR) coordinate meetings for the Coastal Community Resilience Network Pilot Project.  Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) received grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to implement a two-year pilot project that focuses on implementing a natural hazard risk-based approach to increasing community resilience known as RiskPlan. As a sub-recipient of funds under this DLCD-led NOAA funded project, the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience (OPDR) generally provides research and technical planning assistance for risk, vulnerability, and resilience assessments. OPDR helps to co-chair the Resilience Technical Work Group and assist in the compilation and development of materials to be used in subsequent hazards and resilience planning efforts.  A major part of the project focuses on engaging with planners, policymakers, and community members from Oregon’s northern most county, Clatsop County.  Specifically, these meetings include planning commissioners, city administrators, and residents from the cities of Seaside, Cannon Beach, and Gearhart.  Using an USAID guide as a template, the purpose of these meetings is to build a resilience plan and social network that can be effectively utilized in the case of a natural disaster along Oregon’s coast.

Come back next month for updates on all of these projects.