BEND, OR -- Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management is urging everyone to prepare now for potential future disasters. OEM Director Andrew Phelps says Oregonians have faced more than their fair share of emergencies in the past two years, in addition to the pandemic and devastating storms. "It never seems to stop; the wildfires, and even thinking about the horrible impacts of the shooting in Bend earlier this week. You never know what is going to be around the corner, in terms of hazards, and what those hazards can do to impact our community. So, it’s really important that we, as Oregonians, have this shared responsibility to try to reduce our risk of hazards."

There's also the ever-present threat of a devastating Cascadia Quake, which means we need to be more prepared than the three days recommended by federal agencies, "Three days may not cut it for our worst day," says Phelps, "We really want to make sure that Oregonians have that expectation in their mind that it could be two weeks before a first responder can make it to their home to get them critical supplies, or get them evacuated to safety."

September is National Preparedness Month, and Phelps says it’s good time to make sure you’re ready. He tells KBND News that means having, "Food, water, non-perishable food, extra medication if you rely on medication to keep yourself healthy, extra clothing to keep yourself warm, sturdy boots or shoes in case you do need to evacuate on foot. Trying to keep fuel in your vehicle; not letting your vehicle fall below a half tank of gasoline becomes important." And, if you have children or pets, make sure to have supplies for them, too. 

But, it’s more than just gathering things. Phelps says we need to also think about evacuation routes, make copies of important documents and sign up for local emergency alerts.