What’s PREP?

PREP provides practical information on preparing for a disaster in Oregon. It offers step-by-step tips, with printable documents for more detail.

    Get Prepared: What to know, what to have on hand, simple ways to get started today
    Get Organized: Make a plan with your neighbors for helping each other after the disaster
    Get Confident: Keep current and learn new skills by practicing together

PREP focuses on earthquakes and tsunamis, which are a likely type of major disaster in Oregon. Much of this information will also be helpful in other emergencies, like floods and storms.

PREP is simple and flexible: just start where you are, and take it as far as you like. Remember, even a little bit of preparation now can be a big help later on.

Why PREP?

As residents of the Pacific Northwest, we know that storms, floods, and earthquakes are facts of life. For example, the next big movement of the Cascadia Subduction Zone could leave us without utilities, fuel, food deliveries, and other services for a week or more.

Emergency services will likely be overwhelmed. Electricity, natural gas, and running water may be interrupted. Travel and communication may be difficult or impossible.

Making it through a major disaster will depend on our ability to take care of ourselves and those around us. Our greatest assets will be our own knowledge and attitudes, our household resources, and our connections with neighbors and community.

This type of situation can be scary to think about. But there is good news as well. All around us are other neighborly people who are willing to pull together to prepare for and respond to these events.

Plus, by working together to gather resources and share skills, we are making our communities stronger and more resilient. And that’s a good thing, disaster or no.