When disaster strikes, we may not be able to get to your neighborhood to check on you for a variety of reasons: an increase in our calls for service, damage to or blocked roads, or damage to our own facilities, equipment and personnel. In addition, depending on the magnitude of the incident, assistance from outside sources could be delayed as well. By preparing yourself, your family, and your neighborhood, you can be self-reliant following a disaster.

FEMA and the American Red Cross recommend that you prepare at least two kits: one for home and one for your vehicle. For home, you should ensure you have enough food, water, and medication for at least two weeks. In your vehicle and/or at work, you should have at least 72 hours.

• Learn more about what items to include in your emergency kits

We also have options for volunteer groups that want to support a single event.

• Each year, our CERT team holds exercises to sharpen their response skills. If your group would like to be involved in those exercises as actors or "victims," please contact us!
• Host an event for your group.. We can provide a speaker, or we can provide you with the handouts and training.

Email us at CERT@hillsboro-oregon.gov to discuss the details.

We provide many training and volunteer opportunities, including Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training in both English and Spanish.

You could also host an event in your neighborhood, such as a block party. We can provide you with materials to hand out.

For more information, visit our Get Involved section.

Our mission is "To lessen the impact of disasters on our Hillsboro community through mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery." Check out our Home page, at left, to see a sampling of the activities we are involved in and learn more about how you can prepare yourself and get involved!