City of Hillsboro, OR
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The City of Hillsboro's Emergency Management Office was first staffed in 1995 and is currently staffed with an Emergency Manager and Emergency Management Officer. Emergency Management is housed in the Fire & Rescue Department and reports directly to the Fire Chief.
Emergency Management is involved in a wide variety of activities, including:- Write and coordinate plans for the city's response to various disaster scenarios
- Train city staff and elected officials in a coordinated response to various disaster scenarios
- Equip, train and staff an Emergency Operations Center to manage the city's coordinated response to various incidents
- Participate in county- and city-wide exercises which test our coordinated response to various disaster scenarios
- Provide disaster preparedness information and training to city staff, businesses, and residents; includes group presentations and information booths at various events.
- Train and equip residents to assist their family, neighborhood, and community following a disaster, specifically through our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program
- Coordinate plans and training with other public- and private-sector emergency managers across the county, region, and state
- Participate in public safety planning and response for large events, such as the Oregon International Airshow Plan
- Train and respond in compliance with the Department of Homeland Security's National Incident Management System and use lessons learned from the above activities to improve emergency management plans and programs
Staff:
Catherine Amerson –Emergency Management Officer
To set the overall context of emergency management planning, we briefly review the major natural and anthropogenic (caused by humans) hazards that may impact Hillsboro. Some of the hazards, such as earthquakes, may affect all of Hillsboro more or less uniformly. Other hazards, such as floods, may affect only limited portions of Hillsboro.
Note: This community risk analysis is excerpted from our City of Hillsboro Community Risk Analysis,
Floods
Portions of Hillsboro are at risk from flooding along the Tualatin River, Rock Creek, Dairy Creek and smaller tributaries. In addition, other portions of Hillsboro, outside of the mapped floodplains, may also be subject to flooding from local storm water drainage or from creeks too small to be mapped by FEMA.
Winter Storms
All of Hillsboro is subject to the effects of winter storms, including wind, rain, snow and ice, as well as secondary effects such as power outages. However, the severity of impacts and types of impacts will vary with location within Hillsboro.
Earthquakes
All of Hillsboro is subject to the impacts of earthquakes, including not only major earthquakes on the Cascadia Subduction Zone off the Oregon coast, but also smaller crustal earthquakes within western Oregon. Even though the frequency of earthquakes is low, the potential impacts are large. Overall, of all the natural hazards, earthquakes pose the greatest threat to Hillsboro.
Volcanic Hazards
The likely impacts of volcanic events are ash falls, with potential impacts on the electric, water and storm water systems. There are potentially significant health effects for at-risk residents (e.g., those with respiratory ailments).
Landslides
The level of landslide risk in Hillsboro appears very low because there are neither hills nor other areas with steep slopes in Hillsboro. A few bank areas along stream channels may be subject to very localized landslides. There appears to be little or no inventory of either buildings or infrastructure in these areas. Thus, the risk posed by landslides in Hillsboro appears negligible.
Wildland/Urban Interface Fires
The level wildland/urban interface fire risk in Hillsboro is low because there are no large forested areas or other high vegetative fuel load areas within or immediately adjacent to Hillsboro.
Dam Failures
Portions of Hillsboro are in the inundation areas from failure of the Scoggins Dam. For Hillsboro, the potential inundation area is very similar to the FEMA-mapped 500-year floodplain.
Disruption of Utility and Transportation Systems
All of Hillsboro is also subject to disruption of utility and transportation systems from winter storms and other natural hazards, as well as from man made causes.
Hazmat Incidents
Human-caused hazards, such as hazardous material releases, are possible nearby or downwind from fixed site concentrations (e.g., industrial sites) as well as along transportation corridors from truck or railroad accidents. All of Hillsboro is potentially subject to hazmat incidents.
Terrorism
The term “terrorism” is broadly inclusive of all deliberate malevolent actions intended to damage property or inflict casualties or to coerce or intimidate into behavioral or political change. Hillsboro does not have potential sites of national significance, although any major public or private facility is a potential target but a very low probability of occurrence.
In evaluating these natural or human-caused hazards, it is important to recognize that the risk to Hillsboro (i.e., the potential for damages, economic losses, and casualties) varies markedly from one hazard to another. Risk depends on the combination of the frequency and severity of hazard events and on the value and vulnerability of infrastructure, buildings, and people to each potential hazard. Risk is thus always probabilistic in nature. Some hazard events, such as winter storms, happen every year to at least some extent. Other hazard events, such as major earthquakes may happen only once every few hundred years. However, risk from earthquakes is high, even though the frequency of occurrence is low, because the consequences (damage, economic losses, and casualties) may be very high.
Relative Risk
The approximate level of relative risk posed to Hillsboro by each of the hazards covered in this mitigation plan is summarized below in table below. This ranking is based on quantitative/qualitative judgment about the likely long-term average annual damages and losses in Hillsboro from each hazard, taking into account the probability of major hazard events and the severity of damages and losses if (when) such events occur.
| Hazard | Relative Risk to Hillsboro |
|---|---|
| Earthquakes | High |
| Floods | Moderate |
| Winter Storms | Moderate |
| Disruption of Utility and Transportation Systems | Moderate |
| Hazmat Incident - Transportation | Moderate |
| Hazmat Incident - Fixed Facility | Low |
| Dam Failures | Low |
| Volcanic Eruptions | Low |
| Terrorism | Low |
| Wildland/Urban Interface Fires | Very Low |
| Landslides | Very Low |
Emergency Operations Plan
This plan describes the roles and responsibilities of city leadership and staff during an emergency or disaster. It sets forth a strategy and documents the procedures to effectively track our situation and resource status as an integrated, comprehensive emergency response.
The Emergency Operations Plan is promulgated by the Hillsboro City Council pursuant to:
- City of Hillsboro Municipal Code Chapter 2.60, Emergency Management
- Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) Chapter 401
The Emergency Management Plan (EOP) does not define how the City of Hillsboro will tactically respond to every type of incident. It takes an All-Hazards approach to the processes used to manage any type of event. This method applies to the Oregon International Air Show, snow storm, water main break, terrorist attack, or an earthquake.
Pandemic Influenza Plan
The Pandemic Influenza Plan describes the challenges associated with a pandemic. This may necessitate specific leadership decisions, response actions, and messaging to the public.
This plan was coordinated with Washington County Department of Health and Human Services (WCDHHS), to achieve the following goals:
- Limit the number of illnesses and deaths
- Preserve continuity of critical and vital functions (government and business)
- Minimize social disruption
- Minimize economic losses
The Plan also:
- Defines planning and preparedness activities that should be undertaken before a pandemic occurs that will enhance the effectiveness of response measures.
- Defines organizational roles and responsibilities during all phases of a pandemic.
- Describes the response, coordination and decision-making structure during a pandemic.
- Defines a continuum of response actions that can be taken during a pandemic.
- Provides technical support and information on which preparedness and response actions are based.
The City of Hillsboro responds to daily emergencies through its Fire & Rescue, Police, Public Works and Water Departments. Other City departments, including the Hillsboro Building Department, are also prepared to respond in a major disaster.
When an incident grows beyond the capability of our daily staffing levels, we call upon neighboring jurisdictions for assistance. The added capacity assists in handling the problem. During a disaster which impacts more than our city, neighboring agencies may not be able to assist due to needs in their own jurisdictions. When this happens, we may need to:
- Increase response times: We are not able to respond as quickly as we normally would, due to increased calls for service. For short-duration events, such as a windstorm, this may happen. Our 9-1-1 center prioritizes incidents based upon whether life safety or property are at risk. Lower priority calls will not be responded to until higher priority calls are cleared. Increases in incident response time will vary according to the severity of the event and impacts to the city.
- Call back off-duty personnel: Used for longer-duration events, as it may take an hour or more for off-duty personnel to arrive. We may use this for events that are expected to last for several days, such as snow storms.
- Increase work hours or add additional shifts: We may move to two 12-hour shifts in departments that are not normally staffed around the clock. For example, our Public Works Department does this in response to severe weather events.
For longer-duration events, or events where outside assistance is needed, we coordinate with Washington County Emergency Management. The county works to coordinate emergency response and support agencies working together to respond to disasters. Disciplines may include public works, fire, law enforcement, emergency management, public health, 9-1-1, volunteer groups, and others.
Disaster response is a shared responsibility - learn what you can do to prepare here.
Read our disaster preparedness FAQ for more about how the City prepares and may respond in general to major incidents, as well as some preparation and response information specific to an earthquake.
Disaster Preparedness and Response
- A major earthquake would generate a significant number of situations requiring immediate law enforcement assistance. In the case of any major disaster, the City of Hillsboro Police Department (HPD) would activate its Emergency Operations schedule.
A top priority for HPD would be assisting with the evacuation of members of the public who are in immediate, life-threatening situations. Personally-owned vehicles, publicly- and privately-operated buses and other vehicles, roads, and public transit systems would be damaged, requiring immediate assessments of available means and routes for evacuation. HPD personnel would identify sites for loading, unloading, and staging vehicles; and routes that are clear, or must be cleared, to provide dedicated capacity for assistance and evacuation operations. Damage to facilities and the need to immediately initiate response operations from key facilities would require the deployment of law enforcement personnel for security purposes. - The City of Hillsboro may take the following actions, dependent on the specific situation:
- Activate the Emergency Operations Center: The City of Hillsboro EOC is staffed with employees from the various city departments with the purpose of supporting the emergency responders in the field. In addition to logistical support for responders, other responsibilities may include conducting damage assessment, maintaining situation and resource status, purchasing supplies and equipment, requesting additional resources through the county/state/federal governments, communicating with assisting or cooperating agencies, communicating with the media, tracking expenses, activating and training volunteer groups, and writing contingency plans. Specific EOC roles and responsibilities vary by hazard type, impact and duration.
- Declare an emergency: When the City of Hillsboro does not have sufficient resources to respond to a disaster, they must declare a state of emergency under Hillsboro Municipal Code Chapter 2.46, Emergency Management. The declaration of emergency is a legal document that outlines the nature of the disaster, its impacts upon our community, emergency measures to be taken, and additional resources requested. The declaration of emergency is sent to Washington County to fill the resource requests. If they can provide the needed resources, they do. If not, they declare an emergency on behalf of all requesting jurisdictions in the county and send it on to the state. If the state is unable to provide the necessary resources, the Governor declares an emergency and requests federal assistance. If damages reach the level sufficient for a presidential declaration of emergency, it may be several days before federal resources arrive.
- Inform the public: Public Information Officers from across the Washington County coordinate their messages and cross-check their details when providing information to the media. This is due to the sharing of a common media viewing/listening area. This is done to ensure common, comprehensive information to the public and avoid releasing conflicting messages. This is crucial for protective action instructions, such as evacuation routes, the need to boil water, requirement for traction devices on tires, or the location of warming shelters.
- Activate and train volunteers: When the number of volunteers available from on-going relationships is not sufficient for our response needs, we may activate a Volunteer Registration Center (VRC). Members of the community who wish to volunteer should report there to register, receive training and a safety briefing, and be deployed.
A major earthquake that disrupts communications, roads and other infrastructure will severely tax the City of Hillsboro Fire Department’s ability to deliver normal services. As a result, the department would enter Disaster Operations mode in which units would respond only to the incidents containing the potential for the largest loss of life. Other calls for service will be put in a queue and will be handled only when resources become available.
If communications systems remained intact, off-duty career & volunteer firefighters would be called in to staff reserve apparatus and assist with the demand that would overwhelm the 9-1-1 system. Our crews would be placed on a 12-hour on, 12-hour off rotating schedule to adjust for the additional demand and they would remain on that schedule until the demand subsided.
Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. Citizens need to have some basic first aid skills and supplies, and will need to fend for themselves for all but the most severe calls until the demands for service returns to normal.- City of Hillsboro Public Works Department personnel would be mobilized as soon as possible to assess damage to roadways, sanitary sewer, storm sewer systems and public facilities (buildings). Similar to other natural disasters, the department would concentrate on opening roads that access critical facilities such as hospitals, police stations and fire stations.
A Department Emergency Operations Center (DOC) would be activated to support the City of Hillsboro Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Personnel would coordinate with Fire and Police to support their response efforts as well as assist the Building Department in assessing community structures and buildings. Staffing hours and numbers would also switch to emergency response mode, and resources would be assessed and equipment would be staged to respond as needed. City of Hillsboro Building department personnel would report as quickly as possible to the City of Hillsboro Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to help other City of Hillsboro departments in assessing the City for critical areas of damage.
Personnel certified for post-earthquake inspection would be supplied with the necessary equipment and sent to sites for rapid assessment and inspection as time and resources allowed. Assessments would be prioritized based on a variety of factors as determined by the EOC. High priority assessments would include essential facilities such as hospitals, fire and police stations, and other types of care facilities. Buildings would be evaluated based on federal ATC-20 criteria for Post-Earthquake Building Safety and are then posted with a red, yellow, or green card based on the degree of life safety hazard determined by inspectors. Regular updates would be provided to the EOC regarding damage to the built environment to facilitate emergency declarations.
Building Department services would be made operational as soon as possible to help the public in getting businesses and homes to a safe condition for occupancy. If power is out, assessments/evaluations would be done on paper to record all information.
For general information on how you can prepare, visit www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/earthquakes.Because drinking water systems are especially vulnerable to earthquake damage, the City of Hillsboro Water Department actively works with regional partners and neighboring water utilities to assure a well-coordinated response in the event of a disaster.
After a major earthquake, Water Department personnel would quickly assess damage to water facilities and begin repairs immediately to restore the water system. The department would also coordinate with emergency responders and City and regional emergency operations centers, and would test the water system and take action as needed to protect public health. If an extended period of time is needed for repairs, the Water Department would work with emergency responders to determine the City's ability to provide emergency water distribution in Hillsboro as the situation permits.
Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. In an earthquake disaster, the Water Department may not be able to provide customer service, as restoring the water system will take first priority. Make sure you are prepared and have extra drinking water stored to take care of your family until the Water Department can respond. Learn more about how you can prepare.
- The Hillsboro Water Department is working in partnership with neighboring water utilities, regional public agencies, the American Red Cross, and other emergency responders to assure a well-coordinated response. A sound, well-rehearsed action plan can make difference.
“At-the-Ready” preparations include:
- An Emergency Response Plan that is exercised and updated on a regular basis.
- A curtailment plan that would go into immediate effect if water supplies were adversely affected by a disaster, such as a subduction zone earthquake.
- The Hillsboro Water Department is a member of various regional organizations which could provide assistance and support in an emergency, and has emergency contracts for fuel, construction, laboratory work, and transportation of bulk water, if needed for a post-earthquake emergency.
- The Hillsboro Water Department has an agreement with PGE, and is listed as a key customer, which means water infrastructure will be one of the first priorities of PGE for electricity restoration.
- Emergency equipment is stored for earthquake level repairs, including large valves and pipe segments that would be hard to obtain quickly.
- Equipment and a plan are in place for providing an emergency water supply to Hillsboro customers if the distribution system was compromised. Equipment includes a Hurricane Water Purifier, an Emergency Water Distribution System, and emergency portable piping that runs above ground.
- A line replacement program is underway that removes older pipes from the system and replaces them with pipes made of materials more likely to withstand an earthquake.
Preparations in progress include:
- An Emergency Back-up power generator is currently under construction at the Water Treatment Plant and will be finished by March 2016.
- The Hillsboro Water Department is making strategic investments in key components of a more resilient water system. The biggest step in assuring water reliability is developing a second water supply that will provide redundancy to Hillsboro’s water system. The Willamette Water Supply Program, in partnership with Tualatin Valley Water District, is on schedule to begin providing water to Hillsboro by 2026.
- The Water Treatment Plant is scheduled for life/safety earthquake improvements as part of the next expansion beginning in 2017.
Drinking water systems are especially vulnerable to earthquake damage:
- Water pipelines are susceptible to rupture during sudden ground movement.
- Pipelines are subject to failure where they connect to structures: intake structures, filtration plants and reservoirs, as well as to homes and businesses.
- Dams could sustain structural damage, resulting in a limited water supply.
- Elements in the treatment train at the Filtration Plant could be compromised, resulting in an inability to produce safe drinking water.
In summer months there is only about a three day supply of water stored in-town to meet customer needs. If something happened to disrupt the water system, neighboring utilities cannot provide enough water to meet Hillsboro’s water needs.
The City of Hillsboro Water Department actively works in partnership with neighboring water utilities, regional public agencies, the American Red Cross, and other emergency responders to train and assure a well-coordinated response. A sound, well-rehearsed action plan can make difference, and having a personal supply of water of at least 2 weeks is important.
See "What is the City of Hillsboro Water Department doing to prepare" above for more information about preparations.
The City of Hillsboro Building Department has been enforcing seismic design standards for all new buildings, additions and alterations since 1974 when the State adopted the Uniform Building Code
All Building Department plan review and inspection personnel are trained and certified to review, assess, and inspect the seismic design standards required by the Building Code.
The Building Department uses professional structural engineers to review construction plans for proposed commercial buildings to further ensure compliance with seismic design standards.
Most of the Building Department team has attended ATC-20 Post Earthquake Building Safety Evaluation training – the national standard for earthquake damage assessment. Many of the Building Department plan review and inspection personnel are also certified as post-earthquake inspectors by the State of Oregon. Most of these employees have had this certification for over 10 years.
In addition, for more than 10 years the Building Department has been prepared to quickly deliver expected services to our community by maintaining post-earthquake inspection packs prepared and equipped to support post-earthquake inspectors in the field in the days immediately following a seismic event.
For general information on how you can prepare, visit www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/earthquakes.
- The City of Hillsboro Fire Department has identified water sources that can be accessed during a disaster where we do not have to rely on the infrastructure that may be compromised. All engines can draft water from swimming pools or streams and can carry 900 to 1,000 gallons of water. In addition, we have a 3,000 gallon water tender to assist with larger needs.
- Possibly, depending upon the characteristics of the seismic event and the stability of the underlying soils. If you see large fissures, holes or cracks, fallen trees, street lights and general debris, due caution should be exercised.
- This is possible and probable depending upon the characteristics of the seismic event and the stability of the underlying soils. If sewer pipelines are compromised, there may be cross-contamination issues with our water supply. Since there is spacing and location design criteria in place to minimize this threat, the biggest concern will be potential sanitary sewer overflows (SSO) into creeks and public spaces, which may result in public health issues.
Is my house, apartment building or business built to withstand an earthquake? What about schools, hospitals or senior care facilities?
The seismic building requirements for houses, apartment structures and commercial buildings have been enforced since 1974, and have continued to be more stringent over the years. The State of Oregon adopted building codes in 1974 which also require a house to be connected to the foundation.
Schools are required to meet a higher seismic strength than the typical commercial business structure. Care facilities have a higher seismic strength design than the typical commercial business structure and hospitals have the highest level of seismic strength design requirements.
Please contact our Building Division to see if we have the permitting information on a specific structure that you have questions about.
- There are many ways to make your house more “earthquake safe” including bolting down and securing your water heater, refrigerator, furnace and gas appliances, hiring a professional to repair defective electrical wiring, leaky gas lines and inflexible utility connections, and fasten shelves, mirrors and large picture frames to walls.
For general information on how you can prepare, visit www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/earthquakes.
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.