West Linn and surrounding Clackamas County residents can now follow a step-by-step plan to prepare for Oregon's next disaster, one 15-minute project at a time.
The West Linn Tidings launched "Are You Ready?" on July 28, a year-long monthly series that walks readers through Oregon's most common emergencies.
Each installment focuses on a single hazard and offers four practical steps households can take, plus a short project that can be finished in about 15 minutes.
Publisher J. Brian Monihan said the series was built with input from experts at local cities to ensure the messaging is consistent with what municipalities already share.
Monihan said each partner city has already produced its own preparedness materials. "By partnering with The Review and our local business sponsors, we now will increase the reach and visibility of this information to keep being prepared top-of-mind," he said in the announcement.
The Tidings did not name which cities are formal partners, but the series aligns with West Linn's existing "Be 2 Weeks Ready" program, which recommends households stockpile at least two weeks of supplies.
That city program, run through West Linn's emergency management office, offers eight lessons and an activity book. Residents interested in hosting a preparedness group can email [email protected].
Over 12 months, "Are You Ready?" will cover extreme heat, wildfire preparedness, earthquakes, power outages, family communication plans, home fire safety, winter storms, financial recovery, emergency supplies, wildfire protection, and summer travel safety.
Readers who complete every installment will have a comprehensive emergency plan by summer 2027, according to the Tidings.
The timing is pointed. The Oregon Department of Forestry declared fire season statewide on June 15, and outdoor burning within the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue district, which covers West Linn, is banned until September 30.
In a July 3 article on wildfire readiness, TVF&R public information officer Marcus Koss said having an emergency kit with two weeks of supplies for each person and pet "is a great idea inside the wildland season and outside, because we deal with other things in other seasons like power outages and cold snaps."
Seismologists, meanwhile, project a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake of magnitude 7.4 or greater in the Pacific Northwest within the next 50 years. Regional experts meeting in Portland on July 20 called for more coordination and investment in preparedness infrastructure.
The series is free and available in print, in the Tidings' email newsletter, and online.
Upcoming community events
- National Night Out — 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, August 4, in Lake Oswego. Police, fire, city staff, and library representatives will attend neighborhood gatherings across the city.
