OEM Announces Adoption of the Oregon Disaster Recovery Plan

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is pleased to announce the formal adoption of the Oregon Disaster Recovery Plan (ODRP), Volume IV of the State of Oregon Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP). This plan establishes a statewide framework to guide recovery efforts following disasters and supports local and Tribal jurisdictions in restoring and revitalizing communities.

"The Oregon Disaster Recovery Plan strengthens our state's ability to support communities when disaster strikes,” Governor Kotek said. “Coordinating resources effectively, prioritizing equity in recovery efforts, and helping Oregonians rebuild stronger and more resilient communities are at the heart of our planning efforts.”

The ODRP was developed under the authority of Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 401 and aligns with the National Disaster Recovery Framework published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It reflects lessons learned from recent disasters, including the 2020 Labor Day Wildfires, and incorporates best practices to ensure Oregon is prepared to manage recovery operations effectively.

“The Oregon Disaster Recovery Plan reflects our commitment to help communities—including households, individuals and businesses—not only recover from disasters, but emerge stronger and more resilient,” Erin McMahon, Director, Oregon Department of Emergency Management, said. “Recovery is a locally driven process, and this plan ensures the state is ready to provide the guidance, resources and coordination needed to support Oregon’s diverse communities. It aligns local, state, and federal partners under one framework prioritizing the needs of Oregonians. By working together, we can restore critical services, rebuild infrastructure, and prioritize equity so that every Oregonian can recover fully.”

About the Plan

The ODRP is intended to be an all-hazards document that provides the state with a scalable recovery organization that can be implemented for incidents of varying levels of complexity and includes the following:

• Recovery Organization: Defines roles and responsibilities for state, local, Tribal, and federal partners during recovery operations as well as the organizational structures in place during recovery.
• Recovery Concept of Operations: Outlines how recovery activities will be organized, coordinated, and managed at the state level in a disaster, and addresses relevant topics such as the recovery continuum and the interface between response and recovery operations.
• Equity Vision: Ensures recovery efforts address the needs of disproportionately impacted communities and promote inclusive, accessible solutions.
• Recovery Support Functions (RSFs): Organized approach to state coordination and resources into seven RSFs—Community Assistance, Economic Recovery, Health Services, Human Services, Disaster Housing, Infrastructure Systems, and Natural and Cultural Resources—to streamline coordination and support.

Why the Plan Matters

Disasters in Oregon—such as wildfires, floods, landslides, and winter storms—can have long-lasting impacts on communities. The ODRP provides a roadmap for restoring essential services, rebuilding infrastructure, and supporting economic and social recovery. It emphasizes collaboration across the whole community, including local governments, Tribal Nations, businesses, nonprofits, and residents, to ensure recovery is locally driven and state supported.

Next Steps

With the plan adopted, OEM will:

• Convene quarterly meetings with recovery partners to maintain alignment and readiness.
• Finalize annexes that define coordination and partnerships during all recovery phases and collaborate with state agencies to include detailed descriptions of their roles and responsibilities.
• Provide local and Tribal jurisdictions with whole community planning and capacity building through funding opportunities, training and exercises, and technical assistance.
• Collaboratively develop and implement recovery strategies to support community-led recovery efforts before and after disasters.
• In October, the statewide exercise, Lahar’d Times, will focus on testing post-volcanic event recovery processes laid out in the plan. You can read more about the state exercise program on the OEM website.

What Can You Do?

For community members wanting to be more involved, reach out to your local office of emergency management and ask if there are recovery organizations in your area looking for volunteers.

Finally, being prepared for disasters in your community can help reduce the impacts and thereby minimize recovery needs.

• Make sure that you have sufficient insurance coverage for all the major hazards in your region;
• Get your household prepared by using OEM’s Be2WeeksReady Toolkit;
• Or join your local CERT or the volunteer search and rescue team connected to your county sheriff’s office;
• Remember, disaster response and recovery are a whole community effort.