The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM), an agency within the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), are reaching out to 1,216 Deschutes Alerts subscribers with additional needs who did not respond to our recent system test.
Through Deschutes County’s partnership with OREM, the agency helps support enhanced outreach to people registered with Deschutes Alerts who may need additional assistance during evacuations and other emergencies. OREM will make up to three phone calls to each person to confirm or update their contact information so Deschutes Alerts can reach them during emergencies.
On Wednesday, February 25, a reminder message was sent to 2,727 subscribers who had indicated in their Deschutes Alerts profile that they have additional needs, such as mobility challenges, dialysis requirements, or reliance on electrically powered medical equipment. The Sheriff’s Office set up a call center that day and received 63 calls from citizens who either confirmed their contact information or provided updated information.
Deschutes Alerts is a vital tool for keeping our community informed about all types of emergencies that impact neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, or daily life. One of the most common uses of Deschutes Alerts is to provide evacuation information during a wildfire.
Anyone who lives or works in Deschutes County is encouraged to create or update an account at DeschutesAlerts.org. Subscribers with medical, mobility, or other additional needs may receive a call from ODHS this month to assist with updating their information.
For help with Deschutes Alerts accounts, call 541-388-6501 during business hours. To find emergency notification systems in other Oregon counties, visit ORAlert.gov.
This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
