Medford civil defense prepares shelter at Andrews Middle School, advances hazard mitigation plan

Medford Civil Defense told the City Council Committee of the Whole on May 6 that its fiscal 2026 request rises slightly, from $9,390 to $9,840, to cover dues to the Regional Emergency Planning Council (REPC), supplies, travel and equipment maintenance as the office finalizes a shelter plan.

Staff said the city plans to use Andrews Middle School as an emergency shelter and will conduct a walk‑through with key personnel to review operations, equipment staging, and staffing. The department has acquired cots and some supplies through public-health emergency planning funding previously provided through FEMA; staff said new supplies will augment existing stock and are being staged in multiple locations (locker rooms at the high school and a newly purchased trailer) so materials can be rapidly deployed.

Civil Defense staff also said they are working on a FEMA-funded hazard-mitigation plan that includes an active community-engagement phase; staff described surveying residents and stakeholders as part of a roughly year-long planning process.

Nut graf: The civil defense office signaled modest ongoing operating needs to support an operational shelter and to complete a FEMA-backed hazard-mitigation plan; councilors heard that supplies are in hand and that a trailer will centralize staging for emergency response.

Background and next steps: The council heard that municipal volunteers (MRC) would assist with inventory and trailer staging; the office will proceed with the planned shelter walk-through and continue community surveying as part of the mitigation-planning timeline.

Ending: The civil defense increase was characterized as modest and targeted; staff indicated continued reliance on FEMA and state public-health funding for emergency-preparedness supplies and follow-up work.