Advisory committee targets hospitality settings and community education: barrels, radios, Oct. 11 event

Committee members used the Aug. 11 meeting to press for emergency preparedness messaging tailored to hospitality settings and short-term rentals, to review progress on the barrel-host program and radio testing, and to set a public education event for Oct. 11.

Several committee members described a visit to Depot (Depoe) Hills — a rental/investor community — and reported that typical preparedness messaging (go bags, barrels, household-focused guidance) did not resonate with investors and short-term-rental operators. Cathy, an advisory committee member, said the community is oriented to investment and rentals and suggested targeted outreach through property managers and lodging platforms. Committee members discussed working with Meredith (a large property manager referenced in the meeting) and HOAs to ensure hospitality properties have emergency supplies for guests.

On caches and barrels, the committee reported which island sites already have barrels and which remain to be filled; committee members said islands 1 and 5 still lacked barrels and that most population centers were covered by the existing placement. For the barrel-host program and radio testing, Kim and the committee reported that seven hosts have been recruited and that an initial radio test produced communication among most hosts; staff will run a wider test with a communications lead (named in the meeting) to validate the system.

The committee set a community education event for Oct. 11. Planned items include demonstrations on building go bags, siren/alert guidance, the difference between distant and local tsunamis, Everbridge sign-up, and practical demonstrations such as turning off gas and draining a water heater (plumbing demonstration). Kim said she invited ODHS and other subject-matter experts, and that Samantha Buckley (as noted in the meeting) and others intend to join. The event is intended as an “ask the expert” format to get actionable advice to residents and lodging operators.

Operational steps and volunteers: committee members offered to qualify barrel-host candidates, to recruit volunteers for inventory work and to run radio tests with Michael Dane. The committee scheduled a work day on Sept. 19 to inventory and stage supplies in the storage units. Committee members also discussed how to supply hospitality operators with barrels or encourage them to stock supplies at their properties so that guests are served in an emergency.

Ending: Staff will continue radio testing, finalize speakers for the Oct. 11 community education event and return with a list of qualified barrel hosts and an updated inventory after the Sept. 19 staging exercise.