Emergency Preparedness B2WR – Part 4: Water Plan

Published October 1, 2024

PNA has been following the City of Lake Oswego’s adoption of the Be 2 Weeks Ready (B2WR) Program. Oregon has faced a series of emergencies, including floods, droughts, wildfires, ice storms, heatwaves, and a pandemic. These events show the critical importance of being prepared. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) aims to empower people to prepare effectively because once a disaster occurs, preparation time is over. This is why individuals, families, and communities should strive to “Be 2 Weeks Ready.”

“It is really important to change and rotate your water supply so remember to do that.  One idea is to put a calendar reminder 2-4 times per year to check your smoke alarm batteries and your water supply.  Another tip is to store water in 2 liter plastic bottles in the freezer.  This will give you both water supply and help your refrigerator and freezer last a little longer in power outages.”

– Roger Gray, Area 7 Representative, Emergency Preparedness Committee Member

For information regarding Oregon’s overall efforts, click here.

Water Plan

Hydration Matters During Stress: A 14-Day Water Plan

This plan helps you gather and store enough water for 14 days and ensure it’s safe to drink without modern conveniences. 

 

Quick Start Steps:

                  1. Safety Considerations       2. Water Needs         3. Water Storage

                                   4. Water Sanitization             5. Additional Tips

Safety Considerations:

  • Potable water is water that’s not contaminated and is safe to use for drinking, brushing your teeth, food preparation and hygiene. People and animals should only consume potable water.

  • Avoid contaminated water (e.g., from rivers, lakes, or floodwaters).

  • Do not use water with fuel, chemicals, odors, or floating debris.

  • Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon, so store it accessibly.

  • Never use pool cleaning tablets for drinking water.

     

Water Needs:

The average person uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day for indoor home uses. How much water you need to Be 2 Weeks Ready depends on several factors. Each person will need water each day for drinking, meal preparation and cleanup, and personal hygiene. The amount of water you’ll need will also be impacted by the kinds of foods you plan to eat (pasta, oatmeal, baby formula, powdered milk, etc.) and if you have pets.

 

Water Storage:

  • Store water in cool, dark places, away from chemicals and sunlight.

  • Distribute your supply throughout your home in case of damage.

  • Store some water in the freezer for dual use as ice and drinking water.

 

How to Sanitize Water:

  1. Boil for at least one minute.

  2. Use filtration per manufacturer instructions.

  3. Water purification tablets (NSF-approved).

  4. Chemical disinfection (bleach or iodine, with precautions).

  5. Distillation (boil and condense).

 

Other Tips:

  • Keep powdered drink mixes to improve water taste.

  • Do not substitute soft drinks, caffeinated beverages, or alcohol for water.

For assistance, explore this activity in the Be 2 Weeks Ready Program Toolkit. 

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

VOLUNTEER OR DONATE

PNA Community
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) Project Coordinator

Primary Role:

  • Handles NEP grant applications, grant approvals, reviews receipts for reimbursement and is the single point of contact between the entire Palisades Neighborhood Association (PNA) and the City.
  • To be successfull in this role you should be organized, communicative.
  • Time commitment: From 8-12 hrs. throughout the year

Process:

  • Accepting NEP proposals: Anyone living in the Palisades Neighborhood Association can submit proposal(s) to the NEP Coordinator along with estimated costs throughout the year. They should follow the application guidelines and answer the questions related to their proposal.
  • PNA Board will Vote on Which Items To Include in our NEP Proposal: During the month of March PNA board meeting the NEP Coordinator asks the board to vote on the proposed item(s). NEP Coordinator encourages person(s) proposing the item(s) to attend the meeting to answer questions that might come up. The PNA board then votes on which items should be included in the NEP grant proposal.
  • Developing and Submitting the NEP Grant Proposalt: During the NEP grant proposal period (usually the month of May) the NEP Project Coordinator:
    • Fills out the NEP grant proposal application based on items approved by the PNA Board;
    • Gets sign offs from the PNA Chair
    • Submits the proposal form to the city in early May for the initial review process
    • Provides additional information requested by the city
    • Revises and submits the final application to the City by the deadline (typically May 31).

What Happens Next:

  • Iris McCaleb from the City forwards the NEP grant proposals to the grant review committee and then to the City Council who review it and awards certain grants.The NEP Coordinator will receive a letter of award from the City and will share it with the PNA Leadership Team.
  • As items are purchased from the approved grant list, the project close-out form is filled out by the person requesting reimbursement. They will attach digital copies of receipts and photos and then submit all to both the NEP Project Coordinator and the PNA Chair. The NEP Project Coordinator submits the reimbursement request to Iris at the City for reimbursement.
  • Reimbursement checks are then sent directly to the person who purchased the item(s).