Oregon’s Emergency Management Community Unites at 2025 Oregon Prepared Conference

Sunriver, Ore. – From April 15 to 18, more than 430 emergency management professionals from across Oregon gathered at Sunriver Resort for the 2025 Oregon Prepared Conference. Hosted by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), this annual event brought together local, tribal, state, federal, nonprofit and private sector partners for four days of training, collaboration and networking aimed at enhancing community resilience.

This year's conference theme, "Communication, Collaboration, Community," underscored the importance of unified efforts in all phases of emergency management—preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery.

Key Highlights:

• Pre-conference workshops: On April 15, attendees participated in specialized sessions, including AWR-132: Understanding and Planning for School Bombing Attacks, AWR-329: Leveraging Tools for Coordinated Disaster Communications, and a State Qualification System Presentation and Work Session.

• Diverse breakout sessions: The conference featured over 30 breakout sessions across four thematic tracks:

• Communication: Topics included continuity of communications, effective social media use during events, and multilingual emergency communications.

• Collaboration: Sessions covered multi-agency wildfire evacuation planning, private sector partnerships, and mutual aid coordination.

• Community: Discussions focused on inclusive evacuations, community resilience hubs, and integrating games into exercise programs.

• Overcoming limitations: Presentations addressed incident mapping on a budget, leveraging Genasys statewide, and utilizing SAR teams effectively.

• Full group sessions: Notable plenaries included insights from the Disability and Emergency Management Advisory Council (DEMAC) on bridging gaps in emergency planning for individuals with disabilities, and a state resilience officer's address on enhancing Oregon's preparedness strategies.

• Keynote address: Deputy Chief Sasha Larkin, Director of Intelligence and C4 Operations for FIFA World Cup 2026 and retired Assistant Sheriff from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, delivered an inspiring keynote on community policing and building resilient communities.

• Youth engagement: The conference introduced the 2024-2025 Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council, highlighting the importance of involving youth in emergency preparedness initiatives.

• Exhibitor Hall and networking: Attendees explored the latest emergency management tools and technologies in the exhibitor hall and participated in networking events, including an evening social with games, karaoke and trivia.

OEM Director Erin McMahon addressed the fiscal uncertainty stemming from recent changes to FEMA’s federal grant programs, calling it “a flexion point—a moment where the decisions we make will shape not only the next chapter of emergency management, but the safety, well-being, and future of the Oregon we are all striving to protect.” She challenged attendees to consider, “How do we define the future of emergency management in Oregon? What tools and skills are essential to achieve our vision? And how will we tell our story—not just to each other, but to the communities we serve?”
 
Director McMahon emphasized the significance of the conference, stating, “The Oregon Prepared Conference is more than a professional development opportunity—it’s a space to connect, share, and strengthen the partnerships that help our communities thrive through adversity and build the collective capacity to meet the moment—no matter what challenges arise.”