By Micha Wolf | Contributing Writer
Two changes coming soon to Portland will affect Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NETs). The mayor’s office has proposed a new budget for the year 2024/25 that would cut funds to Portland’s Bureau of Emergency Management. In addition, NET leadership is planning the realignment of neighborhood districts.
The Impact of NET
Founded in 1994, the NET program has been serving the community for 30 years. In 2023, at the city’s request, NETs deployed for over 2200 hours. Work included helping our neighbors in warming and cooling shelters, clearing storm drains, and maintaining safety perimeters around downed power lines – freeing up fire and police until utility crews arrive. In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, NETs responded to more than double the usual number of deployment requests – making masks, distributing public health posters, and staffing vaccination clinics. That volunteer work provided almost $450,000 of service to the city.
New Budget
The following statements are from S. Ahmed, the mayor’s designee.
First and foremost, a 60% reduction in non-personnel costs will not carry the most basic functions of our core mission of emergency response. Therefore, we will need to eliminate or hold an additional position while we evaluate how to make up for this. The position being considered for this is the vacant position in Operations.
We also have five limited term positions that are slated to end June 30th, four of which are currently occupied covering functions such as planning, community programs support, training and exercise, and emergency operations.
At present, NET volunteers do not know fully the scope of the impact this measure will have. Funding cuts could mean fewer resources for Neighborhood Emergency Teams, the BEECN program (Basic Earthquake Emergency Communications Node) and fewer training possibilities for all volunteers.
If you’d like more detailed information about the budget cuts or to voice your opinion, please contact Mayor Wheeler’s office directly at MayorWheeler@ PortlandOregon.gov.
NET District Realignment
There will also likely be realigning of NET districts. Portland has about 2000 active NET volunteers, and they are spread among many city districts. Up until now, NETs were organized by neighborhoods, often having to travel quite a distance to meetings or staging sites.
The new proposal would allow NETs to form smaller ‘pods’ among their immediate neighbors and neighborhood streets, thus allowing for a more knowledgeable and immediate response should a disaster strike.
We are proud to have been able to provide education and disaster preparedness and we all hope we can continue to serve our community.
Micha Wolf ha s retired from teaching primary school, loves being in nature and believes in building community through engagement.