West Salem CERT

Our 2023 schedule has been established. Email luc.charwin@comcast.net with any questions or concerns. To keep the next items near the top, months past (Jan-Feb) have been moved to the bottom of the listings where they can still be reviewed.

The May 2023 Citywide Deployment Exercise registration link is available. Please find it under the May 13 listing, below. Other important details about the exercise are provided there, too.

Organizational notes: After doing a splendid job, Mel Ito has stepped down as Lead of Zone 7. Shane Saucedo has just accepted that position. Details are to be worked out as to Zone 7 meeting dates. Also, Greg Walsh has left City employment. A recruitment for the position was opened, to be closed Feb. 27.

Current details for events and exercises, as of 3-21-23:

March

6th — Done — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual — Topics: Preparations for April 15 Qtr Mtg on use of updated forms, triage review, etc. for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin (meeting link: https://teams.live.com/meet/9358308083819). Outcomes: Tweaks to March 14 meeting agenda; possible addition of radio use discussion during April 15 meeting; setting of March 13 meeting.

13th — Done — 7pm — Continuation of Documentation Review — Topic: Review Portland NET modifications to standard CERT forms, for report to Lead Team. Outcome will lead to presentation on April 15 Qtr Mtg in preparation for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise. — Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Sophie Sparling, Luc Charwin (meeting link: https://teams.live.com/meet/9358308083819). Outcomes: Final forms adjustments under way, for preview at our April 15 Qtr Mtg and use May 13.

14th — Done — 7pm — Zone 5 Mtg — Peace Lutheran Church, 1525 Glen Creek Rd NW — Topic: Critiquing of Luc’s and Will Conley’s Emergency Preparedness efforts of mobile supplies. Review your understanding of such supplies beforehand and join us to “roast” the efforts of these volunteers! The intent is to use these members’ efforts as examples to work toward helping people personalize and complete their own specific steps — Organizer(s): Lynn Chriestenson Outcomes: Wonderful meeting, as Lynn C. shared with Will and Luc: “I thought your presentations last night were great – interesting and super informative. Thanks! There were 15 people there – wish more had been able to see it.” (Terry L. also brought scrumptious cookies :-o)

Cancelled — Zone 6 Mtg — Topic: Continuation of Qtr Mtg General Preparedness, to work toward helping people personalize and complete specific steps — Contact: Will Conley

Zone 7 Mtgs postponed until further notice — 25th — 10am — Zone 7 Mtg — Salemtowne Community Center — Topic: Completion of this phase of Qtr Mtg General Preparedness, to work toward helping people personalize and complete specific steps — Contact: Mel Ito

April

3rd — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Final preparations for April Qtr Mtg on general preparedness results, updated forms presentation & use, triage examples, and other review for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

15th — 9-11am — Quarterly Mtg — Roth’s Market, 1130 Wallace Rd NW — Topic: General preparedness results discussed; Review for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise, including presentation of forms to be used with trial use, triage examples to work through, and other steps. — Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Sophie Sparling, Luc Charwin — Pre-meeting, easy work required: Walk one block of your neighborhood (or some other area of your choosing) to document the location details of these three things: 1. Houses/buildings with gas service; 2. Houses/buildings with any unreinforced masonry; 3. Houses/buildings with trees that appear tall enough and close enough to fall onto the structure. This information will be used to fill out CERT Form #1 (Damage Assessment).

TBD — Other Mtgs — Topic: Completion of preparation for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise— Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Sophie Sparling, Luc Charwin

May

1st — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Final preparations for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

13th — Noon-4pm — Citywide Deployment Exercise — TBA location, team number(s), etc. Such details will be based on how many members register, so those intending to participate please help by registering. (Click this link to register: Spring CDE Individual Registration) Thank you in advance! That link is now available (3-15-23) and open through 4-21-23.

When registering for this CDE, ‘Your “Home” Team’ should be entered as Salem CERT and the team you “plan to participate with” is West Salem CERT (third from last option). Again, where we’ll locate for the exercise depends on the number of members who register. If sufficient members register, we have two of our West Salem cache locations reserved for use. Please be aware that our April 15 Qtr Mtg will be a review for this event, so put that on your calendar and complete the easy “homework” necessary, too. If anyone wants, Portland exercise reference materials can be reviewed (click here). Note that our procedures may differ somewhat. — Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Luc Charwin

June

5th — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Preparations for June Cookies & Cache Events. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

TBA — Zones meetings at each cache for Cookies & Cache events (spring cache cleaning) — Organizer(s): Zone Lead Members, Luc Charwin

July

3rd — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Preparations for a July 8 Qtr Mtg (if that is wanted) and our July 15 Radio Exercise. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

8th, if decided to be desired — 9-11am — Quarterly Mtg — Roth’s Market, 1130 Wallace Rd NW — Topic: TBD (idea: Member prep for representing CERT at Aug 1 Nat’l Night Out events, if meeting is wanted in addition to radio exercise on the 15th). — Organizer(s): Zone Lead Members, Luc Charwin

15th — 9-11am — Topic: FRS Radio Exercise — Location(s) TBD, based on members’ interest via signing up for exercise — Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Luc Charwin

August

1st — Nat’l Night Out Events — In localities all around West Salem — Topic: Members represent/discuss CERT, general emergency preparedness with neighbors/set mtgs to assist with individual/family emergency preparedness, as was done earlier this year, and to discuss neighborhood opportunities (Map Your Neighborhood example) — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

7th — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Preparations for October 14 Qtr Mtg and Citywide Deployment Exercise (likely the 21st or 28th). Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

TBA — Zones 5 and 6 Mtgs — Topic: Map Your Neighborhood planning for September events — Organizer(s): Lynn Chriestenson and Will Conley, respectively.

September

4th — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Preparations for October 14 Qtr Mtg and Citywide Deployment Exercise (likely the 21st or 28th). Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

TBA — Zones 5 and 6 Mtgs — Topic: Map Your Neighborhood events — Organizer(s): Lynn Chriestenson and Will Conley, respectively.

October

2nd — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Final preparations for October 14 Qtr Mtg and Citywide Deployment Exercise (likely the 21st or 28th). Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

14th — 9-11am — Quarterly Mtg — Roth’s Market, 1130 Wallace Rd NW — Topic: Final preparations for Citywide Deployment Exercise (likely the 21st or 28th) — Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Luc Charwin

21st or 28th? — 1-4pm — Topic: Fall Citywide Deployment Exercise — Location(s) TBD — Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Luc Charwin

November (winding down for year)

6th — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Final work on draft of calendar for 2024. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

TBA — Zones 5 and 6 Mtgs — Topic: Cache inventories — Organizer(s): Lynn Chriestenson and Will Conley, respectively

December (winding down for year)

4th — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual Meeting link — Topics: Final setting of calendar for 2024. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Organizer(s): Luc Charwin

Review of this schedule will be ongoing this year and work into the schedule we will create for 2024. Lynn Chriestenson and Matt Falby agreed to oversee that review during our January virtual meeting. Work such as this is an opportunity for any/all members to provide input on our activities.

2023 Months Completed

January

2nd — Done — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual — Topics: Final preparations for Qtr Mtg on general preparedness. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Contact: Luc Charwin (meeting link: https://teams.live.com/meet/9358308083819) — One outcome of this meeting to note: Review of this 2023 schedule will be ongoing this year to determine what has worked, what hasn’t worked so well, and what will work into/become part of the schedule we will create for 2024. Lynn Chriestenson and Matt Falby agreed to oversee that review during this meeting. Work such as this is an opportunity for any/all members to provide input on our activities.

14th — Done — 9-11am — Quarterly Mtg — Roth’s Market, 1130 Wallace Rd NW — Topic: General Preparedness presentation provided, to be followed by work sessions after each sub-topic to discuss individual needs and ideas (CERT members to lead others in work sessions with implementation ideas and guidance, based on personal experiences) — Contacts: Don Kangas, Luc Charwin — Smaller turnout than desired. Was the long weekend a factor in that? Other reasons?

14th — Done — 11am-noon — Document Review (after Quarterly Mtg) — Roth’s Market — Topic: Review Portland NET modifications to standard CERT forms, for report to Lead Team. Outcome will lead to presentation on April 8 Qtr Mtg in preparation for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise. — Contacts: Mark Wardell, Luc Charwin — Mark and Luc reviewed the Ptld NET documents, agreeing on details to check with Ptld NET for clarification and possible updating.

Zone 7 Mtgs postponed until further notice — 28th — 10am — Zone 7 Mtg — Salemtowne Community Center — Topic: Continuation of Qtr Mtg General Preparedness, to work toward helping people personalize and complete specific steps — Contact: Mel Ito

February

6th — Done — 7pm — Organizing Mtg — Virtual — Topics: Preparations for Zone Mtgs on general preparedness specifics. Look forward to needs of other scheduled events/exercises. — Contact: Luc Charwin (meeting link: https://teams.live.com/meet/9358308083819) — One key result is the moving of our April Qtr Mtg to the 15th. The previous date was the 8th, which was realized to be Easter weekend. (Such small adjustments may be made to the schedule of these meetings to reduce members’ scheduling conflicts, with the intent of maximizing participation.)

7th — Done — 7pm — Zone 5 Mtg — Peace Lutheran Church, 1525 Glen Creek Rd NW — Topic: Continuation of January Qtr Mtg General Preparedness, to work toward helping people personalize and complete specific steps — Contact: Lynn Chriestenson — Results include cancellation of Zone 6 meetings through March, to focus efforts into the March Zone 5 meeting. The March 14 Zone 5 meeting will now include “roasting” opportunities of a few members’ emergency preparedness efforts (Luc and Will), so review your understanding of such steps and join us for that fun!

Cancelled — Zone 6 Mtg — Topic: Continuation of Qtr Mtg General Preparedness, to work toward helping people personalize and complete specific steps — Contact: Will Conley

TBA — Continuation of Documentation Review — Topic: Review Portland NET modifications to standard CERT forms, for report to Lead Team. Outcome will lead to presentation and trial use at April 15 Qtr Mtg in preparation for May 13 Citywide Deployment Exercise. — Organizer(s): Mark Wardell, Luc Charwin

Zone 7 Mtgs postponed until further notice — 25th — 10am — Zone 7 Mtg — Salemtowne Community Center — Topic: Continuation of Qtr Mtg General Preparedness, to work toward helping people personalize and complete specific steps — Contact: Mel Ito

West Salem Newspaper
CERT articles: Current issue’s front page displays as default. Other issues accessed under current year drop down link (2022 or current year) or Archive drop down link for previous years’ articles. Each link at top of the WS News home page.