Emergency Management

The City of Lake Oswego Emergency Management Program is responsible for planning, preparing, and providing for the prevention, mitigation and management of emergencies or disasters that present a threat to the lives and property of Lake Oswego community members.  This includes coordinating and facilitating emergency planning, preparedness, response, and recovery activities.

On-going projects to strengthen the City's emergency management capabilities include updating the City's Emergency Operations Plan and Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan.

Emergency Operations Plan

The City's Emergency Operations Plan was originally adopted in 2005 then reviewed and updated in 2010, 2012 (minor revisions), and, most recently, by Resolution 17-13 on June 6, 2017. The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) establishes guidance for the City's actions during response to, and short term recovery from, major emergencies and disasters. The EOP describes the roles and responsibilities of City departments and personnel when an incident occurs, and it establishes a strategy and operating guidelines that support the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the principles of the Incident Command System (ICS). The EOP consists of what is called the Basic Plan that goes through each of these roles and is supported by 18 separate Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) which are very specific in their focus. In addition, the plan includes an Incident Annex and Support Annexes.

The 2017 Emergency Operations Plan is currently being updated. The process should be complete in 2023.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan

The City's Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) - an addendum to the Clackamas County NHMP - identifies natural hazards that may impact Lake Oswego and includes resources and information to assist City residents, public and private sector organizations, and others interested in participating in planning for natural hazards. The mitigation plan provides a list of activities that may assist the City of Lake Oswego in reducing risk and preventing loss from future natural hazard events.

Every five years, the Federal guidelines require the City's addendum to the Clackamas County NHMP be updated and submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for approval. The City’s original addendum to the NHMP was adopted by City Council in July 2004 and subsequently updated in 2010, 2013 and 2019. 

With a FEMA-approved NHMP, the City of Lake Oswego is eligible to apply for the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act's hazard mitigation project grants through April 11, 2024.

The updated plan, as with the current plan, will be included as an addendum to Clackamas County's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan.

The 2019 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is currently being updated. The process should be complete in early 2024.