Frequently Used Acronyms

Under construction

	...stands for	use	Explanation	VSF
AED	Automated External Defibrillator	2.) Common		VSF 08: Medical
ARO	Amateur Radio Operator	1.) Very common		VSF 02: Communications
ARRL	American Radio Relay League	3.) Uncommon	National association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.	VSF 02: Communications
ATC	Applied Technology Council	4.) Very uncommon		VSF 09: Search and Rescue
ATL	NET Assistant Team Leader	1.) Very common
BEECN	Basic Earthquake Emergency Communications Node	1.) Very common		VSF 02: Communications
CBRNE	Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high yield Explosives	2.) Common		VSF 10: Hazmat Awareness
CERT	Community Emergency Response Team	1.) Very common
CHAT	Community Health Assess & Treat	3.) Uncommon	A program of Portland Fire & Rescue. More information HERE.
COAD	Community Organizations Active in Disaster	2.) Common
CoP	City of Portland	2.) Common
CRT	Community Resilience Team	2.) Common
CSD	Community Safety Division	4.) Very uncommon
CSZ	Cascadia Subduction Zone	2.) Common
DAMM	Damage Assessment Mapping Module	2.) Common
ECC	Emergency Coordination Center	1.) Very common		All
EOC	Emergency Operations Center	3.) Uncommon		All
ESF	Emergency Support Function	3.) Uncommon		All
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency	1.) Very common		All
FPN	Friends of Portland NET	2.) Common		All
HAZMAT	Hazardous Materials	2.) Common		All
ICS	Incident Command System	1.) Very common		All
IFAK	Individual First Aid Kit	3.) Uncommon		VSF 08: Medical
ITL	Incident Team Leader	1.) Very common
JIC	Joint Information Center	4.) Very uncommon
LEPC	Local Emergency Planning Committees	4.) Very uncommon
NET	Neighborhood Emergency Team	1.) Very common
OEM	Oregon Emergency Management	3.) Uncommon
OMF	Office of Management and Finance	4.) Very uncommon
P&D	Portland Printing & Distribution	3.) Uncommon
PBEM	Portland Bureau of Emergency Management	1.) Very common
PBOT	Portland Bureau of Transportation	3.) Uncommon	Often the lead agency for winter weather emergencies.
PF&R	Portland Fire & Rescue	1.) Very common
PIC	Person in Charge	2.) Common	Used almost exclusively in the context of mass care and shelter shifts. This is volunteer or employee leading the shift.
PIO	Public Information Officer	2.) Common
PPB	Portland Police Bureau	3.) Uncommon
PSR	Portland Street Response	3.) Uncommon	Program began January 11, 2021.
RDPO	Regional Disaster Policy Organization	2.) Common
RTL	Radio Training Liaison	2.) Common		VSF 02: Communications
SAR (or S&R, or S+R)	Search and rescue	2.) Common
SHSP	State Homeland Security Program	4.) Very uncommon
StB	Stop the Bleed	2.) Common
SV	Scenario Village	3.) Uncommon
TL	NET Team Leader	1.) Very common
TTX	Tabletop Exercise	3.) Uncommon
TVF&R	Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue	4.) Very uncommon
UASI	Urban Area Security Initiative	3.) Uncommon
VOAD	Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster	3.) Uncommon
VSF	Volunteer Support Function	2.) Common

Frequently Used Technical Terms

	Definition	Use	VSF
Blue Skies	In emergency management, refers to routine day to day operations and ongoing services. The antonym sometimes used is "gray skies"; those days when emergency managers are responding to a crisis and in response mode.	3.) Uncommon	All