Winter Weather Outreach

Sample messages for local NETs to do community outreach during severe winter weather.

Edit to include current info, do not merely cut and paste!

For messages and fliers in multiple languages, for multiple hazards in addition to winter weather, see https://www.publicalerts.org/messaging-tools

Log your time in MIP as Self-reported > Outreach.

Adapted from Cully NET TLs, 2024.01.13:

Howdy folks,

What a wild weekend of weather this is. Plenty of people are without power (one of us included) and with windchill, temps are in the single digits. We wanted to check in to see how our neighbors are doing.

If you need help in any way please reply to us directly and we will see what resources are available between your Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET) and the community to help. This means if your power is out and you don’t have heat, food, water, necessary medications, access to healthcare, or any other pertinent thing please let us know.

Even if your power is on but you need help with accessing something important in this weather please let us know. Any requests that we can’t field on our own we will reach out anonymously to the community to see if anyone else is able to meet that need.

Some general reminders:

• If your power is out, leave a tap on (ideally the one furthest from your water main) at a trickle.
• Check on your neighbors and friends, even if you think they are fine. Send a text if you can.
• If you see unsheltered folks outside there are resources available to help. If you feel comfortable, please stop and direct them to warming shelters. By calling 2-1-1 you can request a ride for a person incapable of getting to shelter on their own (They can usually take pets and their belongings with them. Warming shelters do not require ID or ask questions). TriMet buses and trains are free for anyone accessing a warming shelter.
• Information on warming shelters is always available at https://multco.us/cold At these temperatures frost bite takes mere minutes and hypothermia hours. You might save a life (or at least some fingers and toes).
• Please note, counter to prior storms, MultCo libraries are NOT currently open for daytime warming.

If you are feeling up for it, there are also volunteer shifts available at the warming shelters in the coming days. The information for that is available at the link above, https://multco.us/cold

We’ll be talking more about cold weather preparedness at our next meeting. How timely!

Stay warm folks.

Adapted from Sabin NET TL, 2024.01.13

Tonight/Monday, wind gusts are forecast to exceed 40 mph. The ground is saturated so trees, and therefore power lines, might come down. To be safe you need to stay at least 50 feet away from a downed power line - about the width of a typical Portland house property. Call 911 for any downed power line.

Saturday 1/13 - Tuesday 1/16. Very cold weather with lows in the 20's and chances of snow and other precipitation are in the forecast.

Please let your neighbors know to check on each other before, during, and after severe weather events, particularly if there is a power outage. Even just reminding your neighbors this weather is coming can help.

Thank you!