[Ballot Measures] Blue Oregon misses the mark, again

The bald assertion at the head of this Blue Oregon article slamming Measure 48 misses the boat. The very purpose of this is to create a Rainy Day Fund with which to deal with such disasters.

Now, that being said, it is *especially* important to be ready to deal with the first 96 hours *yourself* as *no* relief effort is worth much in the first day, and the next three days are *so* much easier to deal with if you have your own basics. At least, that's been my observation, from personal experience on the inside of Donna, Betsy, Frederic and Hugo, plus many less memorable disasters.

Be proud of your city. Competent, realistic planning and frequent practice is a Portland hallmark. The TICOFF exercise last week demonstrated the city's committment to doing a decent job in the event of a disaster, and although I am not an official, I can say the exercise showed much forethought without the 'fairy dust' commonly seen in similar exercises elsewhere. But, they can't do everything, and self-preparedness is YOUR key to a highly less sucky result when the inevitable disaster occurs.

*Please* do not forget a solution to care for your pets, as Federal law prohibits pets (not working animals, but pets) in federally funded shelters, as per the WSJ. We have a folding cart which not only carries our water (gallon a day a person), tent, Coleman stove, pot, rations, TP, meds, books and other necessities, but also cat carriers, with a pack of kibble, dishes, litter, harnesses and leashes, litterbox and a roll of chicken wire to make a pen for our four-footed bosses. We have also chipped them so if they freak and run, we may find them again.

And, if you're concerned about the issue, the Oregon Trail Chapter provides free disaster relief training to their volunteers, including free First Aid/CPR/AED. The Portland Office of Emergency Management has free and useful courses in the NET/CERT program of light duty rescue relief. Helping people recover from disaster is addictive, and a cheap hobby in which you benefit the community while assuring the safety and well being of folks you care about.