The City of Medford held a Council Town Hall focused on emergency preparedness Thursday, May 15, at the Smullin Center. This was the second of two Town Halls designed to equip residents with knowledge and resources to help them prepare for emergencies, while also providing a platform to ask questions.
The Town Hall was hosted by Ward 2 and 4 City Councilors John Quinn, Zac Smith, Nick Card, and Kevin Keating, along with Mayor Michael Zarosinski. City leaders, including Fire Chief Eric Thompson, Deputy Police Chief Trevor Arnold, City Attorney Eric Mitton, Public Works Director John Vial, Fire Marshal Tanner Fairrington, Emergency Manager Aaron Ott, and Parks and Open Space Manager Tim Stevens, also joined the panel.
During the event, Councilors and staff discussed City plans for emergency preparedness, including preparation efforts for fire season, wildfire fuel mitigation, and emergency response coordination and efforts.
Residents asked questions about how public utilities are safeguarded against emergencies, Neighborhood Zones, preparing for a wildfire or earthquake, how the City incorporates public safety considerations in new development, and efforts for reducing fire fuels.
Attendees were provided with information to help guide them in putting together an emergency kit, learning their evacuation zone, and signing up for real-time evacuation and emergency updates.
For more information, including resources, an evacuation checklist,(PDF, 136KB) and emergency preparedness tips, click here.(PDF, 6MB)
To watch recordings of the town halls, click here.
Find resource links below:
Jackson Alerts
Sign up for Jackson Alerts, formerly known as Citizen Alert, to receive emergency notifications for your home, workplace, schools, and more.
https://jacksoncountyor.gov/departments/emergency_management/jackson_alerts_.php
Know Your Zone
Enter your address on the interactive map to find out your evacuation zone and plan your escape route ahead of time.
https://jacksoncountyor.gov/departments/emergency_management/know_your_zone.php
City of Medford's Interactive Ward Map
Find out what ward you live in by entering your address on our interactive map. Each ward is depicted on the map by a different colored area.
https://medford.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=48c1d6009f874d98b8a38fca6755d932