The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) today released the 2025-28 Oregon Homeland Security Strategy (HSS), a five-year roadmap to strengthen the state’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from the full spectrum of threats and hazards facing Oregonians.
“Oregon’s risks—whether natural, technological, or human-caused—demand a coordinated, data-driven approach,” said Erin McMahon, OEM Director and Oregon Homeland Security Advisor. “This strategy reflects months of collaboration with local, tribal and state partners, and it positions Oregon to share intelligence faster, protect critical infrastructure better, and respond to crises more effectively than ever before.”
Strategy Highlights
Approved by the Governor’s multi-agency Oregon Homeland Security Council, in April 2025, the strategy prioritizes seven strategic goals that align with FEMA’s National Preparedness System:
- Strengthen Intelligence and Information Sharing Capabilities
- Enhance Critical Infrastructure Resilience
- Enhance Cybersecurity Resilience
- Strengthen Counterterrorism Capabilities
- Strengthen Public Health and Medical Emergency Preparedness
- Advance Interoperable Emergency Communications
- Strengthen an All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Capabilities at the Local, Tribal, and State Level
Key to all these goals is a 24/7/365 common operating picture. OEM is working with legislators to deploy a next-generation data-management system that fuses threat intelligence while honoring Oregon’s privacy and civil-rights laws.
OEM will accomplish this through a whole-community approach. The plan leverages councils and workgroups—including the Oregon Homeland Security Council, Cybersecurity Advisory Council, and Homeland Security Advisory Workgroup—to coordinate resources across government, private industry, nonprofits and academia. This collaboration with our partners, and the integration of data tools, will help us track, manage, assess and share threat information while adhering to our state laws regarding civil rights and privacy protection.
Why Now?
- Escalating natural disasters. Wildfires, ice storms and earthquakes now occur with greater frequency and intensity.
- Evolving human-caused risks. Domestic violent extremism, fentanyl trafficking, ransomware and disinformation campaigns all pose growing threats to public safety and economic security.
This strategy provides a comprehensive framework for Oregon which will identify, unify, guide, and streamline homeland security efforts over the next three years, 2025-2028, with revisions occurring in the spring of 2027 for the next 3-year cycle.
Some of the Next Steps Include:
- Developing the disaster preparedness stockpile program.
- Improving the common operating picture and information sharing across agencies and sectors.
- Expanding education and awareness efforts through outreach activities including newsletters, community messaging, and webinars.
- Aligning with the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan.
- Strengthening private sector partnerships.
- Securing funds for infrastructure protection, cybersecurity efforts, and mitigation efforts.
- Developing a prevention and protection framework through the update of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan CEMP Volume II: Preparedness Plan.
Learn More
The full Homeland Security Strategy is available here. More information about the Homeland Security Council can be found on the OEM website.
