The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office invites community members to take part in a short, confidential survey to help inform how the County might reduce the impact from natural disasters. The survey is part of a larger effort to update the County’s Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, which focuses on real projects, like strengthening bridges or clearing wildfire fuels, that can help protect people, property, and critical services before a disaster strikes.
The County is partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) to understand better how residents think about the risks from natural hazards like wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and winter storms. This helps local leaders align planning efforts with community concerns and priorities.
“We want to hear directly from the people who live and work here,” said Ashley Volz, Emergency Services Coordinator for the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. “Your input helps us identify what matters most to our community and how we can better protect it.”
The survey asks residents about their experiences with natural hazards, how they prepare for emergencies, and what kinds of risk-reduction efforts they’d like to see in their neighborhoods. It takes just a few minutes to complete, and all responses are confidential. The information gathered will help guide future planning, funding, and outreach efforts across Deschutes County and its cities.
The survey will be open until January 5 and can be accessed at: Public Opinion Survey – Deschutes and is also available in Spanish: Encuesta de opinión pública – Deschutes Survey
This project is funded through a FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant. Participation is voluntary, and all individual responses will be used only for research and planning purposes.
