April 25, 2023—The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) announced the recipients of the second round of its $5 million State Preparedness and Incident Response Equipment (SPIRE) Grant. The SPIRE Grant funds the purchase and distribution of equipment to be used during an emergency to decrease the risk of loss of life and property damage.
The grant’s most recent round funded 45 awardees with 64 pieces of equipment.
“The SPIRE Grant provides practical equipment to help save lives and property during emergencies by allowing for a more efficient response at the local level,” said OEM Grants Coordinator Carole Sebens. “Oregon Department of Emergency Management is prioritizing filling gaps in communities across Oregon to ensure our partners have the equipment they need to respond to emergencies and disasters that may impact their region.”
Applications were open to any organization responsible for or containing expertise in emergency preparedness that is a local government, special government body, or a 501(c)(3) private organization, including federally recognized tribes. A selection committee comprised of volunteers from different emergency management disciplines and geographic areas reviewed the applications using criteria provided by the state. Recipients were selected based on four principles: The demonstrated need, the ability to keep and maintain the equipment, an inventory process and a commitment to partnership-based support.
The first round of the SPIRE Grant took place in 2019 and funded 79 awardees with 81 pieces of equipment, ranging from water purification trailers, mass casualty incident support trailers and high-axle all-terrain vehicles to portable power generators, fuel transportation tankers and mobile water tankers. A third grant round will open later this year.
Learn more at oregon.gov/oem/emresources/Grants/Pages/Spire.aspx.
