Local brief
Oregon runs a statewide disaster recovery drill Oct. 13–16 built on a pretend volcanic eruption; it is only an exercise
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management is holding its 2026 State Level Exercise, "Getting Through Lahar'd Times," from Tuesday, Oct. 13, through Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. State agencies, counties, Tribes and community partners will practice long-term recovery from a simulated volcanic eruption. No real eruption is happening.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) announced on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, that it is running its 2026 State Level Exercise this week, Tuesday, Oct. 13, through Friday, Oct. 16. The exercise is called "Getting Through Lahar'd Times," a play on lahars, the fast mudflows a volcano can send down river valleys.
This is a drill. The volcanic eruption is a training scenario only. Nothing is erupting. If you hear agencies or local emergency managers talking about eruption damage this week, it is part of the exercise. Real emergency alerts still come through your county alert system and official state channels.
Why this one is different. Most statewide exercises practice the first hours and days of a disaster response. This one practices long-term recovery, the months and years of rebuilding afterward. OEM said it will be the first real test of the state's newly adopted Oregon Disaster Recovery Base Plan, and that few states get to exercise recovery at this scale.
What participants will practice. Using the eruption scenario, state agencies, counties, Tribes and community partners plan to assess damage, shift from response operations to recovery, set statewide recovery goals, write a State Recovery Action Plan and coordinate resources under the recovery plan.
Community members as evaluators. OEM said this is the first Oregon state exercise to bring in community members as special observers and evaluators, including volunteers, groups that help in disasters and people connected with communities that have fewer resources. OEM Director Erin McMahon thanked those partners and said their feedback will help improve the state's recovery strategies.
Building on past drills. Cascadia Rising in 2016 practiced the first 72 hours after a simulated Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, and IronOR24 in 2024 practiced days four through seven. The 2026 exercise picks up where those left off by practicing recovery coordination. OEM exercise officer Robert Quinn said the drills let the state practice its hardest days without the consequences of a real event.
The exercise also falls during International Emergency Manager Awareness Month. State-level exercises are planned every two years.
What you can do. Nothing is required of the public. It is a good week to check your own plan: OEM recommends being "2 Weeks Ready," with enough water, food and supplies for every person and pet in your home for two weeks.
Exercise page: https://www.oregon.gov/oem/emresources/Pages/laht-2026.aspx. Oregon Disaster Recovery Base Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/oem/emresources/Plans_Assessments/Pages/CEMP.aspx#recovery-plan. OEM news and media contacts: https://www.oregon.gov/oem/Pages/public-affairs.aspx.
Original source: Oregon Department of Emergency Management news release, "Oregon Launches State-Level Training Exercise to Strengthen Long-Term Disaster Recovery Readiness," Oct. 12, 2026 (https://www.oregon.gov/oem/Pages/default.aspx). Notice Nearby wrote this brief in its own words.
What to read next: the Oregon hub (https://noticenearby.com/or), OEM federal actions update (https://noticenearby.com/briefs/or-statewide-oem-federal-actions-update-2026-10-09), Oregon voter registration and ballot dates (https://noticenearby.com/briefs/or-statewide-voter-registration-deadline-ballots-mail-2026-10-12) and how to get ready for emergencies (https://noticenearby.com/prepare). Local businesses, parks and places nearby are on ZOST.app (https://zost.app).
Notice Nearby is a Public Register listing, not a newspaper, and this page is not Legal Publication. If OEM's official materials and this note disagree, OEM wins.
Source: the public notice on this register NN-GOVEMAIL-20261012-OEMSLE · Oregon Department of Emergency Management.
This is a Notice Nearby local brief — an in-house explainer written from a government-posted notice on this register. It is not official minutes, not a newspaper story, and not Legal Publication.