Public Opinion Survey - Deschutes

Deschutes County is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) to better understand the risks we face from natural disasters like wildfires, floods, and earthquakes, and how we can reduce those risks.

We want to hear from you. What do you think about the risks of natural disasters in Deschutes County and its cities? What steps do you take to stay safe and reduce damage during disasters? Your answers will help us plan better and keep our communities safer.

This survey is funded by a FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant. By filling it out, you agree to take part in the study. Taking the survey is completely voluntary. Your answers will be kept private and used only for research. The survey has 16 questions.

NATURAL HAZARD INFORMATION

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* 1. In the past five years, which of these natural disasters have you or someone in your household experienced in Deschutes County? (Check all that apply.)

Drought

Earthquake

Flood

Landslide

Volcanic Eruptions

Wildfire

Windstorm

Winter Storm (Snow/Ice)

Extreme Heat

None

Other (please specify)

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* 2. How worried are you about each of these natural disasters happening in Deschutes County? Please rank them from most (1) to least (9) concerned.

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* 3. What are the best ways for you to get information about how to make your home and family safer from natural disasters? (Check all that apply.)

Newspaper Stories

Email Newsletters

Mail, Magazine

Newspaper Ads

Online News Outlets

Emergency Services (Police/Fire)

University or Research Institution

Television News

Social Media

Fact Sheet/Brochure

Television Ads

Schools

Chamber of Commerce

Radio News and Ads

Outdoor Advertisements (Billboards, etc.)

Public Workshops/Meetings

Books

Other (please specify)

COMMUNITY NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND PRIORITIES

To understand our community’s risk, we need to know which important places could be affected by natural disasters.

These places might include roads, power lines, schools, hospitals, local businesses, and natural or cultural sites.

The next questions will ask which parts of your community you think are most at risk during a disaster or emergency.

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* 4. The next statements will help us understand what matters most to the community when planning for disasters. How important is each one to you?

	Very Important	Somewhat Important	Neither Important nor Unimportant	Unimportant	Very Unimportant	Not Sure
Community Safety and Wellbeing	Community Safety and Wellbeing Very Important	Community Safety and Wellbeing Somewhat Important	Community Safety and Wellbeing Neither Important nor Unimportant	Community Safety and Wellbeing Unimportant	Community Safety and Wellbeing Very Unimportant	Community Safety and Wellbeing Not Sure
Safe Evacuation Routes	Safe Evacuation Routes Very Important	Safe Evacuation Routes Somewhat Important	Safe Evacuation Routes Neither Important nor Unimportant	Safe Evacuation Routes Unimportant	Safe Evacuation Routes Very Unimportant	Safe Evacuation Routes Not Sure
Accessibility for All Residents	Accessibility for All Residents Very Important	Accessibility for All Residents Somewhat Important	Accessibility for All Residents Neither Important nor Unimportant	Accessibility for All Residents Unimportant	Accessibility for All Residents Very Unimportant	Accessibility for All Residents Not Sure
Protecting Homes and Property	Protecting Homes and Property Very Important	Protecting Homes and Property Somewhat Important	Protecting Homes and Property Neither Important nor Unimportant	Protecting Homes and Property Unimportant	Protecting Homes and Property Very Unimportant	Protecting Homes and Property Not Sure
Protecting Critical Facilities	Protecting Critical Facilities Very Important	Protecting Critical Facilities Somewhat Important	Protecting Critical Facilities Neither Important nor Unimportant	Protecting Critical Facilities Unimportant	Protecting Critical Facilities Very Unimportant	Protecting Critical Facilities Not Sure
Maintaining Reliable Power and Utilities	Maintaining Reliable Power and Utilities Very Important	Maintaining Reliable Power and Utilities Somewhat Important	Maintaining Reliable Power and Utilities Neither Important nor Unimportant	Maintaining Reliable Power and Utilities Unimportant	Maintaining Reliable Power and Utilities Very Unimportant	Maintaining Reliable Power and Utilities Not Sure
Safe and Clean Water Supply	Safe and Clean Water Supply Very Important	Safe and Clean Water Supply Somewhat Important	Safe and Clean Water Supply Neither Important nor Unimportant	Safe and Clean Water Supply Unimportant	Safe and Clean Water Supply Very Unimportant	Safe and Clean Water Supply Not Sure
Strong Building and Safety Codes	Strong Building and Safety Codes Very Important	Strong Building and Safety Codes Somewhat Important	Strong Building and Safety Codes Neither Important nor Unimportant	Strong Building and Safety Codes Unimportant	Strong Building and Safety Codes Very Unimportant	Strong Building and Safety Codes Not Sure
Smart and Safe Land Use	Smart and Safe Land Use Very Important	Smart and Safe Land Use Somewhat Important	Smart and Safe Land Use Neither Important nor Unimportant	Smart and Safe Land Use Unimportant	Smart and Safe Land Use Very Unimportant	Smart and Safe Land Use Not Sure
Healthy Rivers and Natural Areas	Healthy Rivers and Natural Areas Very Important	Healthy Rivers and Natural Areas Somewhat Important	Healthy Rivers and Natural Areas Neither Important nor Unimportant	Healthy Rivers and Natural Areas Unimportant	Healthy Rivers and Natural Areas Very Unimportant	Healthy Rivers and Natural Areas Not Sure
Protecting Cultural and Tribal Sites	Protecting Cultural and Tribal Sites Very Important	Protecting Cultural and Tribal Sites Somewhat Important	Protecting Cultural and Tribal Sites Neither Important nor Unimportant	Protecting Cultural and Tribal Sites Unimportant	Protecting Cultural and Tribal Sites Very Unimportant	Protecting Cultural and Tribal Sites Not Sure
Training for Emergency Responders	Training for Emergency Responders Very Important	Training for Emergency Responders Somewhat Important	Training for Emergency Responders Neither Important nor Unimportant	Training for Emergency Responders Unimportant	Training for Emergency Responders Very Unimportant	Training for Emergency Responders Not Sure
Clear and Simple Hazard Information	Clear and Simple Hazard Information Very Important	Clear and Simple Hazard Information Somewhat Important	Clear and Simple Hazard Information Neither Important nor Unimportant	Clear and Simple Hazard Information Unimportant	Clear and Simple Hazard Information Very Unimportant	Clear and Simple Hazard Information Not Sure
Working Together as a Community	Working Together as a Community Very Important	Working Together as a Community Somewhat Important	Working Together as a Community Neither Important nor Unimportant	Working Together as a Community Unimportant	Working Together as a Community Very Unimportant	Working Together as a Community Not Sure
Upgrading or Moving At Risk Infrastructure	Upgrading or Moving At Risk Infrastructure Very Important	Upgrading or Moving At Risk Infrastructure Somewhat Important	Upgrading or Moving At Risk Infrastructure Neither Important nor Unimportant	Upgrading or Moving At Risk Infrastructure Unimportant	Upgrading or Moving At Risk Infrastructure Very Unimportant	Upgrading or Moving At Risk Infrastructure Not Sure

Other (please specify)

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* 5. Are there any actions you'd like to see Deschutes County take to reduce the risk from natural disasters? Please specify below:

MITIGATION & PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD

There are simple things your household can do to stay safer during natural disasters. The choices you make before an emergency—like getting your home ready, learning safety skills, and making a plan—can help prevent injuries and reduce damage. Being prepared also helps your family recover more quickly after a disaster.

During a disaster, you might not have access to electricity, water, phone service, or medical help for a while. You may also need to leave your home quickly if officials tell you to evacuate.

The next two questions are about how prepared your household is for different types of disasters. You’ll see a list of activities. For each one, please choose the answer that best describes your household:

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* 6. In the past year, what have you or household done to get ready for a disaster or emergency?

	Have Done	Plan To Do	Not Done	Unable To Do
Attended meetings or received written information on natural disasters or emergency preparedness.	Attended meetings or received written information on natural disasters or emergency preparedness. Have Done	Attended meetings or received written information on natural disasters or emergency preparedness. Plan To Do	Attended meetings or received written information on natural disasters or emergency preparedness. Not Done	Attended meetings or received written information on natural disasters or emergency preparedness. Unable To Do
Started an emergency fund.	Started an emergency fund. Have Done	Started an emergency fund. Plan To Do	Started an emergency fund. Not Done	Started an emergency fund. Unable To Do
Ensured your insurance coverage is adequate (i.e. that you have the coverage you need).	Ensured your insurance coverage is adequate (i.e. that you have the coverage you need). Have Done	Ensured your insurance coverage is adequate (i.e. that you have the coverage you need). Plan To Do	Ensured your insurance coverage is adequate (i.e. that you have the coverage you need). Not Done	Ensured your insurance coverage is adequate (i.e. that you have the coverage you need). Unable To Do
Documented insured property (via a list, video, or photographs).	Documented insured property (via a list, video, or photographs). Have Done	Documented insured property (via a list, video, or photographs). Plan To Do	Documented insured property (via a list, video, or photographs). Not Done	Documented insured property (via a list, video, or photographs). Unable To Do
Developed a “Household/Family Emergency Plan” in order to decide what everyone would do in the event of a disaster.	Developed a “Household/Family Emergency Plan” in order to decide what everyone would do in the event of a disaster. Have Done	Developed a “Household/Family Emergency Plan” in order to decide what everyone would do in the event of a disaster. Plan To Do	Developed a “Household/Family Emergency Plan” in order to decide what everyone would do in the event of a disaster. Not Done	Developed a “Household/Family Emergency Plan” in order to decide what everyone would do in the event of a disaster. Unable To Do
Talked with members in your household about what to do in case of a natural disaster or emergency.	Talked with members in your household about what to do in case of a natural disaster or emergency. Have Done	Talked with members in your household about what to do in case of a natural disaster or emergency. Plan To Do	Talked with members in your household about what to do in case of a natural disaster or emergency. Not Done	Talked with members in your household about what to do in case of a natural disaster or emergency. Unable To Do
Made evacuation plans.	Made evacuation plans. Have Done	Made evacuation plans. Plan To Do	Made evacuation plans. Not Done	Made evacuation plans. Unable To Do
Prepared a “Disaster Supply Kit” (Stored extra food, water, batteries, or other emergency supplies).	Prepared a “Disaster Supply Kit” (Stored extra food, water, batteries, or other emergency supplies). Have Done	Prepared a “Disaster Supply Kit” (Stored extra food, water, batteries, or other emergency supplies). Plan To Do	Prepared a “Disaster Supply Kit” (Stored extra food, water, batteries, or other emergency supplies). Not Done	Prepared a “Disaster Supply Kit” (Stored extra food, water, batteries, or other emergency supplies). Unable To Do
Been trained in First Aid or Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the past year.	Been trained in First Aid or Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the past year. Have Done	Been trained in First Aid or Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the past year. Plan To Do	Been trained in First Aid or Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the past year. Not Done	Been trained in First Aid or Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the past year. Unable To Do
Prepared your home by having smoke detectors on each level of the house Discussed or created a utility shutoff procedure in the event of a natural disaster.	Prepared your home by having smoke detectors on each level of the house Discussed or created a utility shutoff procedure in the event of a natural disaster. Have Done	Prepared your home by having smoke detectors on each level of the house Discussed or created a utility shutoff procedure in the event of a natural disaster. Plan To Do	Prepared your home by having smoke detectors on each level of the house Discussed or created a utility shutoff procedure in the event of a natural disaster. Not Done	Prepared your home by having smoke detectors on each level of the house Discussed or created a utility shutoff procedure in the event of a natural disaster. Unable To Do
Signed up for emergency alerts (Deschutesalerts.org or ORAlert.gov).	Signed up for emergency alerts (Deschutesalerts.org or ORAlert.gov). Have Done	Signed up for emergency alerts (Deschutesalerts.org or ORAlert.gov). Plan To Do	Signed up for emergency alerts (Deschutesalerts.org or ORAlert.gov). Not Done	Signed up for emergency alerts (Deschutesalerts.org or ORAlert.gov). Unable To Do
Conducted fuels removal or other projects to maintain your home's protection against wildfire.	Conducted fuels removal or other projects to maintain your home's protection against wildfire. Have Done	Conducted fuels removal or other projects to maintain your home's protection against wildfire. Plan To Do	Conducted fuels removal or other projects to maintain your home's protection against wildfire. Not Done	Conducted fuels removal or other projects to maintain your home's protection against wildfire. Unable To Do

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* 7. What makes it hard for you to prepare, or be more prepared, for a disaster or emergency?

Not Enough Time

Too Expensive

Lack of Storage

Lack of Information

Don't Know How

Not Concerned About Emergencies

Other (please specify)

GENERAL HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION

Lastly, we'd appreciate it if you could share a little about yourself and your household. This information is private and will only be used to compare survey results.

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* 8. What is the zip code of your main home?

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* 9. How many years have you lived in Deschutes County?

Less Than One Year

1 to 5 Years

6 to 10 Years

11 to 20 Years

More than 20 Years

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* 10. Does your main home have flood insurance right now?

Yes

Don't Know

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* 11. Would you like more information about flood insurance (https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance)? If yes, please share your email address.

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* 12. How old are you?

18 or Under

19 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 or Over

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* 13. What is your total household income?

Less than $15,000

$15,000 to $34,999

$35,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999

$100,000 to $199,999

$200,000 or More

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* 14. Would you like to get emails from Deschutes County about updates to the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, wildfire protection plans, preparedness tips, or other hazard-related news? If yes, please share your contact information:

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* 15. Is there anything else you’d like to share? Please write your comments below.

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* 16. Would you like a copy of the Deschutes County Personal Preparedness Plan? Please provide your email address for pickup details:

You’ve finished the survey. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Your answers will help Deschutes County plan for natural disasters and set priorities to keep our community safe.