The Linn County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the County’s Emergency Management Program. Ric Lentz is the Emergency Management Coordinator and he coordinates planning, training and exercising for the county’s emergency preparedness, disaster response, disaster recovery and hazard mitigation. Linn County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is located at the Linn County Sheriff’s Office in Albany. The EOC is activated when disasters occur which affect Linn County.
We know that an emergency or disaster can happen at any time. Floods, earthquakes, wind storms, forest fires, and a pandemic are all emergencies and disasters we need to be prepared for on a large scale.
Personal preparedness for disasters can significantly reduce the effect a large or small disaster can have on you or your family. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office has a preparedness outreach program to help citizens prepare for disasters. In addition, the Sheriff’s Office utilizes volunteers to support the county’s emergency preparedness and community disaster response activities.
We encourage all residents to sign up for the Linn-Benton Alert system and you can do so here:
https://member.everbridge.net/index/453003085613276#/signup
The Linn County Emergency Operations Plan is also now online!
How You Can Help
Below are some of the opportunities for citizens to be a part of this volunteer community service.
Ready: Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed.
Being self-reliant in a disaster or emergency will relieve some of the stress we all may experience and will take some of the load off emergency personnel. Ready.gov is a great resource for tools, recommendations and more to help you and your family stay safe. Here you can make a plan for you and your family. For more ways to get involved, you can look here. Ready kids offers a resource for you and your children to be even more prepared for an emergency or a disaster. Resources for businesses are available here.
Amateur Radio Emergency Services
Volunteer HAM radio operators are available throughout Linn County to maintain communication and relay valuable information to emergency personnel. The Sheriff’s Office conducts training exercises to determine areas of planning that may need extra support and/or information to make sure events run smoothly in a real disaster/emergency.
National Citizen Corps programs are available to support community members, organizations, agencies, law enforcement, and emergency personnel. Citizen Corps programs include VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service), MRC (Medical Reserve Corps), Neighborhood Watch, and CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams). Visit the Citizen Corps website or contact the Sheriff’s Office for information about these volunteer programs.