Since late 2024, Mark Wardell has been contributing a monthly column to the Salem Reporter dedicated to community resilience and safety. These articles cover general preparedness topics relevant to the Mid-Willamette Valley from how to become ‘2 Weeks Ready‘ and safely managing local hazards from ice storms to earthquakes, and also practical tips like financial preparedness and utility shut-off knowledge. Each column also provides updates on Salem CERT activities and explains why getting trained is important.
January 5, 2026: Commit to being “2 Weeks Ready”
As we enter 2026, this article encourages a New Year’s resolution focused on building household resilience by working toward the “2 weeks ready” survival baseline. It provides a practical January checklist, guiding readers through essential first steps like securing a 14-day water supply, testing manual tools, and ensuring reliable emergency lighting.
December 2, 2025: Celebrating Graduation & Looking Ahead
As the year winds down, we celebrate the accomplishments of our Fall 2025 graduating class and share a special holiday message. This update also includes a “December Checklist” for winter safety and a preview of our exciting goals for 2026.
November 7, 2025: Community Outreach & Storm Readiness
November’s columns focus on the next generation and seasonal hazards. Learn about our partnership with Eagle Charter School and get essential tips on how to prepare your home and family for the upcoming ice and wind storm season.
October 3, 2025: Fall Training & Earthquake Awareness
October was all about action! We kicked off our Fall CERT training and highlighted major regional events like the Great ShakeOut and Oregon’s “Great Camp-In” to encourage household readiness.
September 3, 2025: Strengthening the Plan & National Preparedness
September is National Preparedness Month, and we are marking the occasion with the second half of our deep dive into creating a comprehensive family emergency plan. This update also provides registration details for the upcoming Fall 2025 CERT class for those ready to take the next step in their training.
July 28, 2025: Foundations of a Family Plan & Community Night Out
This month kicks off a two-part series on building a family emergency plan that actually works. We also recap the excitement of National Night Out and discuss how community connections form the backbone of local resilience.
July 3, 2025: One Year of Preparedness & Completing the Journey
Celebrating one year and one month of sharing preparedness tips with Salem! This milestone includes a high-level overview of family emergency planning and the final weeks (48–52) of our year-long “2 Weeks Ready” roadmap.
June 6, 2025: Evacuations & Real-World Readiness
What happens when you have to leave? We tackle your questions about emergency evacuations and share a full report from the Spring 2025 CERT Deployment Exercise. Plus, we continue our “2 Weeks Ready” journey with tasks for weeks 44 through 47.
May 2, 2025: Expert Insights on Evacuation & Go-Bags
Salem’s City Emergency Manager joins us to answer critical questions about evacuation procedures. We also break down the essentials of a “Go-Bag,” explain evacuation levels, and keep the momentum going with weeks 38–41 of the “2 Weeks Ready” plan.
March 30, 2025: The Heart of a Volunteer & Spring Training
As our Spring 2025 training class begins, I reflect on my personal journey and the reasons “Why I Joined CERT.” This update also covers weeks 34–37 of our preparedness countdown.
March 4, 2025: Systems of Alert & Emergency Management
Knowledge is power when it comes to alerts. This month, we summarize the emergency alert systems for Marion and Polk Counties and conclude our overview of the “2 Weeks Ready” Emergency Management unit. We also dive into weekly tasks for weeks 30–33.
January 31, 2025: Empowerment Through First Aid
Starting the year strong, we cover the “2 Weeks Ready” First-Aid plan and explore how CERT empowers our local community. We also check in on our progress with weeks 26–29 of the year-long plan.
December 27, 2024: Shelter Basics & Final Training Calls
As the year ends, we focus on the “2 Weeks Ready” Shelter Plan and issue a final call for the upcoming CERT training class. We also wrap up December’s tasks for weeks 22–25.
December 3, 2024: Hygiene, Waste, and New Beginnings
Proper hygiene and waste management are critical during a disaster; this month, we explore Unit 5 of the “2 Weeks Ready” plan. We also announce the January 2025 CERT class and outline tasks for weeks 18–21.
October 30, 2024: The Essential Water Plan
Water is the most vital resource in any kit. We dive deep into the “2 Weeks Ready” Water Plan—covering purification and storage—and share the dates for our January 2025 training. Weekly tasks for weeks 14–17 are also included.
September 26, 2024: Drills, Food, and Fall Preparedness
September was a busy month featuring the Great ShakeOut and the Great Camp-In. We also started our look at the “2 Weeks Ready” Food Plan and covered the foundational tasks for weeks 10–13.
August 28, 2024: Building Your Personal Strategy
This month focuses on Unit 2 of the “2 Weeks Ready” plan: Your Emergency Plan. We move beyond the basics with targeted tasks for weeks 6 through 9 to keep your progress on track.
July 25, 2024: Preparing to Prepare
The journey begins! We kick off our overview of the Oregon “2 Weeks Ready” plan with Unit 1, “Preparing to Prepare,” and lay out the first five weeks of actionable steps for your household.
June 24, 2024: Welcome to CERT & 2 Weeks Ready
In our inaugural columns, we introduce the Salem community to the CERT program and the concept of being “2 Weeks Ready.” We also share how CERT can come to your group or organization to speak about local resilience.