Living in Seattle can be both a wonderful and eye-opening experience. You may not know it, but Seattle is prone to many disasters that could be brought on by both natural and human-caused hazards. This doesn’t have to be a scary thing though. Knowing what you have to be prepared for is the first step to creating a culture of preparedness for your family and within your community.

Disasters in the U.S. have disproportionate impacts on people of color and other vulnerable groups and can increase the inequality that already exists in communities. OEM is committed to prioritizing outreach and engagement to those communities that are likely to be most impacted by disasters.

The trainings listed below can be scheduled (subject to staff and/or volunteer availability) by filling out our Training Request Form  

Please read through the available options in detail so you can choose the training that best fits your needs. OEM offers both in-person and virtaul training options.

Note: Our Seattle Neighbor Actively Prepares Program (SNAP) will only be offered in person for low-income and senior housing facilities. We will offer virtaul SNAP programming for all audiences. 

Click here to access Training Request Form (IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THIS FORM, PLEASE CALL (206) 233-5076 TO ARRANGE A PROGRAM.)

Disaster Preparedness: The Basics

This presentation provides an overview of the hazards that can impact Seattle, and steps that individuals and families can take to become more prepared to deal with them. This includes guidance on how to develop a disaster plan, build a disaster supply kit, and organize with your neighbors to become better prepared. The presentation also provides an overview of other OEM efforts including the SNAP program, Community Emergency Hubs, and the City's new alert and notification system, Alert Seattle.

Intended Audience: This presentation is intended for a broad array of audiences. This could include a business or non-profit organization looking to increase the personal preparedness of its employees. It could also
include a community group looking to improve the personal preparedness of the neighborhood or people they serve.

Duration: Approximately 1 hour

Neighborhood Preparedness (SNAP: Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare)

The SNAP program introduces participants to basic information on personal and family preparedness, including how to develop a disaster plan and an emergency supply kit. In addition, this presentation provides guidance and tools for organizing with neighbors. Participants will become familiar with neighborhood response priorities and strategies for working together with neighbors to ensure an effective neighborhood response.

Intended Audience: A group of neighbors from a particular block, apartment building, or condo. You may also want to have a SNAP presentation at a community center or other location to get a larger group of neighbors thinking about preparedness.

Duration: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Workplace Preparedness

The workplace preparedness training provides an overview of key workplace preparedness steps, including guidance on planning for sheltering in place, plans for communicating with employees, clients and partners, the basics of continuity planning, and the importance of individual and family preparedness for employees.

Intended Audience: A business, community organization, or other workplace that is in the process of developing emergency plans or wants to improve existing preparedness efforts. Typically this will be smaller organizations that do not have staff dedicated solely to safety or continuity planning.

Duration: 45 minutes – 1 hour

Emergency Planning for Child Care Providers Workshop

The Emergency Planning for Child Care Provider workshop provides a curriculum for providers wishing to prepare their centers and/or at-home programs for disasters. The workshop provides training on hazard mitigation, utility control, hosting effective drills, education, child release & family reunification, and guidance for working with the community before and after disasters. 

Intended Audience: Licensed child care centers, Licensed at-home programs, Unlicensed child care programs 

Duration: 2 hours - 2.5 hours

Special Events

When possible OEM will staff informational tables at special events. OEM staff will provide information on personal and family preparedness and interactive preparedness activities. These types of events are more difficult to staff, but we do our best to accommodate these requests.