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OREGON PERMIT

TECHNICIANS ASSOCIATION


Emergency Preparedness Resources
A Message from the OPTA Board

Spring has arrived—and brought all four seasons with it. In true Oregon fashion, we’ve already cycled through sunshine, sideways rain, ice, floods, fires—and yes, even a tornado warning—all in just the first few months of the year.

If you found yourself standing under blue skies while checking your phone for storm alerts last week, you’re not alone. It was a classic Oregon moment: sunshine and sirens. Fortunately, things didn’t escalate—but it gave us all a quick “what if” moment.

Preparation doesn’t have to wait for stormy skies. Oregon weather has a flair for the dramatic, but a little planning during the calm moments can make the chaotic ones a lot more manageable.

We encourage everyone to:

        • Take a moment to refresh your personal and workplace emergency plans
        • Bookmark trusted sources for weather and emergency alerts
        • Share any helpful resources, tips, or checklists with us—we love learning from each other!

If you come across something worth sharing, please send it our way so we can keep this Emergency Resources page updated and helpful for all.

A few of our recommended resources to help you plan and prepare: 

Here’s to a safe and well-prepared spring—rain, shine, or surprise hailstorm!

Wildfire Safety Resources

Current Wildfire Information and Tracking

Oregon Department of Forestry – Current wildfire information

Northwest Interagency Coordination Center – Current Northwest Fire Information

Oregon State Fire Marshal – Current wildfire maps

InciWeb – National Incident Information System

Oregon Live’s Wildfire Tracker


Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness

BCD – Wildfire hazard mitigation

Keep Oregon Green – Prevent wildfires: do your part

Oregon Department of Forestry – Prevent wildfires

Give your home a fighting chance

Prepare for and prevent wildfires


Personal and Community Safety

Oregon Office of Emergency Management – Individual Preparedness

Oregon smoke information

CDC – Wildfires and wildfire smoke and Preparing for wildfires

Oregon OSHA - Heat illness prevention

BOLI – Heat and air quality hazards

Oregon Health Authority – Preventing heat-related illnesses

Federal OSHA – Heat illness prevention

National Integrated Heat Health Information System - Heat.gov

Red Cross – Extreme heat safety

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Protect yourself from the dangers of extreme heat

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – Extreme heat

Ready.gov – Extreme heat

National Weather Service – Heat safety tips and resources

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – You can help prevent hot car deaths


Wildfire Response and Recovery

Oregon wildfire response and recovery

Oregon Department of Agriculture – Wildfire resources

DFR - Wildfire insurance resources

BCD – Locate your local building department


Taking a few moments to review these resources can make a significant difference in your safety and the safety of those around you. As wildfires continue to impact our state, it is essential to stay informed and prepared. Together, we can navigate these challenges and protect our communities.

Stay safe, stay vigilant, and keep an eye out for each other.


Do you know the difference between

types of ASSESSORS involved after a disaster?



Property Assessor

(Tax Assessor)


Role: Determines the value of your property for taxation purposes.
Authority: County Assessor’s Office.
Focus: Market value, structural improvements, and land value—not safety or insurance.
Note: After a disaster, they may reassess property to reflect damage for tax adjustments.



Disaster Response Assessor

(Building Safety Evaluator)


Role: Sent by the local building department to evaluate whether a structure is safe to enter, occupy, or rebuild.
Authority: Jurisdictional building official.
Focus: Immediate life safety and structural integrity.

Note: Their evaluation determines if a building is red-, yellow-, or green-tagged—not how much repairs will cost.




Insurance Assessor

(Claims Adjuster)


Role: Evaluates property damage to determine what the insurance company will cover.

Authority: Private insurance carrier.
Focus: Cost to repair or replace damaged property under your policy terms.
Note: Their findings directly impact your payout, but do not determine if the building is safe or legal to occupy.


Oregon Division of Financial Regulation warns people to be careful before signing

assignment of benefits agreement after natural disaster.

July 25, 2024

Salem – With wildfires raging across the state, the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) wants to make sure people are taken care of in the event of a catastrophe and warned of those who may want to take advantage of a vulnerable situation.

One of those ways is through an assignment of benefits (AOB) agreement, which is a contract between a homeowner and a third party that transfers the insurance claim rights or benefits in an insurance policy to the third party. This allows the third party, which is typically a contractor, plumber, roofer, or other construction professional, to file the claim, make decisions about home repairs, and collect insurance payments without involving the homeowner.

DFR stresses that you are not required to enter an AOB with a third party to have repairs done – you can file a claim directly to your insurance company.

An AOB can be a useful tool for getting repairs done, as it allows the repair company to deal directly with an insurance company when negotiating repairs. It also allows the insurer to pay the repair company directly. However, an AOB is a legal contract, so policyholders need to understand the rights they are signing away and make sure the repair company is trustworthy. Here are some reminders:

              • With an AOB, the third party, like a roofing company or plumber, may file your claim, make repair decisions, and collect insurance payments without your involvement. They can also sue your insurer, and you can lose your right to mediation.
              • Once you have signed an AOB, your insurer only communicates with the third party.
              • It is possible the third party may demand a higher claim payment than the insurer offers and then sue the insurer when it denies the claim.

“It is important for homeowners to know their rights and understand what they are agreeing to with an assignment of benefits,” said Andrew R. Stolfi, Oregon insurance commissioner and director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. “Importantly, you are signing away your right to control many decisions related to the repair of your home. While this arrangement can be a good thing with the right contractor, it can result in a headache if it ends up in the wrong hands.”

DFR reminds homeowners to be diligent and alert for fraud. Home repair fraud is common after a natural disaster, and some contractors may prey on victims in hopes of making a quick buck. It is usually a good idea to do business with local businesses or trusted companies. Check references and talk to your friends and family. You should also always confirm that a contractor is licensed in the state of Oregon. Your insurance company may also have recommendations, and you should get more than one bid for your repairs.

“It is also essential that homeowners protect their investment by only working with contractors that have been licensed with the Construction Contractors Board (CCB),” said Chris Huntington, Oregon CCB administrator. “Homeowners should always visit the CCB website to verify the license and review the history of the contractor they are considering for the job. The CCB provides a variety of resources to help homeowners avoid scams and successfully complete their repair work after any disaster.”

Anyone who has questions or feels they may have been taken advantage of can always contact one of our consumer advocates at 888-877-4894 (toll-free) or through email at dfr.insurancehelp@dcbs.oregon.gov.  

For more information about AOB agreements, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers additional resources and information. DFR also has resources on understanding homeowners insurance and other insurance tips, including a brochure designed to help homeowners avoid disaster scams.


CONTACT US 


Oregon Permit Technicians Association 

P.O. Box 634

Springfield, OR 97477

Info@oregonpermittechs.com


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