RDPO Structure

The Policy Committee ensures accountability for effective coordination on disaster preparedness throughout the five-county region. Membership consists of publicly elected officials from the region. Of the 17 voting members, five are chosen from county elected leaders, one from Metro, and the remainder comes from cities in the region (two cities per county plus the City of Portland).

The Steering Committee develops and annually reviews the 3-year RDPO Strategic Plan, evaluates progress, and promotes the strategic alignment of regional and local programs. Voting membership consists of 16 executive-level leaders, including a representative from each of the five counties, a City of Portland representative, leadership from each of the major discipline groups (i.e., law enforcement, fire, public works, public health, and public safety communications), a private-sector and non-profit sector representative, a health care system representative, and the Program Committee Chair. The Equity Sub-Committee include internal and external stakeholders responsible for advancing the Policy Committee’s equity directives.

The Program Committee coordinates input for development of the RDPO Strategic Plan and oversees implementation of the Strategic Plan by the Work Groups. Comprised of Chairpersons from each of the discipline-specific Work Groups, the Program Committee has the unique ability to identify interdisciplinary initiatives and collaborate on implementation.

The Work Groups bring together local agency, private-sector, and non-governmental organization representatives from the region who work in discipline areas that are highly involved in disaster preparedness (see list below). Each Work Group focuses on a discipline or functional area, determines its own members, and works to implement a self-produced annual Work Plan that supports the goals of the 3-year Strategic Plan.

Task Forces are created by the Program Committee when there are projects that require collaboration among several of the Work Groups, e.g. disaster debris management planning. Task Forces are time-limited and membership is determined based on specific project needs.

The Grants and Finance Committee oversees use of grants and other funding sources in implementing regional projects to ensure transparency, accountability, and financial stewardship. The Committee is comprised of grants/finance managers from each of the five counties and the City of Portland, representatives from Oregon Emergency Management, and the RDPO Manager.