By Rebecca Geisen
When Gabriel Hernandez started their job at Multnomah County in early 2022, they didn’t expect it to change how they thought about their own life at home. As part of Multnomah County’s emergency management logistics team, Hernandez works behind the scenes to keep shelters and critical services running during severe weather and disasters. From managing stocks of dry goods for meals to maintaining caches of radios and coordinating with local partners, their work supports some of the county’s most vulnerable residents—including unhoused neighbors and older adults in rural areas who depend on electricity for medical devices. “Most people think emergency preparedness is about first responders swooping in, but often it’s your neighbors who will be there for you first,” Hernandez said. “That was eye-opening for me.”
As climate change drives hotter summers, more frequent wildfires and power outages, preparing their home for disasters has become less abstract—and more practical—for Hernandez. Hernandez lives in an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in SE Portland with their partner and two cats. An ADU is a small, independent home located on the same lot as a single-family house—like a backyard cottage, basement apartment or converted garage. So like many Portlanders, they’ve had to get creative about how to prepare for a potential emergency. “Space is definitely a constraint, but we’ve made it work,” they said.
Currently, they have about a week’s worth of supplies stored in their garage—including six to seven gallons of water. “Water is the big one,” Hernandez noted. “You can survive longer without food than without water, but people often forget to account for hygiene and pets. With two cats, we’ve had to plan for them too.”
Another lesser known tip is keeping the supplies fresh. “We periodically check our supplies and replace the ones that are close to expiring,” Hernandez said. “As time goes on, this becomes more important.”
Their advice for others living in smaller spaces? Start small and build up gradually. “When you see a giant list of everything you should have, it can feel overwhelming,” they said. “But you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars at once. Break it down week by week—buy a couple gallons of water and some band-aids one week, batteries and a flashlight the next.”
Bonny Cushman, a program coordinator at the Regional Water Providers Consortium, said Hernandez’s approach to preparedness is smart and practical. “Your goal is to have one gallon of water per person per day for 14 days, but that can feel daunting for many people,” Cushman said. “Gradually building up your stock is a great way to get prepared one step at a time.”
Cushman suggested another cost-effective tip: Sanitize two-liter soda bottles, fill them with tap water and store them in a closet or underneath the bed.
But even for someone who works in emergency management, Hernandez acknowledges it’s hard to get started. “Just taking that first step is the biggest hurdle. Start somewhere. Keep a pair of shoes and a bottle of water in your car,” they said. “There’s no wrong place to start.”
Their final piece of advice? “Get to know your neighbors. In a disaster, they’re going to be your lifeline.”
Hernandez’s emergency preparedness includes supplies for cats Tegan and Sara. Photo by Riley Berger, Regional Water Providers Consortium.
