ODOE Helps Fuel Oregon in Midst of Disasters

This season’s record breaking wildfires created widespread road closures across the state and shut down rail operations south of Salem. As a result, some petroleum and ethanol haulers required extra support to ensure delivery of critical supply to Oregon communities in need of fuel for fire-fighting and other life-saving services. Oregon Department of Energy’s Emergency Preparedness Manager, Deanna Henry, collaborated with the fuel industry and the Oregon Department of Transportation to secure an Hours of Service Waiver which allows for more flexibility in how and when companies deliver fuel. Deanna’s work is one example of ODOE’s Oregon Fuel Action Plan in action – the idea behind the plan is to be able to scale up (for an emergency like a Cascadia earthquake) or scale down (like for the 2017 solar eclipse or these wildfires) to ensure Oregon has the petroleum it needs to get through a disaster.

We’re all in this together, and ODOE is proud to help Oregon through these unprecedented and challenging times. Read more about how Oregonians are taking care of each other all over the state: https://www.myoregon.gov/2020/09/14/wildfire-heroes-shine/