Cape Meares Community Association received large grant from Oregon Resiliency and Emergency Preparedness (OREM) for a fully equipped Conex Box!
Huge thanks to Miriam Fultz who was the lead for a grant writing team working with team members Kathy Burke, Pam Robenolt and Charles Ansorge.
After initially receiving a notice from the Oregon Resiliency and Emergency Preparedness (OREM) office in early April that a grant request would not be funded, the lead for Emergency Preparedness for Cape Meares, Kathy Burke, received a surprise call from the OREM informing her that one of the items in our grant request had been funded. The award was for $98,749 for a fully equipped Conex box ($38,150 for the box and $60,599 for the contents).
In June 2025 the Conex box and contents were received and installed in a secured fenced area at the Oceanside Water District -Cape Meares water treatment plant.
The box has an electrical connection for a heater, humidifier, and built-in lighting. The electronic gear includes the ability to communicate with all local GMRS devices, short-wave communication, HAM connection to the world, and StarLink for wi-fi. This is now a “hot spot” for the community if the internet is disrupted.
This electronic gear enables our community to create an Emergency Operations Command Center (EOCC) which includes a 30-day full power back-up system.
CMCA has an agreement with the Oceanside Water District to site the Conex box at the water treatment plant and our water reservoir. This site was chosen for the following reasons:
Location is one of the five designated Assembly Points by DOGAMI,
It is a secure fenced-in compound,
Site has 12 concrete piers installed that reach a depth of nearly 80 feet below the surface to provide stability to the property,
Potable water may be available from the reservoir following an earthquake and tsunami, and
Site is near a drop zone that drones or helicopters may be able to deliver emergency supplies safely.
In order to accept this award from OREM, CMCA in partnership with OWD obtained required permits, insurance, and electrical connections. The box becomes the property of CMCA two years from the time of delivery and installation.