Serving Western Washington today, and growing across the Pacific Northwest
KB Tenacious Emergency Support Foundation (KBT-ESF) is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Toledo, Lewis County. Our teams are active across Northwest and Southwest Washington today. Our goal is to serve the whole Pacific Northwest, and we get there one community at a time as local volunteers join us.
Where we serve today
Our volunteer teams are active in these 19 Washington counties, from the Columbia River to the Canadian border. Here we offer disaster support, welfare checks during disasters, damage documentation help and preparedness help, as volunteer capacity allows.
Northwest Washington
Southwest Washington
● Active now
● Active now
Clallam County (Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks)
Island County (Oak Harbor, Coupeville)
Jefferson County (Port Townsend)
King County (Seattle, Bellevue, Kent)
Kitsap County (Bremerton, Silverdale, Port Orchard)
Mason County (Shelton)
San Juan County (Friday Harbor)
Skagit County (Mount Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley)
Snohomish County (Everett, Marysville)
Whatcom County (Bellingham, Ferndale)
Clark County (Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas)
Cowlitz County (Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock)
Grays Harbor County (Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Elma)
Lewis County (Toledo, Chehalis, Centralia, Morton): our home base
Pacific County (Long Beach, Raymond, South Bend)
Pierce County (Tacoma, Puyallup, Eatonville)
Skamania County (Stevenson, Carson)
Thurston County (Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater)
Wahkiakum County (Cathlamet)
Our home base: Lewis County
KBT-ESF is based in Toledo, in south Lewis County. This is where much of our day-to-day work happens, and where you'll find:
Free monthly CPR classes
Free monthly CPR, AED and first aid classes through Every Neighbor CPR, currently held at Centralia College.
This free class is starting here in Lewis County, and we plan to bring it to communities across the rest of the region as we grow.
Lewis County Live Data
Our donor-funded seismograph, weather station and bird migration sensor.
As we expand, we hope to provide similar local stations to other counties.
What we do
We help before, during and after emergencies:
Disaster road and hazard checks
Route and road conditions, flood and hazard monitoring, and clear updates for responders and the public.
Welfare checks during disasters
Checking on residents who may be cut off, as capacity allows.
Damage documentation and recovery paperwork
Damage photos, help with aid and recovery forms, and free disaster-related notary help.
Supplies
Water, food and emergency supplies delivered to affected residents, plus community support stations.
Preparedness
The free 2 Weeks Ready checklist, preparedness videos, a free hazard map and our disaster app.
CPR, AED and first aid classes
Paid certification classes help fund free monthly community classes.
Our emergency services are free to the people we help. They are paid for by community donations.
What we don't do: KBT-ESF is not EMS, law enforcement or Search and Rescue. We observe, document, report and support until official responders arrive.
If someone is in danger, call 911 first.
Growing across the Pacific Northwest
Our goal is to serve all of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. We're a new organization, and we're growing step by step. We won't promise more than we can deliver. A region becomes active when local volunteers sign up there, and we're ready to work with people in every area below. Once we have a volunteer team in your area, we can be much more active.
Washington
NE Washington: Building volunteer team
Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Kittitas, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Stevens counties (including Spokane and Wenatchee)
SE Washington: Building volunteer team
Adams, Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Klickitat, Walla Walla, Whitman and Yakima counties (including the Tri-Cities, Yakima and Walla Walla)
Oregon
NW Oregon: Building volunteer team
Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill counties (including Portland, Salem and Astoria)
NE Oregon: Building volunteer team
Gilliam, Hood River, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco and Wheeler counties (including Pendleton, Hood River and The Dalles)
SW Oregon: Building volunteer team
Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln and Linn counties (including Eugene, Medford and Roseburg)
SE Oregon: Building volunteer team
Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake and Malheur counties (including Bend and Klamath Falls)
Idaho
North Idaho: Building volunteer team
Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce and Shoshone counties (including Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint, Moscow and Lewiston)
SW Idaho: Building volunteer team
Ada, Adams, Blaine, Boise, Camas, Canyon, Custer, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington counties (including Boise, Nampa and Twin Falls)
SE Idaho: Building volunteer team
Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Franklin, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, Minidoka, Oneida, Power and Teton counties (including Idaho Falls and Pocatello)
Live outside these regions, or not sure which one you're in? Call us anyway. We're happy to talk.
Major disaster outside our area?
Call us even if you're outside Northwest or Southwest Washington. We'll talk through what's happening and tell you honestly what we can and can't do.
In a major disaster, we may send our Northwest and Southwest Washington teams to help in nearby areas, such as Northwest Oregon or North Idaho. We decide each request case by case, based on safety, how many volunteers are available, and the needs of local emergency managers.
Phones are answered Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Pacific. We reply to messages within 24 to 48 business hours. If someone is in danger, call 911.
Bring KBT-ESF to your area
The fastest way to bring KBT-ESF to your community is to volunteer there. Every new region starts with a few neighbors who sign up. You don't need emergency experience. We have roles for every skill set, in the field and behind the scenes.
Field roles: welfare checks, disaster road and hazard checks, and supply delivery.
Remote and behind-the-scenes roles: monitoring, mapping, communications, admin, IT and fundraising.
Training help: KBT-ESF covers the cost of CPR/first aid and bloodborne pathogens training for accepted volunteers. The required FEMA courses are free and online.
Groups, churches, businesses and local agencies are welcome too. Call (360) 937-4921 or email support@kbt-esf.org to talk about partnering in your area.
Questions about where we serve
Which areas does KBT-ESF serve right now?
We're active in 19 counties in Northwest and Southwest Washington. Northwest Washington: Clallam, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom. Southwest Washington: Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skamania, Thurston and Wahkiakum.
Do you help in Oregon, Idaho or Eastern Washington?
Our goal is to serve the whole Pacific Northwest, but our volunteer teams are active only in Northwest and Southwest Washington today. If you're elsewhere, please call us. For a major disaster, we may send our Washington teams to nearby areas, such as Northwest Oregon or North Idaho, case by case. Once we have local volunteers in your area, we can do much more there.
How does a new area become active?
When local volunteers sign up and complete onboarding, we can start offering support there. If you'd like KBT-ESF in your community, the best first step is to apply to volunteer.
Is your emergency help free?
Yes. Intake calls, disaster checks and welfare checks (as capacity allows), basic documentation help, disaster-related notary and basic supply distribution are free, funded by community donations. Some programs, like CPR certification classes, have a fee.
Are you an emergency service?
No. We are not EMS, law enforcement or Search and Rescue. If someone is in danger, call 911.
Where are the free CPR classes?
Free monthly community classes are currently held at Centralia College in Lewis County. If you'd like free training brought to your community, contact us.
Call us
Email: support@kbt-esf.org
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Pacific
Based in Toledo, Lewis County, Washington. In an emergency, always call 911 first.