Local Agencies Awarded Grant Money

PRESS RELEASE
November 22, 2010
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Local Agencies Awarded Grant for Emergency Generators

ST. HELENS–A local city and fire district have been awarded federal grant dollars to help purchase emergency power generators.

Columbia County Emergency Management recently received word that Scappoose Rural Fire District and Columbia City were awarded over $74,000 combined for generators that will help them operate during disasters or long-term power outages. The funding comes from the federal State Homeland Security Grant Program, which provides local agencies with the opportunity to address gaps in emergency equipment, planning or training needs.

Derek White, Director of Columbia County Emergency Management, said that the grant addresses a major need. “Generators are always in demand whenever we lose power and need electricity for a shelter or for emergency operations to continue. This grant will allow our agencies to continue to do what they need to do no matter what comes our way.”

White added that his agency, which is responsible for coordinating disaster preparedness and response around Columbia County, worked with both agencies to write and apply for the grant after agencies from around the county met to prioritize grant requests.

“There was a limited amount of money available. Local public safety agencies met in May and made the Scappoose Fire/Columbia City project a priority for funding,” White said.

Leahnette Rivers, city administrator for Columbia City, stated that the funds will be used to purchase a mobile generator that could be used at any city facility or by other agencies if it is not needed locally.

"This mobile generator will play a key role in Columbia City's ability to continue critical operations in the event of a disaster. As an added benefit, the generator will be available for mutual aid use throughout the region when we're not using it. Emergency Management's assistance in securing State Homeland Security Grant funding for this valuable tool is greatly appreciated."

Scappoose Fire will use its share of the funds to replace an outdated generator on loan from the federal government at its main station in Scappoose, which also serves as an emergency operations center for the Scappoose region.

“This new generator will operate the entire fire station and will automatically turn on after the loss of electrical power within 10 – 30 seconds,” Scappoose Fire Chief Michael Greisen noted.
“It will allow us to continue to operate our joint command center with the City of Scappoose and the Scappoose School District during our natural disasters.”

Winter/Cold Weather Prep Tips

Winter/Cold Weather Preparedness Tips:

http://www.oregonredcross.org/general.asp?SN=2844&OP=12895&SUOP=12896&SUOP2=13002&IDCapitulo=663B0ID44V

Winter Weather Update: 11/21/2010

Update from Columbia County Emergency Management:

The National Weather Service in Portland has advised that we will see some snow over the next couple of days, more likely Monday afternoon-evening (will likely affect commute/school release). With around an 80% chance, they expect us to have around two (2) inches county-wide by the end of Monday.

There is also a chance for a dusting of snow overnight in the lower-level areas (along US 30: Clatskanie, Rainier, Columbia City, St. Helens, Scappoose) and up to an inch in the higher elevations (Vernonia, Mist, Birkenfeld, Chapman, etc.) Sunday afternoon and evening.

The other item of note is that it will be chilly the next few days. Particularly, Tuesday and Wednesday will see highs in the mid-30s and lows in the 20s. Folks who are outside should dress in layers. These days are expected to be dry, however, so no additional snow is expected.

We could start to see the snow melt off later in the week around Thanksgiving Day. For updated information, please visit:

* Weather: http://www.weather.gov/portland

* Updated Emergency Information: http://columbiacountyem.blogspot.com

PUBLIC SAFETY/UTILITIES/SCHOOLS: Please pass on to others in your organizations.

All others may feel free to pass along to others as well. Let's stay safe out there!

Thanks,

Columbia County Emergency Management

503-366-3931

emergency.management@co.columbia.or.us

New Columbia 9-1-1 Administrator Hired

PRESS RELEASE FROM COLUMBIA 9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT:

For Immediate Release Contact: Sally Jones 503 970-8403

Dee Wooley 503 728-3403

Columbia 9-1-1 Announces New Administrator Selection

Sally Jones, Columbia 9-1-1’s first Administrator, will retire on December 31, 2010.

The Board of Directors of the Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District announced Wednesday, November 17, 2010 that Richard (Rick) Whitehead of Austin, Texas, has accepted their offer of employment as the 9-1-1 District’s next Administrator, contingent upon successful completion of background investigation.

The Administrator is the chief executive officer, responsible for all functions and services of the District, and answers to the elected Board of Directors. The Board governs with the involvement of a statutory Advisory Committee which consists of all fire/emergency medical chiefs, the county sheriff, all police chiefs, the county emergency manager and any other public or private entity providing public safety in the jurisdiction. The Board also appoints five citizens to its annual Budget Committee.

“We are pleased with the very high caliber of candidates who responded to our announcement and participated in our screening processes. We are especially grateful to the many stakeholders that assisted the Board in our selection. With their help we met our goal of securing an individual that we believe is highly qualified to lead our critical services into the future with the professional skill and prudent approach our communities rightly expect and demand”, said Dee Wooley, Board President.

Administrator-Select Whitehead holds a bachelor of applied arts & sciences degree from Midwestern State University with major course work in criminal justice and public administration. He is a graduate of the FBI Academy, session #197 and the Leadership and Command College of Texas. He holds a Certified Public Manager designation from the Hobby Center for Public Services in Texas. His 30+ year career has spanned all aspects of military, municipal and county law enforcement including directing Emergency (9-1-1) Communications, Homicide, SWAT and Special Operations. He is an experienced and well respected public safety trainer. He has been responsible for various project implementations such as accreditation and regional radio & mobile data as well as working in collaboration with child protection, family violence task force and school resource officer units. Most recently Whitehead has served on the operations board of a combined transportation emergency communications center which fostered regional interoperability and new technology installations.

Whitehead and his wife, Deb, have three grown children - two sons who are both firefighters and a daughter who is a journalist. Whitehead plans to report to work in early December and work with the District’s current Administrator at least through December 31^st to assure a smooth transition.

Sally Jones, hired in 1990 as Administrator when the 9-1-1 District was first formed by voters, plans to retire on December 31^st. Jones, who began her emergency communications career in 1973 following a 2 year stint as nurse, said, “I have been so fortunate to experience myriad improvements in 9-1-1 services during my career - the most obvious of which is technologies that help us identify the location of emergencies, speed up response activations and support interoperable communications among field units. Also exciting to me, are the great advances in emergency medical pre-ambulance arrival support, increases in volunteer involvement, fire prevention and disaster preparedness programs and other partnerships we have with citizens and local businesses that enhance our ability to prevent injury and save lives. I will miss all that, but, I will miss the many extraordinary people I have worked with most of all. I am thankful for the Board’s careful selection of the next Administrator; Mr. Whitehead will serve our District mission very well and will continue our commitment to excellence in public service”.

Safety Corridor Along Warren Stretch of US 30

Safety Corridor Along Warren Stretch of US 30

http://www.kptv.com/traffic/25842502/detail.html

Winter Weather Advisory Extended 11/19/2010

Winter Weather Advisory

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
716 AM PST FRI NOV 19 2010

ORZ003-004-010-012-WAZ020-040-192300-
/O.CON.KPQR.WW.Y.0019.000000T0000Z-101120T0800Z/
COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-
CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-
NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-
CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-WILLAPA HILLS-
SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VERNONIA...SANDY...SWEET HOME...
COTTAGE GROVE...TOUTLE...ARIEL...COUGAR
716 AM PST FRI NOV 19 2010

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WILLAPA
HILLS...THE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COAST RANGE...AND THE SOUTH
WASHINGTON AND NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS UNTIL
MIDNIGHT PST TONIGHT...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT
PST TONIGHT.

* TIMING...ANOTHER ROUND OF ACCUMULATING SNOW SHOWERS IS NOW
 MOVING INLAND AND WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT
 TONIGHT.

* SNOW LEVELS...SNOW LEVELS WILL BE AROUND 1500 TO 2000 FEET
 THROUGH THE THIS EVENING...LOWERING TO 1000 FEET IN HEAVIER
 SHOWERS.

* ACCUMULATION...AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE
 THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...ON TOP OF THE SNOW THAT HAS ALREADY
 FALLEN.

* IMPACTS...DRIVERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ICY OR SNOW COVERED
 ROADS AND WINTER LIKE DRIVING CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

Weekend Weather Outlook

Columbia County participated in a conference call this afternoon with the National Weather Service. NWS is predicting some persistent cool weather and lower snow levels through the weekend and into next week. However, the amount of precipitation that will accompany this cool weather is still not known, so the chance of snow is variable.

As things stand, the chances of snow are slim, with the greatest chances of snow being on Sunday-Monday as the snow level drops to near the valley floor. But again, it is uncertain how much moisture will be present when the cool air arrives. Based on current data, this would be a light dusting of snow on the valley floor that would not linger.

The detailed potential outlook for the next few days is as follows:

Friday the 19th through Sunday the 21st

Snow Levels

- Fri: 1000-2000 ft

- Sat: 500-1500 ft

- Sun: near surface (north) -1500 ft (south)

Low Elevation Snow:

A possibility with strong showers, but light, if any. Best chances of snow on Saturday and Sunday.

Temperatures:

Lows: Low 30s

Hghs: Upper 30s to mid 40s

Monday the 22nd through Thursday the 25th

Snow Levels:

- Mon: Surface -1000 ft

- Tue: Surface -1000 ft

- Wed: 500 -1500 ft

Low Elevation Snow:

A possibility, but light, if any. Precipitation chances decreasing with time. Best chances of snow on Monday and Tuesday. Models currently agree on dry remainder of week.

Temperatures:

Lows: mid 20s

Highs: 30s to near 40

(moderating midweek)

Please note that this is a prediction from the National Weather Service based on scientific research, not a foregone conclusion. Updates on weather watches and warnings will be posted to our online networks:

Blog: http://columbiacountyem.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/columbiacoem

Facebook: search for "Columbia County Emergency Management"

Winter Weather Advisory for Columbia County 11/18

Winter Weather Advisory

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
203 PM PST WED NOV 17 2010

COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-
CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-
NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-
CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-WILLAPA HILLS-
SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VERNONIA...SANDY...SWEET HOME...
COTTAGE GROVE...TOUTLE...ARIEL...COUGAR
203 PM PST WED NOV 17 2010

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM THURSDAY TO
MIDNIGHT PST THURSDAY NIGHT FOR THE THE WILLAPA HILLS...THE NORTH
AND CENTRAL OREGON COAST RANGE...AND THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND
NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM THURSDAY
TO MIDNIGHT PST THURSDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING...HEAVY RAINFALL WILL SWITCH OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS
 OVERNIGHT...BEGINNING IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND SPREADING
 SOUTH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BEGIN IN ALL
 AREAS BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...WITH SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS
 EXPECTED DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY.

* SNOW LEVELS...SNOW LEVELS BETWEEN 4000 TO 5000 FEET
 THIS EVENING WILL DROP DRAMATICALLY OVERNIGHT TO AROUND 2000
 FEET THURSDAY MORNING AND 1500 FEET BY THURSDAY NIGHT.

* ACCUMULATION...4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE...WITH HIGHER
 ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE UNDER AREAS OF HEAVIER SHOWERS.

* IMPACTS...DRIVERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ICY OR SNOW COVERED
 ROADS AND WINTER LIKE DRIVING CONDITIONS.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

At-Risk Populations Working Group Meeting: Nov 30

Interested in helping prepare individuals with special or functional needs for emergencies in our community? Then join us for our quarterly planning meeting on November 30th! The meeting will be held at 10 AM at Columbia 9-1-1, 58611 McNulty Way in St. Helens.

For questions, call 503-366-3931 or e-mail emergency.management@co.columbia.or.us .

Business Planing Article

This is a great article from Emergency Management magazine...

Staying Open: Disaster Preparedness for Small Businesses

Diana McClure wants small businesses to ask themselves a few simple questions in the face of a possible disaster: “What is it we do as a company? What would be the most important things for us to do to survive a disaster? And what would we need to get up and running again?”

http://www.emergencymgmt.com/disaster/Small-Businesses-Survive-Disaster.html?page=1&