Portland Police to Cover Columbia County During Painter Service

Portland Police to Cover Columbia County During Painter Service

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_784e076e-1df6-11e0-a053-001cc4c03286.html

Information about Rainier Police Chief Painter's Memorials

Information on the Chief Painter memorial sessions may be found at:

http://www.cityofrainier.com

Wintery Weather on Tap

The National Weather Service has advised us of wintery weather on tap for this weekend and mid-week next week. Details are still sketchy, but consider this your advance notice, as this could be played up in the media.

What we do know:

*Wintery weather is possible in the next several days for lower elevations.

*Light snow accumulations are possible Saturday night through Sunday morning.

*More significant snow and ice are possible mid-week next week.

*Details are still very uncertain, especially for next week's system.

Keep checking our blog for more information. We'll keep you informed as soon as we know more.

Post-Earthquake Buliding Safety Evaluation Class

Announcing an upcoming training opportunity in Columbia County March 16th.

The course is ATC 20: Procedures for Post-Earthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings. It will be an interactive class and will train individuals to inspect buildings for safety of occupancy after an earthquake. Manuals and a working lunch will be provided to students.

Topics covered will include:
* Evaluation procedures
* Case studies of wood frame, masonry, concrete and steel structures
* Considerations for inspecting various construction types
* The Posting System
* Structural basics

When: Wednesday, March 16th, 9 AM to 4 PM with registration starting at 8:30 AM
Where: Columbia County Roads Administrative Office, 1054 Oregon Street, St. Helens
Lunch: A working lunch will be provided
Materials: Field manuals will be given to each student.
Register: By calling 503-366-3931 or emailing emergency.management@co.columbia.or.us

Pre-registration is required.
Registration closes Friday, February 25.

County, Columbia River Fire Sharing Resources

Columbia County Agencies Share Resources

to Prepare for Health Emergencies.

ST. HELENS–Columbia County and Columbia River Fire and Rescue (CRFR) recently agreed to share individual medical resources for their employees in the event of a major disease outbreak or bio-terrorism attack.

The agencies are now joint members under a program known as the Push Partner Registry, an effort of Columbia Health District - Public Health Authority and the Portland-metropolitan Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI).

The Push Partner Registry, a program under the Cities Readiness Initiative allows Columbia Health District (CHD) to leverage their limited resources through partners to help the general public. According to CHD public health preparedness coordinator Anne Parrott, in specific public health events CHD will focus on providing assistance to the general public as quickly as possible; Push Partners support this effort by running their own medication dispensing operation. “This removes the burden on public places of medication dispensing and keeping vital services, such as residential care facilities, open during the event,” Parrott stated.

Local agencies are taking advantage of the program in order to assist public health officials and protect employees. "Columbia County was really interested in this program, but we wanted to find a way to share it with a local partner in order to maximize taxpayer resources," said Derek White, director of emergency management for Columbia County. "With our close proximity and great working relationship with Columbia River Fire and Rescue, we felt that it was a great fit."

CRFR believes that participation is vital to what it does. “Prompt immunization and vaccinations of agencies who perform emergency response and maintain the critical infrastructure governmental services is critical in the successful mitigation of an event that posses serious health and exposure risks,” said Brian Burright, emergency medical services division chief at CRFR. “Participating in the Push Partner Registry assures that vaccinations can be rapidly dispensed to those agencies.”

Public agencies and private employers are welcome to join the Push Partner Registry for free. For more information, contact Anne Parrott at 503-397-4651, ext. 2022 or aparrott@chdpublichealth.com .

Special Weather Statement: December 29, 2010

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
400 PM PST WED DEC 29 2010

THE AIR MASS OVER NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON IS
COOL AND UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING DUE TO THE RECENT
PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT. THIS PATTERN CAN PRODUCE WHAT IS CALLED
COLD AIR FUNNEL CLOUDS. THESE FUNNELS DO NOT USUALLY TOUCH THE
GROUND. HOWEVER...IF THEY DO TOUCH THE GROUND THEY ARE DANGEROUS
AND CAN BE DAMAGING. HAD A THIRD PARTY REPORT OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE
ONE OF THESE NEAR TANGENT OREGON THIS AFTERNOON. IN THE LAST
HOUR...SOME THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF
THE AREA. THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS EVENT SHOULD DECREASE AFTER SUNSET.

Special Weather Statement for Columbia County: Dec. 27, 2010

Special Weather Statement

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
1200 PM PST MON DEC 27 2010

ORZ003>014-WAZ019-020-022-023-039-040-281800-
COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-
CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA-
GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-
SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-
NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES-
CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY-
UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-WILLAPA HILLS-I-
5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-
SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VERNONIA...JEWELL...TRASK...
GRANDE RONDE...TIDEWATER...SWISSHOME...ST. HELENS...CLATSKANIE...
HILLSBORO...PORTLAND...OREGON CITY...GRESHAM...SALEM...
MCMINNVILLE...DALLAS...EUGENE...CORVALLIS...ALBANY...HOOD RIVER...
CASCADE LOCKS...MULTNOMAH FALLS...SANDY...
SILVER FALLS STATE PARK...SWEET HOME...GOVERNMENT CAMP...
DETROIT...SANTIAM PASS...VIDA...LOWELL...COTTAGE GROVE...
MCKENZIE BRIDGE...OAKRIDGE...WILLAMETTE PASS...PARKDALE...ODELL...
COLDWATER RIDGE VISITORS CENTER...MOUNT ST. HELENS...FRANCES...
RYDERWOOD...LONGVIEW...KELSO...CASTLE ROCK...STEVENSON...
SKAMANIA...VANCOUVER...BATTLE GROUND...WASHOUGAL...TOUTLE...
ARIEL...COUGAR
1200 PM PST MON DEC 27 2010

...TURNING COLDER BY MIDWEEK...AND COLD TO END THE YEAR...

AFTER A MILD START TO THE LAST WEEK OF THE YEAR...A COLD FRONT
WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT...USERING IN MUCH COLDER
WEATHER. IN THE LOWLANDS...OVERNIGHT LOWS EXPECTED IN THE MIDDLE
TO UPPER 20S...WHILE THE AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY
BE ONLY IN THE 30S. TEMPERATURES WILL BE COLDER IN THE CASCADES.

THIS IS NOT AN ARTIC OUTBREAK OF AIR...AND NOT A LOT OF EAST WIND
IS EXPECTED. HOWEVER...IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH TO SEE SNOW
SHOWERS WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. AT THIS TIME...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT...THROUGH AN INCH OR TWO ARE POSSIBLE
ABOVE 500 FEET...OR ON HIGHER HILLS OF THE INTERIOR VALLEYS.

OVER THE COAST RANGE AND THE CASCADES...POTENTIAL FOR SNOW IS
BETTER. AT THIS TIME...THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR 3 TO 6 INCHES OF
SNOW IN THE COAST RANGE ABOVE 1000 FEET...AND PERHAPS 5 TO 10
INCHES IN THE CASCADES.

ANOTHER FAST MOVING SYSTEM WILL PASS ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY...WITH ANOTHER CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS.

IF YOU ARE PLANNING TRAVEL OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND THROUGH THE
WOODS LATER THIS WEEK...MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES. BE PREPARED FOR WINTERY DRIVING
CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE CASCADES RANGE.

Hydrologic Outlook: Dec. 27-28, 2010

Hydrologic Outlook

HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK
ORZ001>014-WAZ019>023-039-040-281930-

HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
1130 AM PST MON DEC 27 2010

...HEAVY RAIN WILL RAISE RIVER LEVELS THROUGH MID WEEK...

A WET AND WARM STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY
RAIN TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BEGINNING EARLY THIS EVENING AND
CONTINUING THROUGH LATE TUESDAY. THE CURRENT FORECAST FOCUSES THE
HEAVIEST RAINFALL OVER THE COAST RANGE OF OREGON DURING THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT...WITH PRECIPITATION FALLING MAINLY AS
SNOW IN THE CASCADES. THE POSSIBILITY OF SHARP RISES AND SOME AREA
RIVERS REACHING BANKFULL LEVELS EXISTS.

THE CURRENT FORECAST INDICATES THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL
FALL OVER THE COAST RANGE OF OREGON...WITH 2 TO 3 INCHES OF
RAINFALL EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY. THE SNOW LEVEL IS AROUND 2000
TO 2500 FEET TODAY...THEREFORE PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN AS SNOW
IN THE CASCADES. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL RISE TO 4000 TO 5000 FEET
LATE TONIGHT...TURNING SNOW TO RAIN AT PASS LEVELS WITH 1 TO 2
INCHES OF RAINFALL EXPECTED AT THESE LEVELS DURING THE DAY
TUESDAY. UP TO AN INCH OF RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED AT LOWER ELEVATIONS
INLAND.

THESE AMOUNTS OF RAIN WOULD PUSH RIVER LEVELS UP SHARPLY LATER
TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...AND SOME COULD REACH BANKFULL AS EARLY AS
TUESDAY MORNING. RIVERS DRAINING THE COAST RANGE ARE THE MOST
LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED.

VISIT WEATHER.GOV/PORTLAND FOR THE LATEST WEATHER AND RIVER
FORECASTS.

Volunteer Management Training

Columbia County Emergency Management is glad to provide the following training to the public:

Volunteer Management

Friday, February 11th, 8:30-4:30
Columbia 911, St. Helens (RSVP required--see below)

This is a comprehensive, one-day class on all aspects of establishing, operating, and maintaining a volunteer program.

Topics Include:

* Recruiting
* Evaluating
* Developing a volunteer program
* Supervising
* Training
* And Much More!

This class is open to anyone, but RSVPs are required. To register, please contact Renate Rudolph at Renate.Rudolph@co.columbia.or.us or call 503-366-3934.

Tornado Preparedness Information

Even though they don't happen very often, tornados do happen as we saw in Aumsville this week. Here are some preparedness tips from FEMA to be aware of if one strikes in Columbia County:

• Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood.
• Have an emergency kit with food, water and other supplies.
  
• It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
• You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one.
• Determine in advance where you will take shelter in case of a tornado warning:
  • Storm cellars or basements provide the best protection.
  • If underground shelter is not available, go into an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
  • In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
  • Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls. Go to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they attract debris.
  • A vehicle, trailer or mobile home does not provide good protection. Plan to go quickly to a building with a strong foundation, if possible.
  • If shelter is not available, lie flat in a ditch or other low-lying area. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
  • Plan to stay in the shelter location until the danger has passed.

For more information, please visit http://ready.gov .