What's Your New Year's Resolution?

According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, Americans who make New Year’s resolutions are eleven times more likely to report continued success in changing a problem than individuals who have not made a resolution. This New Year’s Eve, the Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management wants to encourage citizens to make being prepared for an emergency their resolution. Below are a few simple steps to get the ball rolling.

1. Create a family emergency plan
Your family may not be together when an emergency happens, so it is important to plan in advance: how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. You can download a family emergency plan template at www.ready.gov/america/makeaplan/index.html

2. Put together an emergency supply kit
You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer. To find a complete checklist of the supplies your household may need in the event of an emergency, visit www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html

3. Be informed about the different types of emergencies that can happen in your area and the appropriate responses.
Learn about the hazards that may strike your community, the risks you face from these hazards and your community’s plans for warning and evacuation. Get informed and be in the know at our blog: http://www.cowlitzcountydem.blogspot.com/ (well, look at that, you're already here!) and be our fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/cowlitzcountydem. You can learn all about emergency preparedness on our website at www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/DEM. How about getting an emergency text on your cell phone? Just text “Follow CowlitzDEM” to the number 40404. If you have questions, please call us at 577-3130 or email DEM@co.cowlitz.wa.us.

Weather Update

From Portland National Weather Service

..WET AND WINDY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...

A STRONG JET STREAM WILL DIRECT A SERIES OF WET AND WINDY SYSTEMS ACROSS SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK IN RAPID SUCCESSION. THESE SYSTEMS WILL HAVE SNOW LEVELS WELL ABOVE PASS LEVEL. HIGH WINDS ARE EXPECTED AT THE COAST AND IN HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE COAST RANGE AT TIMES...BEGINNING TONIGHT.
WINDY CONDITIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE AT TIMES INLAND...INCLUDING TONIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY.

WHILE NO PARTICULAR SYSTEM APPEARS THAT IT WILL CAUSE WIDESPREAD FLOODING...RIVERS AND CREEKS WILL RISE FAIRLY QUICKLY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES OR MORE ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST...COAST RANGE...AND IN THE CASCADES...WITH MORE THAN 2 INCHES IN THE VALLEY.

AS THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND APPROACHES...A COLD FRONT WILL COME THROUGH ON FRIDAY BRINGING SNOW BACK TO THE CASCADES. WHILE MUCH OF THE SNOW WILL FALL AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS...SNOW LEVELS WILL BE DROPPING BELOW PASS LEVELS...SUCH THAT SNOW COVERED ROADS ARE POSSIBLE FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO EARLY SATURDAY.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON ARE URGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER FORECASTS DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

A Series of Frontal Systems Will Affect SW Washington this Week

Below is a weather message from the National Weather Service out of Portland.

A STRONG JET STREAM ACROSS THE PACIFIC WILL DIRECT A SERIES OF VIGOROUS FRONTAL SYSTEMS ACROSS SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON DURING THE UPCOMING WEEK.

AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT THE FRONT THAT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA EARLY TUESDAY MORNING WILL BE THE WEAKEST. STILL...IT
WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW IN THE SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES ABOVE ABOUT 3000 FEET TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL ALSO FALL TO PASS LEVEL IN THE OREGON CASCADES...THOUGH AMOUNTS WILL BE MUCH LIGHTER...AROUND 2 TO 5 INCHES. BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL BE FOUND AT THE COAST.

WETTER AND WINDIER FRONTAL SYSTEMS MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SNOW LEVELS WELL ABOVE PASS LEVEL. MAIN HAZARDS WITH THESE SYSTEMS WILL THEREFORE BE LOCALIZED FLOODING AS WELL AS BREEZY TO LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS...WITH HIGH WINDS POSSIBLE AT THE COAST AND IN THE COAST RANGE.

SEVERAL FORECAST MODELS HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING A RATHER DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO MOVE TOWARDS THE WASHINGTON COAST ON FRIDAY AND PUSH INLAND. WHILE THIS IS QUITE A FEW DAYS OUT AND THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT MODEL DIFFERENCES REGARDS TO THE TRACK OF THIS LOW...THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE DAMAGING WINDS OVER PORTIONS OF THE AREA IF FORECAST MODELS ARE CORRECT.

WHILE NO PARTICULAR SYSTEM APPEARS THAT IT WILL CAUSE WIDESPREAD FLOODING...RIVERS WILL RISE. SOME OF THE MORE FLOOD PRONE
RIVERS...LIKE THE GRAYS RIVER...MAY APPROACH FLOOD STAGE. ALSO...LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING CAN NOT BE RULED OUT LATER THIS
WEEK...ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON ARE URGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER FORECASTS DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. Go to http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/ for further information.

County Phones Restored

At 10:15 p.m. this evening, the Cowlitz County department phone system was restored. Thank you for your patience.

County Department Phone Outage

Cowlitz County Departments are experiencing a phone system outage with the seven digit County lines. Technicians are working on the problem at this time. If you dial the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, the Dispatch Center (business lines), Longview Police (because their lines are transferred to County after hours) and some County Offices you will get a busy signal until the problem is corrected.

THIS DOES NOT INTERRUPT 9-1-1 SERVICE.

If you have an emergency please dial 9-1-1, if you are reporting a crime that is not in progress please try the business number at a later time. All in progress or urgent reports will be handled on the 9-1-1 lines.

10 More Shopping Days Left....

Stumped for stocking stuffers? Perplexed for presents? Glassy-eyed for gifts? Flummoxed on favors? Amazed by alliteration? Give the gift of preparedness! Here are a few of my favorite sites to get some great gifts:

http://www.simple-safety.com/ (a great local company out of Vancouver, WA)

http://www.preparesmart.com/ (another local company out of Kirkland, WA)

You can also get some very useful safety supplies here in town at Bob's at 1111 Hudson in Longview. If you really want to support the local economy, check out the camping supply section there. Pick up a handy flashlight or some freeze-dried food. How about a roadside safety kit for you mom?

Any dummy can give a Starbucks giftcard, but a really awesome person gives the gift of preparedness! (However, if you DID want to leave a Starbucks giftcard on my desk, I wouldn't mind).

Suspicious Contractors Contacting Elderly

Kelso, WA-Cowlitz County Sheriff Mark Nelson is warning citizens of several suspicious calls his office has responded to Monday morning involving suspicious men claiming to be contractors. In one case, jewelry was stolen.

Initially, Woodland Police responded to a report around 9:40 this morning of two men who came to a woman's door. When she opened the door, the male put his foot in the doorway and would not allow her to close the door. He claimed to have worked for her before. She claimed he was very pushy. Eventually, he and another male left in a later model silver 4dr car.
About an hour later, the Sheriff's Office received a similar call in the area of John St. in Lexington. The victim in this case, answered the door to a man who claimed to be a contractor. Another man asked her for some water, and when she allowed him in, he went to the bedroom and stole jewelry. Both men then left in a gray Buick.

Forty minutes later, an incident similar in nature occurred in northern Lexington. No entry was made to the residence and it is not believed anything was taken. The suspects in this case were unable to provide any identification or contractor license to the reporting party.
All three callers reported that there were 2 males, ranging in age from late 20s to 40-50 years old. The callers were a little unsure of the description as some believed the suspects were reportedly Hispanic and the other believed they were white. One had facial hair and was wearing a dark baseball cap, a gray jacket, a blue shirt and blue jeans, while the other one was reported to be wearing a red shirt and blue jeans. All stated that the two men were very pushy.

Sheriff Nelson cautions homeowners about opening their door to people unknown to them, and makes the following suggestions:
1. Don't open the door if you don't know the person, are alone, or have fears or concerns. It's okay to say "No", or to have them come back when someone you trust is there with you.
2. Don't allow someone in your home for water, to use the bathroom or telephone.
3. Ask to see identification and write down the information
4. Note the description of the person at the door, and any associated vehicles. Be ready to pass the information on to 911.
5. Call law enforcement immediately if you have concerns about who is at your door.

If anyone has information on any of these reports, please call Woodland Police at 360-225-8981 or the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office at 360-577-3092, or Crime Stoppers at 360-577-1206.

Air Stagnation Advisory

The National Weather Service has issued an Air Stagnation Advisory from now until 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Air quality is expected to remain poor throughout the week due to a strong temperature inversion trapping pollutant in the lower atmosphere. There may be some improvement Wednesday as a weather disturbance passes to the north and east, but will be brief.

An Air Stagnation Advisory is issued when limited movement of an air mass is expected to allow pollution levels to increase with conditions persisting at least 72hours.