How bad will the next flood be? That could be up to you!

--Excerpt from Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency blog--
“Floods are acts of God, but flood damages are acts of man”. This quote, courtesy of former King County Emergency Management Director Eric Holdeman, is only partly true, since removing water-absorbing surfaces from river basins and adding roads and buildings to floodplains can add to flood waters. But it’s absolutely true that the decisions that we make about where we live, work, and develop will be the determining factor in how our community is impacted by the next flood. We can choose not to develop in a flood-prone area. Yes, riverfront properties are the sites for many dream homes but what’s the long term price homeowners will pay? For folks who already live in a flood-prone area you can ensure that your living space is up at a safe elevation. You can also build structures that are made out of durable and water resistant materials so that they flood safely. The Washington State Department of Ecology wrote an excellent guide, Living With the River, which has more essential information that can help you make smart choices to reduce flood risks.Do you know what the flooding risk is where you live, work, and travel? If you live near a waterway (usually within a quarter of a mile) you might be at risk of flooding. You also need to determine how you’ll protect your home and your family from the next flood event. If you need them, where will you get sandbags? Home improvement stores and other local vendors often carry sandbags. During flood events, we’ll let you know where to pick up sandbags through this blog or through news releases. If your home could take on water in floods, you should also consider having sandbags that are ready to go. More information about responding to floods is available on this Washington State Emergency Management Division website.

Flood Safety Tips

Floods occur regularly in this region, causing evacuations and widespread damage. Here are a few tips you can use to lessen damage and stay safe:

*Consider purchasing flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.
*Stay tuned to radio or TV for updates. *Never walk through moving water more than 6 inches deep.
*Cars can easily be swept away in just 2 feet of moving water. (Remember, driving a truck doesn't make you invincible!!!)
For more flood safety information, visit our website at www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/DEM.

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down....

The National Weather Service (NWS) - Portland has alerted us that over the next few days we can expect heavy rain and winds. Forecast is for 4 to 8+ inches of rain and winds to 40 mph on Tuesday and Wednesday in the valley . Heavy rain will start tonight and last through Thursday. Heaviest rain can be expected on Tuesday (2 to 4 inches) and Wednesday (1.5 to 4 inches).

The Cowlitz River is expected to go to 18.5 feet by Wednesday afternoon. Most SW Washington rivers are expected to crest by Wednesday night. In addition to the heavy rain there will be exceptionally high tides during the period which may impact coastal rivers. Freezing levels are expected to be above 10,000 feet during the rain period.

DEM will be monitoring the weather and distribute information as it becomes available. Because of the Veterans Day holiday you may wish to keep an eye on the weather and take appropriate actions to prepare.

More information can be obtained by going to the NWS website at: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/

Prepare your home and family for blustery days ahead

A news release from the Washington State Emergency Management Division

Camp Murray, Wash. – Forecasts for stormy weather in the coming days mean it is time for action to prepare for winds, rain and floods.

“Fall is our stormy time of year, and a few preparedness steps now can make a big difference in protecting your home and family,” said Jim Mullen, director, Washington Emergency Management Division, Washington Military Department.

Mullen said one huge preparedness step home- and business-owners can take is to clean out gutters and street drains which could clog with leaves and create urban flooding problems. “You’d be amazed,” he said, “how this simple step will keep traffic moving through your neighborhood and free up city crews to focus on other pressure points.”

Other preparedness tips:
· Listen to your radio or television for winter storm forecasts and other information.
· Check on your disaster preparedness kit to ensure it contains food, light sticks, water, flashlights, a battery-powered radio and a wind-up clock.
· Know how to safely use a generator so it will not create a dangerous indoor carbon monoxide buildup.
· Never burn charcoal or use a generator indoors or in carport.
· Stay away from downed power lines.
· Call 9-1-1 only for emergencies. Dial 2-1-1 for other information.

Preparing to drive in heavy rains:
· Equip your vehicle with all-season tires.
· Fill your gas tank before stormy weather hits.
· Dress to keep warm and dry if you become stranded and have to walk.
· Allow extra time to reach your destination.
· Take routes that avoid low-lying roads that may be underwater.
· Follow official emergency evacuation routes.
· Do not go around “Road Closed” barriers.
· Do not drive or walk through standing water.
· If you vehicle stalls in floodwater, get out quickly and move to higher ground.

Further preparedness information can be found at the Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management website at www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/dem.

Community Voicemail

Press Release from Lower Columbia Community Action Program:

A new voice mail service provided by Lower Columbia Community Action Program (CAP) will soon help social service, government, healthcare, churches and other organizations to keep in touch with their clients in need.

CAP is the local host organization for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Community Voice Mail (CVM), the local affiliate of the Community Voice Mail Federation, headquartered in Seattle.

“For many people, Community Voice Mail serves as their only telephone connection to critical services such as housing, food, shelters and medical facilities,” said Mike Chapman, CVM Manager at CAP. “If someone is homeless, in transition or crisis, or perhaps needs confidentiality or protection due to domestic violence, CVM enables them to keep in contact with these services.”

CAP is currently promoting the service to local organizations for their clients.
“The key to ensuring that CVM is available to everyone who needs it is to have a large number of organizations that offer the service,” said Chapman.

CVM is simple to use for both an organization and their clients. CAP provides support, training and activity reports specific to the organization. Case workers at the organizations determine who qualifies for CVM. After a brief enrollment and training process, clients are provided with a unique telephone number that connects to their very own voice-mail system. They may provide their phone number to any organization, healthcare office, on their resume for employers, and even to family and friends.

Once a client’s CVM number is activated, case managers or others who have the phone number may call to leave important messages. Callers will not be able to tell the CVM system from any other telephone voice mail service. The client can call from any phone to receive their CVM messages. They may even respond to messages initiated by the organization that provides their CVM.

When the client no longer requires the voice mailbox, the organization can erase all messages in the mailbox and reassign it to another client.

Chapman says that CVM can provide a valuable service during times of disaster, emergency situations, or extreme weather conditions. “We have the ability to send a broadcast message to all CVM users. For example, when Hurricane Ike was bearing down on Houston, the local CVM manager sent a message to over 6,000 of the city’s homeless who were using the Community Voice Mail system, directing them to appropriate emergency shelters. A majority of them weren’t even aware of the impending hurricane.”

Nearly 50 organizations nationwide serve as CVM hosts to their regions, including sites in Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and New York. Collectively, they provided CVM service to over 60,000 people last year.

For more information about CVM, go to the CAP website (www.lowercolumbiacap.org), or contact Mike Chapman at 360-425-3430, Ext. 247, or mikec@lowercolumbiacap.org.

Are you ready for winter driving?

This month marks the start of all kinds of winter weather. Any day could bring strong winds, poor visibility, ice, and snow on the roadway. Here’s what drivers can do to prepare:

Plan extra time to cross all mountain passes, including heavily-traveled routes such as I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, US 2 Stevens Pass, and US 12 White Pass.

Carry chains - Washington law requires commercial vehicles and combinations of vehicles more than 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) to carry sufficient tire chains between Nov. 1 and April 1. This includes some larger passenger trucks, SUVs, recreational vehicles and trucks hauling trailers. The WSP will have a special chain emphasis patrol in early November, to ensure commercial drivers have the proper number of chains required. WSP troopers will strictly enforce the Nov. 1 deadline. Failing to carry chains will cost heavy-truck drivers $155.

Know traction and chain requirements - Mountain pass traction and chain requirements are available on highway advisory signs and highway advisory radio. WSDOT advises drivers to program 530AM and 1610AM on your radio. When those advisories call for chains, drivers who don’t chain up will face a $500 penalty.

For more information on WSP chain requirements, WSDOT’s winter programs, a list of frequently asked questions, car emergency kits and ways to prepare your vehicle for winter, please visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter. At http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/weather, drivers can look at weather forecasts and road temperatures throughout the state. Plan extra time to cross all mountain passes, including heavily-traveled routes such as I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, US 2 Stevens Pass, and US 12 White Pass.

Disaster Denial

Just because you don’t want to think about it, doesn’t mean it won’t happen… According to Eric Holdeman, former director of Emergency Management for King County, there are four stages of Emergency Preparedness Denial. “One is, it won’t happen. Two is, if it does happen, it won’t happen to me. Three: if it does happen to me, it won’t be that bad. And four: if it happens to me and it’s bad, there’s nothing I can do to stop it anyway.” Sound familiar? Don’t despair, your head is not the only one buried in the proverbial sand.

In a September 2007 poll conducted by TIME magazine, it becomes readily apparent that the majority of the American population is grossly underprepared to deal with a disaster of any sort. Half of those surveyed indicated that they had personally experienced a natural disaster or public emergency. Only 16% however, felt that they were well prepared for the next one. Of the rest, over half justified their lack of preparedness by saying that they do not reside in a high risk area.

In fact, 91% of Americans live in places at a moderate-to-high risk of earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, high-wind damage or terrorism, according to an estimate by the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute at the University of South Carolina. Society is skating a fine line between optimism and foolishness.

For a nation so distrustful of government, we still place a great deal of faith in its ability to rescue us—a faith hardly justified by the Katrina experience. As responsible citizens we can’t sit back and expect government agencies to provide for our needs, when we are capable of taking a few small steps to care for ourselves. A quote from Dr. Seuss comes to mind, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.”

So, what does it all mean? The short answer is preparedness. The resounding tenet of emergency management is to be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for 72-hours. The Department of Emergency Management website, www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/dem, is a great resource for tips and ideas about being better prepared. To quote Kathleen Tierney, head of the Natural Hazards Center, “We as human societies have yet to understand that nature doesn’t care. And for that reason, WE must care.”