Short Term Rental & FEMA Biological Opinion * Discussion with Sarah Absher, Director of Tillamook County Community Development
Tillamook County and many other counties/cities across the state are now being required to update local floodplain development regulations resulting from a lawsuit filed in Oregon against FEMA for violation of the Endangered Species Act. Development code changes for development within FEMA mapped Areas of Special Flood Hazard will impact areas of Cape Meares located within these special flood hazard zones.
On September 14, 10 – noon there will be two educational presentations. Please come!
The first will be about protection from wildfires including representatives of Tillamook Fire and the State Fire Marshall’s Office. Thanks to Dave Audet for organizing.
The second will be about Septic Systems and Our Watershed by Simone Goldfeder.
On September 13, 2024 Miriam Fultz and Charles Ansorge attended the Tillamook County Emergency Preparedness Summit held at Tillamook Bay Community College at which time the new name and logo for our group that focuses on emergency preparedness was unveiled. Our group of “preppers” is now known as Cape Meares Emergency Volunteer Corps (CMEVC). Miriam shared information regarding a history of the work that our group has completed since 2010.
On August 12 the Cape Meares Emergency Prep group hosted a Mass Casualty Shelter Drill for the community. Residents were asked to actively engage in the drill in order to gain experience on what might be expected following an earthquake and tsunami that forced them to flee to a safe assembly area above the inundation zone. More than 30 residents participated and self-selected to be a member of a task group that then tested a series of instructions created by the Emergency Prep group.
Following a significant earthquake and tsunami it is unlikely that those who are able to reach safety will be clear-minded regarding what they should do next. We do the planning now for various scenarios without having to deal with the serious stress associated with being a survivor. A major earthquake will not be just one event. During the first 24-48-72 hours post event there might be hundreds of aftershocks with some of them approaching or even exceeding the initial quake. There won’t be just one tsunami. Instead there will be multiple waves that come ashore and continue to inflict serious damage to property in the inundation zone area.
The severity of any event will determine how quickly it might be possible for the ground to stop shaking and the waves to cease coming ashore and for residents to start returning to their properties to assess damage. It is unlikely everyone who reached safety at an assembly area will quickly return to their homes. Tasks for the survivors will be required. Food needs to be prepared; there’s a shelter to erect; sanitation preparation needs attention; a plan for water procurement must be put in motion; and medical attention may be required for some survivors. The shelter drill was very successful. Much was learned from the drill. Many of those residents who participated urged the scheduling of future drills in order for our community to build resilience so the day when the “Big One” arrives we will be prepared, survive, and live to see another day.
The Guide, paid for by Tillamook Coast Visitors Association, explains beach-related and neighborhood regulations and their rationales and provides important contact information. CMCA has distributed the Guide to vacation rental managers and other STR owners. Copies are available at the community center, in the Drop Bottle box and is posted at capemeares.org. Thanks to Stacey Mason who led this project.
This week the Cape Meares Watershed Conservancy Project was featured on the front page of the Headlight Herald. Thanks to the team that drove this initiative!
Part-time or full-time residents of Cape Meares should make preparations for emergency events not only for themselves but also for their pet(s). Consideration should be given to having a Go-bag for your pet(s) that includes a three-day supply of food and water, first aid supplies, medications along with the pet’s medical record, vaccination history, and a current photo. Keep ID tags with current contact information on your animal’s collar at all times. Pet owners should understand their pet’s behavior in stressful situations and have a plan to calm or restrain them, if needed. Animals are likely to bolt, and you will likely be distracted by other matters so include a rope to tie your pet in the Go-bag. In times of crisis, pets may take cues from their owner’s behavior so remain as calm as possible to reduce their anxiety. Keep a small blanket or towel with the pet’s scent on it in the Go-bag so the animal has a familiar scent in a strange location. Lastly, pet owners should consider offering to help or take the lead on caring for pets that arrive in an assembly areas following a disaster.
News about Cape Meares, Oregon and the CMCA community association.
