Tip of the Month
Pam Robenolt and Charles Ansorge,
Cape Meares Emergency Volunteer Corps
“There is no need to look further than the recent events with Hurricane Helene to see that communication during and after an emergency is vital for response and recovery. “
We cannot count on cell phones and email, especially in more rural areas. Allowing people to connect with family members, support systems and the community is crucial to identify who may need help, allocating resources, and for peace of mind.
The Cape Meares Block Captains use General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios for emergency communication, when needed. These radios are commonly used for short distance, two-way voice communication. The radios have multiple channels that monitor information from the police, fire, forestry, weather, etc. as well as channels that allow for direct communication with others in fairly close proximity.
We currently have monthly check-ins on the 1st of the month at 5pm (on Ch. 20). In case of a power outage, we turn on our radios within 30 minutes and share any information that is known about the outage and expected restoration times. This can be helpful and comforting to those who lose cell coverage and WiFi during an outage. Our GMRS radios will also be used during the upcoming Great Oregon ShakeOut with reports made from our Assembly Points and then to our contact in Bay City to share our participation results in the practice event. We have more extensive protocols for internal communication during a natural disaster.
We encourage households in Cape Meares to have a GMRS radio so you can be informed of critical updates during an emergency or can communicate your situation. In the Manzanita/Nehalem Bay area there are approximately 300 residents who purchased these radios. Radios cost about $70 on Amazon. If you are interested in more information, you can email Pam Robenolt for information on the radios and basics on how to use them. She is happy to work with individuals to help you become more comfortable using the radio.
Great Oregon Shake Out
Cape Meares will participate in the Great Oregon Shake Out again this year. Get ready to practice your emergency skills with your family and neighbors. First, at 10:17 am on October 17th, you will practice the mantra of “drop, cover, and hold”. Then, grab your go bag and walk to your assembly site. The sites are located on 9th, 3rd,7th, and 5th streets and at the water tower. There will be someone there to collect participation data and communicate site participation using GMRS radios.
It is important to practice community emergency plans so that all participants can direct their energy toward survival rather than panic.
Don’t be scared. Be prepared. Learn more about the
Great Oregon Shake Out Flyer 2024
Wilderness First Aid Training Nov 5 & 6
Wilderness First Aid classes are funded locally by Tillamook Coast Visitors Association and taught by instructors from NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). The two-day class teaches the Patient Assessment System, how to provide effective first aid treatments for injuries and illnesses common in the outdoors, and how to make appropriate evacuation decisions. Please register with Kathy Burke *Limit of 18 participants
Tillamook County Emergency Preparedness Summit (September 13, 2024)
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. Click on the link to view a copy of the slides shared and also our new logo.
Mass Casualty Shelter Drill (August 12, 2024)
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.
Tillamook People’s Utility District Grant (Spring 2024
Resilience is about how well we’re able to cope, adapt or “bounce back” when we experience hardship or trauma.
For more than a decade Cape Meares residents have been building resilience. Personal contributions and successful grant-seeking activities have enabled us to build and stock three emergency storage facilities. This spring a grant seeking team led by Miriam Fultz applied for several grants with success for one and awaiting results for two others. Funds from a successful Tillamook County Public Utilities (TPUD) Grant were used to acquire critical items that will strengthen our community resilience.
The major natural disaster we most fear is an earthquake, one serious enough to trigger a tsunami to cause at least 70% of the residents having to flee their homes. Because of multiple after-shocks following a major earthquake, remaining at a safe location may be necessary for approximately 72 hours before venturing back to our homes to assess damage and to access supplies.
Our successful TPUD grant 2024 focused on the shelter component. The two assembly points where shelters are planned are at 3rd St. and 8th St. At each location there will be a 12’ x 16’ tent that includes a cooking and heating stove.
Water Works Seminar
Saturday, March 9, 2024 – 10AM-Noon
Water works. Until it doesn’t. Join Kevin Burke and Pete Steen for another of our Emergency Preparedness Seminars. Learn what to do before and after water stops coming from your faucets. Are you ready for the expected earthquake, or any of a number of reasons you won’t get water when you turn on the tap? Come to the Barbara Bennett Community Center on Saturday, Mar. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon to learn how to keep you and your loved ones hydrated and sanitary when water no longer flows to your house. You will learn how to store water, how to harvest water, how to purify water and more!
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
TIP OF THE MONTH January 2024
Charles Ansorge, CMCA Emergency
Preparedness Team
Hydration: Importance of access to drinkable water in an emergency
Wilderness guides often refer to the “Rule of 3,” which says that a person can live for three minutes without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food. This month’s emergency prep tip is about the second “rule.” Hydration.
If our community experiences an earthquake our first reaction should be to “drop, cover, and hold on” until the shaking stops. The second reaction should be to head to a safe location. But not long after the first two actions our thoughts should turn to finding shelter, food and drinkable water.
For nine months of the year a sufficient quantity of natural water is available around our community via streams, but it must first be treated so it is safe to drink. Various measures are available for water purification, but having bottled water stored in an accessible space is essential. It is wise to store at least a 72-hour supply of drinkable water per person.
There is another possible source of potable water that we might access. Our 200,000-gallon water reservoir supplies drinking water to our community. The Oceanside Water District is seeking grant funding for acquiring and installing expensive seismic shut-off valves ($30 K each) that will automatically cut the flow of water to the community when violent earth shaking occurs. Why? Because a violent earthquake is likely to rupture multiple pipes in the distribution system with multiple leaks that could quickly empty the tank. Preserving this valuable water resource is critical. So, we can’t count on our water reservoir supplying needed drinking water so every resident should have a plan for having a variety of potable drinking water sources.
Cape Meares Shakeout Success! (October 2023)
This year’s edition of the Great Oregon ShakeOut was completed on October 19, 2023, with 40 Cape Meares residents gathering their Go Bags and visiting one of our five designated assembly points. This year’s version of the ShakeOut also included a test of the local communication tools to be used during an event (GMRS short-wave radios). The communication test was successful and also involved making contact with a base station in Bay City. The participation of the local residents confirms interest in this community in the topic of emergency preparedness.
Prepare Your Pets for an Emergency
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.