Senior News November, 2001 Vol. 20. No.  11

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Greeting cards, sewing-Eighty years of art keeps revealing new forms

InfoVan: Information moves out into county

Emergency preparedness is a high priority

Del Norte Historical Society celebrates 50

World Senior Games

Electronic Highway- E-mail netiquette

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Emergency preparedness is a high priority
by Rachel Windsong

Since Sept. 11, people on the Northcoast are wondering about personal and community safety. Fire Chief John McFarlane, head of Eureka's Emergency Services described Eureka's current ability to deal with disasters.

"Two years ago around 50 emergency personnel went to Washington DC for a week's training in disaster preparedness specially designed for Humboldt County by FEMA," he said. "Out of that training has come the Disaster Relief Coalition, a coalition of emergency services of all the communities from Trinidad to Scotia, a first for the county. About 40 members meet monthly to share plans and concerns. Groups of ten have gone back to FEMA headquarters for further training on Disaster

Recovery and how to reestablish normalcy in the communities after a disaster."
The Chief said, "Emphasis is currently on strengthening Hazmat (hazardous material) training. Special training has just been given to disaster personnel."

Since people are concerned that Eureka would be cut off because of highway damage in a strong earthquake, the state and federal government (another first time combination) are working on a prototype airlift program that will be ready this spring to bring in food and other supplies.

PG&E and the Samoa pulp mill are spending $75,000 of their own funds to train the Eureka Fire and Police departments to deal with OSHA's requirements for industrial disasters. When not in use there, the equipment and specially trained men will be available to the City of Eureka.

Dan Larkin, head of the County Office of Emergency Services said, "Evacuation plans are a local matter, coordinated by the OES. All communities have them, for tsunamis and other disasters. The OES has reviewed all of their emergency and disaster plans and updated them in relation to natural disasters and Sept. 11th's events."

Laurie Zengler from HSU's Geology department, and our local earthquake expert, said, "We have just finished a tsunami warning map for Crescent City showing the most dangerous places, so people can know where to avoid and where to go. We will have one for the Samoa peninsula by spring."

Dr. Ann Lindsay, head of the Public Health Department, said "County emergency preparation is at the highest level it has ever been. Personnel has just finished Hazmat training. They are connected to state and federal labs and can do biochemical testing locally. The doctors in the hospital emergency rooms are receiving special training in dealing with possible terrorist problems."

Dr. Lindsay's advice to people was "Keep healthy and rested. It is the best defense in case anything happens. Check the status of your preventive shots and bring them up to date. Stockpile a week's supply of water and food.

"Know your neighbors. They will be the best help in any emergency. Call the Red Cross for their booklet 'On Shaky Ground' and their video on how to organize a Neighborhood Emergency Service Team (NEST), and make plans in your neighborhood for any disaster.

Clay Yerby from Eureka's water department said, "All of our water intake, storage and filtering system is now under cover or behind a chain link fence which is checked twice a day. The water is chlorinated so any micro-organism would be destroyed. Because of the dilution, I can't think of any chemical that would be harmful.

"We would like people to be aware, especially at night, and report any unusual activity to the police immediately."

Rachel Windsong lives in Eureka. Her e-mail is windstar@northcoast.com.