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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2019)
8 Wednesday, May 8, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Be prepared for wildfire evacuation Artist Kickstarts ‘painted journey’ Now that you9ve done everything you can to protect your house and surrounding property, it9s time to prepare your family. Before wild- fire strikes, it is important that you <get set.= Prepare yourself and your home for the possibility of having to evacuate. There are three main preparation actions that should be completed and all members of your household should become familiar with, long in advance of a wildfire. 3 Steps to Getting Set: 1. Create a Wildfire Action Plan that includes evacuation planning for your home, family and pets. Copies of the Wildfire Action Plan are available at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District office, and can be personalized for each family. 2. Assemble an emer- gency supply kit for each person in your household. 3. Fill-out a family communication plan that includes important evacua- tion and contact information. Your Wildfire Action Plan must be prepared with all members of your household well in advance of a fire. Use these checklists to help you prepare your Wildfire Action Plan. Each family9s plan will be different, depending on their situation. Once you complete your plan, practice it regularly with your fam- ily and keep it in a safe and accessible place for quick implementation. " Create your own wild- fire action that includes meeting locations and com- munication plans, and prac- tice it regularly. Include in your plan the evacuation of large animals such as horses. " Have fire extinguishers on hand and train your fam- ily how to use them. " Ensure that your family knows where your gas, elec- tric and water-main shut-off controls are, and how to use Norma Holmes is one of the luminaries of Sisters9 vibrant arts scene. Noted for her plein air paintings, Holmes is now engaged in bringing a book of her work to life. The artist has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund printing and distribution of <Land Escapes: A Painted Journey On Oregon9s East Side.= The book is completed; Holmes is seeking $21,517 in contributions to have the book printed and distributed. The all-or-nothing Kickstarter campaign closes on June 2. In a Kickstarter campaign, supporters contribute at a variety of levels and receive rewards based on what tier their contribution falls within. Such <crowdfunding= has supported numerous art, lit- erary and musical projects in Sisters in recent years. The creation of the book evolved over a period of 13 years, Holmes told The Nugget. <I was doing a lot of paint- ing and traveling on the East Side,= she said. <I was sitting on Steens Mountain looking at Basque Meadow and this idea came to me: People need to see this.= Holmes said that, while the book will be of display quality that would make a great cof- fee table book, <my idea was that people would take this and travel with it.= <Land Escapes is con- ceived to be an exquisite travel guide to the natural and cul- tural landmarks of Oregon9s eastern regions. Many of the sites will be familiar to folks in Central Oregon. <It is 8x8, will have a sturdy soft cover with glossy UV coating and a 7.5 flap,= Homes explained. <There are 192 pages with original art, including five hand-painted maps, so that you may fol- low my journey to the paint- ing sites, restaurants, and lodging.= Holmes paints on-site. <Every painting starts with them. " Plan several different evacuation routes. " Designate an emergency meeting location outside the fire hazard area. " Assemble an emergency supply kit as recommended by the American Red Cross. " Appoint an out-of-area friend or relative as a point of contact, so you can com- municate with family mem- bers who have relocated. " Maintain a list of emer- gency contact numbers posted near your phone, and in your emergency supply kit. " Keep an extra emer- gency supply kit in your car in case you can9t get to your home because of fire. " Have a portable radio or scanner, so you can stay updated on the fire. " Prepare for the evacua- tion of senior citizens or dis- abled family members. It9s also important to make sure your home insur- ance is adequate. Your home is generally your largest asset. Protect it. Insurance is the critical back-up that enables you to rebuild your home after a wildfire. (See related story, page 22.) Federal catastrophe grants are not enough to rebuild a home. Make sure your fam- ily9s financial safety net is in place in case disaster strikes. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, along with our Federal and State partners cannot stress enough the importance of preparing for wildland fire season in Sisters Country. Local officials recommend that you and your family are at least at a Level 1, <Get Ready= to evacuate, all sum- mer long. If the entire com- munity does their part to prepare for wildfire season, we will significantly reduce the threat of suffering a catastrophic loss in Sisters Country from a fire. By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS Norma Holmes has launched a Kickstarter to fund printing of her book “Land Escapes: A Painted Journey On Oregon’s East Side.” One of her paintings from the book hangs in the lobby of The Nugget. a pencil rendering and notes,= she said. Supporters can view a sample of the work on the Kickstarter page at https:// w w w. k i c k s t a r t e r . c o m / projects/normaholmes/ land-escapes. Holmes is printing the book in Arizona, seeking the best reproduction of the subtle colors that she can get. She plans to be at the press as the book comes off. <Printing a painting is not the same as looking at a paint- ing,= she said. <It9s coming along really well.= Holmes has been a con- tributor to the My Own Two Hands Art Auction in support of Sisters Folk Festival9s pro- grams for the past 14 years. <I just really appreciate the arts education the kids are receiving,= she said. <In music and visual arts& it9s some- thing I would have liked to have had when I was young, so I wanted to contribute, to support it.= Holmes has, herself felt the support of Sisters. <This community has been so supportive,= she said. Holmes expressed par- ticular appreciation for the encouragement she received from writer and teacher Sue Stafford in a class she took. <She really encouraged me to keep going and so did people in the writing class,= Holmes said. <She was really instrumental in saying, 8You can do this, Norma!9=