FROM PAGE ONE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
FIRES
Continued from Page A1
their state, and also to cap-
ture history. For me, it’s a
pretty simple aye vote.”
Previously, news and
media organizations often
have had to rely on press
releases and submitted
photos from government
agencies. Often, coverage
would come in the form of
photos of road closures and
barricades, or from distant
landscapes of the hellish
glow from a wildfi re. A
prior bill that would have
changed the laws regarding
wildfi re access died in com-
mittee during the 2021
session.
The language of the bill
gives incident commanders
the fi nal discretion to bar
news media from access to
wildfi res or natural disas-
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File
A fi refi ghter assigned to battle the Elbow Creek Fire in northern Wal-
lowa County walks toward the fi re line on Thursday, July 22, 2021.
ters, as well as the ability to
deny access to fi res without
an escort. If granted access,
it is at their own risk and
without promise of rescue.
That media escort, at
times, can prove a hindrance
to getting the stories from
the front lines of the fi re.
East Oregonian photo-
journalist and visuals editor
Ben Lonergan knows from
fi rsthand experience how
public information offi cers
can err on the side of cau-
tion and prevent those front-
line stories from being told.
In the summer of 2021,
Lonergan was on assign-
ment to get photos of the
THE OBSERVER — A7
Elbow Creek Fire in Wal-
lowa County.
“On that fi re, I had
an escort, and we went
in their vehicle, and they
took us to
all the areas
of the fi re
that they
deem safe to
have us in,”
Lonergan
Lonergan
said. “And
we ran into
some issues with that. We
never made it to any spot
where there was active fi re-
fi ghting. The only access
we were given was to the
peripherals. They drove us
around and we never saw
a crew on a fi re line over
there. In one case, they
drove us to where some
hot shots were staging, but
they had already left, so the
access we were given was
very restricted.”
CRASHES
First responders arrive
amid continuing
collisions
Oregon State Police,
local law enforcement, fi re
and medics from agencies
throughout Umatilla and
Union counties responded to
the crashes, along with help
from Walla Walla County in
Washington. Pendleton Fire
Chief Jim Critchley said the
wrecks stretched for at least
a mile. The Hyatts described
the emergency response as
impressive.
Responding offi cers were
notifi ed of additional crashes
while they were arriving,
and then once on scene, they
could hear collisions occur-
ring behind them, according
to a press release from the
OSP. The Hyatts heard those
crashes, too.
“Bam, bam, bam,” Carter
Hyatt said. “They just kept
hitting.”
Marjorie said the sounds
were unnerving. The Hyatts
stayed in their vehicle, even
without heat, for protection.
Capt. Merle Laci with
the La Grande Fire Depart-
ment said two ambulances
and one rescue rig were on
scene from Union County,
with crews from Union and
Island City fi re departments
— Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner
The bill would go a long
way toward fostering good
will between media orga-
nizations and emergency
services, and ensuring it is
done safely.
Media personnel would
be required to provide their
own personal protective
equipment, such as fi re-
proof clothing and breathing
equipment, and would be
expected to complete the
same basic wildfi re fi ghting
MORE INFORMATION
Continued from Page A1
Carter said. The airbags,
seat belts and crumple zones
protected the family.
“We’re all pretty much
fi ne,” Marjorie said.
The Hyatts were part of a
series of crashes that began
around noon near milepost
230, stretched 1.75 miles
and involved more than 170
vehicles, according to press
releases from the Oregon
Department of Transpor-
tation and Oregon State
Police. OSP on Feb. 22
reported 17 patients were
transported from the crash
scene to hospitals and an
additional two were trans-
ported after they arrived
at Pendleton Convention
Center, which served as a
reunifi cation hub for people
in the crash.
“My aye vote was representative of
transparency. I think we need to make
sure the media has access to those types of
generational situations, both for informing
the public as to what’s going on in their
state, and also to capture history. For me,
it’s a pretty simple aye vote.”
Carter Hyatt/Contributed Photo
Jacob Hyatt of Yelm, Washington, stands near his family’s Nissan Pathfi nder Monday afternoon, Feb. 21,
2202, following its crash into this trailer on the westbound side of Interstate 84 near milepost 230. The
Pathfi nder was one of more than 100 vehicles Oregon State Police reported that were involved in a series
of collisions in the area starting at about noon.
on standby. The La Grande
Fire Department sent eight
personnel to the scene.
As of 3:35 p.m. Feb.
21, rescue vehicles and
ambulances from the La
Grande Fire Department
had returned to the sta-
tion, according to Laci. La
Grande Fire Department
confi rmed they transported
three individuals from the
scene to Grande Ronde
Hospital.
Nick Oatley, spokes-
person with Umatilla
County Fire District No. 1,
said the Hermiston-based
fi re department also
responded, sending three
ambulances to the scene.
Good Shepherd Medical
Center, Hermiston, reported
it did not receive any crash
victims.
Hospitals at the ready
Elaine LaRochelle, inci-
dent commander at Grande
Ronde Hospital, La Grande,
activated the hospital’s inci-
dent command system at
2 p.m., according to a press
release from Mardi Ford,
public information offi cer.
“We are preparing to sup-
port any patients sent our
way with emergency ser-
vices and medical care,”
Ford said in the release. “We
do not have any news on dis-
tribution of patients to be
sent our way. However, we
are prepared to assist in this
emergency. We are cooper-
ating fully with all regional
partners, including our
media contacts, to do what
we can to keep everyone
informed. Our primary mis-
sion, however, is to provide
emergency services and
medical care to patients in
need. Once we know more,
we will issue an update.”
Emily Smith, director
of communications for St.
Anthony Hospital, Pend-
leton, reported that as of
3 p.m. the hospital had
received six patients from
the crash.
“The patients’ statuses
are unknown at this time,”
she reported, “and no infor-
mation on ages, etc., is avail-
able to the media at this
time.”
Smith also explained how
St. Anthony responds to this
kind of crisis.
“When we receive word
of an incident like this, the
hospital activates Code
D, or disaster response,”
according to Smith. “Avail-
able staff (off -duty) are
called and asked to come in
based on current personnel
needs as well as staffi ng
for the next shift. Patients
are seen in the Emergency
Department as well as other
care areas of the hospital as
appropriate for their level of
injury. We have an exten-
sive disaster plan that is
drilled with local emergency
response teams to ensure we
are prepared for situations
like this when they arise.”
Interstate reopens
sooner than expected
The mass crash shut
down the westbound and
eastbound lanes of the
freeway in Eastern Oregon.
Eastbound was closed
Feb. 21 between Exit 216,
6 miles east of Pendleton,
and Exit 265 at La Grande,
while westbound was closed
between Exit 374 at Ontario
and Exit 216.
The Oregon Depart-
ment of Transportation
reported the eastbound lanes
reopened about 12:30 a.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 22. The west-
bound side remained closed
until about 6 a.m.
“Good coordination
with all responding crews,
including law enforcement,
fi re stations, emergency
responders, ODOT and over
a half dozen tow compa-
nies helped clear the route
enough to open the freeway
several hours ahead of ear-
lier estimates,” according
to the press release from
ODOT.
Disabled vehicles were
removed from the road with
The Umatilla County Emer-
gency Operations Center
was activated for the Feb. 21
crash. Several agencies worked
together to coordinate the
response to this large-scale
incident:
Oregon State Police
Umatilla County Sheriff ’s Offi ce
Umatilla County Emergency
Management
Pendleton Fire
Umatilla County Fire District
One
Pilot Rock Fire
East Umatilla County Fire and
Rescue
CTUIR Fire and Ambulance
CTUIR Emergency Management
La Grande Fire and Ambulance
Oregon Department of
Transportation
Additional medic units from
Union and Walla Walla counties
Along with a half dozen tow
companies
some being staged at the
nearby truck weigh station
and rest area.
“Outstanding response
from our tow companies
and all who responded,
including law enforcement
and EMS,” ODOT District
12 Manager Marilyn Holt
said in the release. “They
got everyone out fast, which
made clearing the scene go
well.”
Pendleton Convention
Center provides respite
The Hyatts said emer-
gency personnel checked on
them often, and they appre-
ciated that. And many of
the other travelers stranded
in the crash helped one
another, they said, off ering
water and making sure
people were OK.
“There were people, reg-
ular people,” Marjorie Hyatt
said. “All that was really
nice.”
When school buses
arrived to carry the Hyatts
and so many more off the
training that fi refi ghters go
through. The law would
apply only to public land.
“I’m shocked that we had
limitations,” Smith said. “I
just assumed those oppor-
tunities did exist, and so it
feels like we’re correcting a
wrong here.”
The bill will go on to the
Senate for consideration,
though a hearing had not yet
been scheduled as of Friday,
Feb. 18.
mountain, they said they
had to cross the median to
the eastbound lanes. Mar-
jorie banged her knee on the
fence, but fi refi ghters were
right there to help. And she
said the Oregon State Police
trooper who had checked on
them earlier assisted them
onto the bus.
The buses took groups
to the Pendleton Conven-
tion Center. The facili-
ty’s manager, Pat Beard,
said the center was holding
events that day but it opened
rooms for the people in the
crash and provided what
hospitality it could while
they waited for rides from
family or friends or made
arrangements for other
accommodations.
The center also served as
something of a base of oper-
ations for law enforcement,
Umatilla County Public
Health and more. Beard
praised the coordination he
witnessed among the dif-
ferent groups.
The Hyatts were among
the last from the crash to
still be at the convention
center that evening. Bags of
chips and other snacks lined
the long tables of the large
room they were in. A family
member was on the way to
help the Hyatts get home,
they said, probably around 7
that night.
Their smashed Nissan,
as far as they knew, still
was at the site of the crash.
Carter said all their lug-
gage was in the car, so he
anticipated having to make
a trip back to gather their
belongings.
The Hyatts said they had
never experienced anything
like this emergency, and
they did not want to be in
another. But their concerns
were for others.
“I hope everyone gets
out,” Marjorie said.
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POWER
Continued from Page A1
Monday, Feb. 14, four were
dismissed and one case
resulted in a default judg-
ment since the landowner
in question failed to appear.
In the case of Idaho
Power Company vs. John
and Connie Williams,
the court ruled that Idaho
Power and its agents,
employees and contractors
may enter the property to
conduct the surveys.
Two cases were granted
a continuance, while four
of the cases were set over
to retain counsel. The land-
owners are set to partici-
pate in hearings scheduled
around the end of March.
According to Jim
Kreider, one of the
founders of the Stop B2H
Coalition, those opposed
requested the extensions
in order to seek out legal
assistance in their respec-
tive cases.
“Our general advice to
everybody is to ask for an
extension and then consult
with an attorney and con-
sider your options,” he said.
Kreider noted that with
the nearly identical peti-
tions fi led by Idaho Power
to residents across Eastern
Oregon, the coalition is
seeking to fi nd legal repre-
sentation that can cover the
bulk of the cases.
While several land-
owners chose to have the
petitions dismissed and
allow access onto their
property, about half in
Union County are con-
tinuing to push on.
According to Kreider, the
court costs associated with
the contested power line
proposal is causing a hurdle
for some.
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