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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2021)
A6 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021 County reports three new virus cases The Astorian Clatsop County on Monday reported three new coronavirus cases. The cases include a woman in her 40s living in the northern part of the county. The others live in the southern part of the county and include a woman in her 30s and a man in his 40s. All three were recovering at home. The county has recorded 843 cases since the start of the pandemic. Accord- ing to the county, 19 were hospitalized and seven have died. Network: ‘Helping children who have experienced trauma feel safe is key’ Continued from Page A1 “I think one of the big- gest things that I’m excited about is that there are resources that exist in our community and there are people that are passion- ate about thinking out- side of the box and creat- ing new resources that meet the needs of our families,” she said. “But a lot of times there’s a lack of knowl- edge of those resources, there’s a lack of communi- cation across the commu- nity, across providers. “I want to know every- thing that there is available in our community so that I can ensure that my stu- dents and their families are aware of everything that’s out there available to them to help support them.” Bowman also hopes Resilient Clatsop County will address gaps in resources and education through a multicultural lens. She believes options like Gray School , which hosts an alternative school program that provides a supportive and fl exible schedule, are better suited for students with complex needs. As part of its early work, the network implemented “Handle With Care,” a national model that con- nects law enforcement with schools when a child is involved in or witnesses a traumatic event that involved law enforcement. Police can call the child’s school and share their name and the words “handle with care” so teachers know to off er support instead of discipline. “As people continue to become aware of the impact of trauma on the brain, espe- cially the developing brain of youth, and of the frequent negative health outcomes those who experience early childhood trauma face, there is increasing oppor- tunity to help develop ways we can work together as a community to help counter the eff ects of trauma by increasing the resiliency of children and families,” Alli- son Whisenhunt, the direc- tor of behavioral health and care management at Colum- bia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, said in an email. “We know that even one positive, dependable adult in a child’s life is an incred- ible resiliency builder, and since our children inter- act with so many parts of our community, Resilient Clatsop County (RCC) has developed a plan for people from a variety of diff erent sectors to collaboratively increase the ability for kid- dos to heal from trauma and to know they are important and loved. “At the heart of it is safety, so while trauma pre- vention is important, help- ing children who have expe- rienced trauma feel safe is key.” Whisenhunt said she hopes that by helping chil- dren build resilience and heal from trauma, future parents will be better equipped to help their chil- dren avoid and heal from trauma, improving health outcomes in the county. “The fact that so many people, community-based organizations, school dis- tricts, et al. have joined forces to establish this net- work is testimony to how serious we are in building trauma-informed and resil- ience-building initiatives,” Aitor Porro, the assistant director at Consejo Hispano, said in an email. “Together, we can better understand ‘ the science’ and how we can apply it in our sectors and communities by provid- ing community-based edu- cation and public aware- ness, which is paramount to helping families.” Dugan: He will miss the camaraderie Continued from Page A1 “He said, ‘Oh, you don’t pay anybody. T his is a vol- unteer fi re department,’” he recalled. The concept of a volun- teer fi re department struck Dugan. A couple of years later, when he saw a sign seeking volunteers outside of the fi re department in Sea- side, he decided to help out. “I saw that and I go, ‘Wow. They must really be hurting for people,’” he said. “And they were there for me when I needed it. Maybe I’ll stop in and see if I can help them out. “That was a time in my life, and it was a time in soci- ety where volunteers were very strong.” Dugan joined Seaside Fire and Rescue in 1989 as a volunteer, and in 2000 was hired as the department’s fi re marshal, which he saw as a move to making his hobby his work. He said he never looked back. Dugan’s last day at Sea- side Fire and Rescue was Friday. He began his new role on Monday as d eputy s tate fi re marshal for District 1, which covers Clatsop, Til- lamook and Columbia coun- ties. The position is based out of the Oregon State Police offi ce in Warrenton. Seaside Fire and Rescue has not yet replaced Dugan. Fire marshals deal with code enforcement, fi re inves- tigations and fi re preven- tion education, and Dugan was the only one in Clatsop County. It has been a signifi cant gap for fi re districts and departments already operat- ing with tight budgets. How- ever, there are moves across the county to fi nd additional funding to hire fi re marshals. Dugan sees the role of d eputy s tate fi re m arshal as a liaison between local fi re districts and departments and the state, as well as someone who can help fi ll gaps. He looks forward to working with people he already has built relationships with over the years. Dugan described his career in Seaside as at times exciting, scary, tiring and inspiring. He said seeing people on their worst days can weigh on emergency responders . And, in a small community, they often know the people needing their help. He said watching kids’ learn at safety fairs and school demonstrations was a rewarding part of the job. He will miss the camaraderie at the fi re department and the shared sense of service. “I’m still going to be part of this fi re department,” Dugan said. “I’m still going to volunteer as long as my health allows me to. “This is a volunteer fi re department that needs help.” And it’s not just Sea- side. Dugan said fi re dis- tricts and departments in the county are in a time of tran- sition, where there are not enough volunteers to man- age increasing call volumes and demands. He said society has changed in a number of ways from when he started volun- teering , but he hopes to see people continue to carry on the tradition . Gearhart: Project could cost $13M Continued from Page A1 The only safe location in a calamitous tsunami with wave heights of 100 feet is in the eastern foothills, he said. Schultz said the idea that High Point is the ideal evac- uation site is an example of “a neat narrative, something that sounds great, sort of sci- entifi c — ‘high elevation’ — but in reality far from it. It’s something that feels good, we’re doing the right thing, it has an animated life of its own that’s hard to counter.” In 2019, the fi re station committee recommended three concepts and locations to the public to help guide the decision-making pro- cess, the existing location on Pacifi c Way, Gearhart Park at Pacifi c Way and Marion Avenue and the High Point site. A survey indicated vot- ers did not want a station at the park. The existing loca- tion is considered at risk of collapse and fl ooding. In narrowing down sites, members of the commit- tee relied on state geologic data and scientifi c trends to prepare for a large tsunami, which encompasses 95% of the possible fl ood scenarios, consultant Tom Horning, of Horning Geosciences, said in 2019. A small or medium sce- nario would encompass only 79% of the modeled wave scenarios, Horning said at the time. At between 62 feet and 65 feet, the High Point site off ers the greatest elevation. Meg Reed, coastal shore specialist with the Oregon Coastal Management Pro- gram, called the High Point site “the most tsunami resil- ient location of the three, and we support the city’s eff orts to move forward with this location above 50 feet.” Gearhart is considering a November bond vote on a new resiliency station High Point, designed to provide a larger, more secure structure at less risk from a tsunami. The project could cost $13 million. ‘PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY NOT AWARE THAT 40% OF THE HIGH POINT SITE WOULD BE FLOODED BY THE VERY TSUNAMI THAT GEARHART USES TO DEFINE ITS BUILDING ZONE.’ Stewart Schultz | university professor Schultz said the south- west corner of the property at High Point would be 25 to 30 feet underwater in a large tsunami, and would fl ood roughly 40% of the property. “People are generally not aware that 40% of the High Point site would be fl ooded by the very tsunami that Gearhart uses to defi ne its building zone,” he said. There are no safe assem- bly areas anywhere along the western dune front, includ- ing at High Point, according to Schultz. The dune crest is wide open to a direct hit from the west, Schultz said. The dune crest would be fl ooded before lower-elevation optional assembly areas to the east. In the most extreme tsunami projections, all sites in Gear- hart would be fl ooded. The best assembly areas are on the eastern foothills, above 100 feet, he said. The “least bad” options in western Gearhart, the state’s optional assembly areas, about 800 yards from the oceanfront on the Summit ridge, and on the fi rst hole of the golf course, off er prefera- ble options to the High Point site, Schultz claims. “These lower elevation sites are safer than the highest eleva- tion points on the dune crest in western Gearhart,” he said. “Simply high elevation in west Gearhart is not safer.” Schultz proposes stor- ing emergency equipment in Gearhart’s Hertig Station, outside the tsunami inunda- tion zone north of the city. The lower part of the High Point site was never intended for development, Horning, who serves on the Seaside City Council, said in response. “In my opin- ion, Schultz doesn’t disclose anything new,” he said . “He recasts what has already been disclosed, but very likely forgotten or overlooked by semi engaged people.” To survive the most calamitous tsunami would require an assembly area at least 100 feet above sea level. That is about 20 feet higher than the high point of the Palisades. There is no such loca- tion in Gearhart, said Horn- ing, who questioned why Schultz does not discuss the extremely low probability of such a tsunami. “Schultz makes a great video,” he said . “Smooth narration, good cadence, compelling graphics. I think he should acknowledge that the city has a problem, as has been determined by the steer- ing committee, which takes in more than just resiliency. He should advocate for a new station. ... One is left wondering if he is just part of the ‘not in my backyard’ mentality of western Gear- hart. Survival and resiliency are the targets.” Schultz hopes the city and residents pay attention. “Two years ago I wrote a series of letters to C ity H all on these subjects and off ered my services, before there was any fi nal decision,” he said. “I received no substan- tive response. This lack of response was one reason I decided to record some vid- eos: I believed that if the city is not interested in my input, the public might be, and might fi nd a video format engaging.” Get to The Point. Expert Service. Guaranteed. Trust your vehicle safety to the professionals at DEL’S O.K. TIRE Spring Tire Sale Offer valid from March 12-April 10th, 2021 Parks: People should still be limiting travel Continued from Page A1 A s more people begin to receive vaccinations — and after a year of shutdowns and restrictions — tourism experts and local promot- ers have predicted a pent-up demand for coastal experi- ences and travel. But state parks fund- ing, which draws from l ot- tery dollars, not taxes, took a major hit last year as restau- rants and other lottery venues closed or operated in a lim- ited fashion. This shortfall and other consequences tied to the pan- demic disrupted the depart- ment’s major repair sched- ule, “which puts us at risk for problems with water, sewer and power systems as they come under pressure this summer,” said Chris Havel, a spokesman for the Ore- gon Parks and Recreation Department. “Our concern remains one of capacity: it wears down facilities, overtaxes restrooms and trash, and can make it harder to protect health,” he said. “All people need to remember we’re still work- ing our way through a health emergency, and do what they know they need to.” This means people should still be limiting travel to close to home, plan to bring their own cleaning supplies and wear face masks when it isn’t possible to maintain recom- mended social distances, Havel said. The changes to traffi c management ahead of pop- ular parks this year could include the installation of live webcams at some locations so people can see which areas are full before they travel, according to Havel. These measures are likely permanent. This spring, some state park facilities are still closed and group daytime and camping sites are reopen- ing slowly. Permits to use the ocean shore for group events will not be available until July. When the state has reopened parks and trails on the coast this year, it has done so quietly. A rerouted and repaired connector trail between Ecola Point and Indian Beach opened with- out much fanfare this win- ter, while Saddle Mountain reopened after a long closure in time for s pring b reak with- out any big announcement. That, said Ben Cox, man- ager of the state’s Nehalem Bay Management Unit, which includes a number of highly popular camping and recreation sites, was “a bit on purpose.” On poor weather days this spring, traffi c has been pre- dictably low at coastal state parks, he said. But, he said, “on the sunny days it was chaos. Overfl ow- ing parking lots, overfl ow- ing trash cans and people everywhere.” MAIL IN REBATE $50 OFF of your purchase of 4 Hankook, Nokian, Goodyear, Falken and Toyo Tires. YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR TIRES CUSTOM WHEELS • AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES Hours: Mon-Fri 8-6 Sat- 8-4 503-325-2861 For emergencies 503-325-0233 35359 Business Hwy 101 (Miles Crossing) Astoria, OR