4 A
❘
SATURDAY EDITION
❘ AUGUST 8, 2015
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
DISASTER PREP
B Y D AVE R OBINSON
Special to the Siuslaw News
T
he recent heat wave in our region
has been, at worst, an inconvenience
for most of us. Elsewhere in the
Northwest there have been all manner of
wildland fires resulting, according to one
news report, in the loss of over 300 homes.
That’s at least 300 families who were
ordered to get out and find safety else-
where.
The need for evacuation is rare in our
region as we don’t have the hurricanes, tor-
nados or some of the other major weather
events to which the rest of the nation is sub-
jected. But at this writing, several major
wildland fires are threatening more homes
and scorching thousands of acres of forest
land.
Here’s the scene: Just imagine a lightning
storm the night before. The news says 47
lightning strikes in our county have ignited
36 fires. Some have been contained, but
firefighters from all over the Northwest are
responding to several fires whose flames
have been fanned by offshore winds and
dry conditions aren’t helping matters. You
are aware there are firetrucks running up
and down the roads, airplanes are flying
low overhead and just as you are sitting
RYAN CRONK , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
Evacuation
down to dinner a deputy sheriff pulls into
your driveway. He seems rushed and tells
you in a matter-of-fact tone that all the resi-
dences in your neighborhood are being
evacuated. You have two hours to gather
your things and go to a safer location.
A million thoughts are flooding your
mind: Where should we go? What should
we take? Who does what? Right here is
where panic can set in and you literally
accomplish nothing of significance. Either
that or you can gather your family and hand
them each their assignments. The evacua-
tion is underway and you and your loved
ones will make an orderly retreat to your
brother’s place in the next county.
The experts tell us there are three levels
of evacuation: Level 1: Be ready. Residents
are encouraged to move livestock and pets
out of the area. Evacuation is voluntary at
this point. Level 2: Residents are ordered to
leave soon. Roads are usually closed and
entry to evacuated areas may be denied.
Residents may have time to gather neces-
sary items, but will do so at their own risk.
Level 3: This is an order to leave immedi-
ately, that imminent danger exists and there
is no time to gather personal belongings.
YESTERDAY’S NEWS
Some evacuations are handled by giving
the residents a sheet of paper containing
some instructions. This can include the five
“P’s” — People and Pets (and other live-
stock), Papers (important documents),
Prescriptions, including hearing aids, eye-
glasses and your medications, Photographs,
so your memories are preserved, and last is
your Personal Computer. There is often
invaluable, irreplaceable data on your hard
drive.
Of course, having a complete 72-hour kit
at the ready is going to ease the task of
what to take, but as always having a plan in
place will eliminate a whole lot of confu-
sion when the time comes to evacuate.
When you have a plan, the panic factor, not
to mention the stress on the marriage, is
greatly diminished.
Just keep in mind: The time to prepare is
now, before there is an emergency.
Dave Robinson is the postmaster in
Bandon, Ore., and author of “Disaster Prep
for the Rest of Us.” He may be contacted at
disasterprep.dave@gmail.com. Visit his
website for more disaster preparedness tips,
www.disasterprepdave.blogspot.com.
MOMENTS IN TIME
The History Channel
• On Aug. 10, 1776, news reaches London
that the Americans have drafted the Declaration
of Independence. Parliament was unwilling to
negotiate with the American rebels and hired
Hessians, German mercenaries, to help the
British army crush the rebellion.
• On Aug. 13, 1903, engineer Felix Wankel,
inventor of a rotary engine, is born in Lahr,
Germany. Wankel reportedly came up with the
basic idea for a new type of internal combus-
tion gasoline engine when he was only 17 years
old.
• On Aug. 15, 1914, the American-built
Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans, is inaugurated with the passage
of the U.S. vessel Ancon, a cargo and passenger
ship. Engineers moved nearly 240 million
cubic yards of earth in constructing the 40-
mile-long canal.
• On Aug. 11, 1934, the first group of feder-
al prisoners classified as “most dangerous”
arrives at Alcatraz Island, a 22-acre rocky out-
crop in San Francisco Bay. The convicts joined
military prisoners left over from the island’s
days as a U.S. military prison.
• On Aug. 12, 1973, golfer Jack Nicklaus
wins the PGA Championship for his 14th major
title, surpassing Bobby Jones’ 43-year-old
record.
• On Aug. 16, 1984, John DeLorean,
founder of the DeLorean Motor Company, is
found not guilty due to entrapment after being
charged with smuggling drugs in an effort to
raise money for his struggling automobile com-
pany.
• On Aug. 14, 1994, Illich Ramirez Sanchez,
the terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal, is cap-
tured in Sudan by French intelligence agents. In
1975, Sanchez and his men took 70 OPEC offi-
cials hostage at a Vienna conference, escaping
with up to $50 million in ransom after killing
three hostages.
(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
L ETTERS TO THE
E DITOR P OLICY
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to
the editor concerning issues affecting the
LETTERS
Grand Army Band
What a lot of brass our Army
has, and oboes, guitars and
booming drums.
Great entertainment from a
group of talented men and
women from our armed forces at
the Florence Events Center, who
played, sang and cut-up for our
pleasure on July 28.
Hope you were there to enjoy!
Anne Kersey
Florence
Healthy food
I just read Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s
article (“Ten Best, Worst Foods
for Health”) in the Aug. 1, 2015
issue of the Siuslaw News. After
reading it, I was struck with an
interesting thought.
I wonder if eating the “10 best
foods” and avoiding the “10
worst foods” really makes you
live longer, or it just makes it
seem longer?
Bob Miller
Florence
Exciting election
I would say that Donald Trump
is pretty smart. He has everyone
talking about him and it didn’t
cost him a dime. Gobs of publica-
tions have plastered his face in
front of everyone on Earth, again
at no cost to the Donald.
Florence area and Lane County.
He will probably burn out
before the election, but he is say-
ing things the other politicians
won’t say that need to be
addressed.
Since Hillary Clinton may well
be in jail before the election, this
will prove to be an interesting
election season.
Martin Cable
Florence
Wonderful tribute
You’ve got to visit Florence’s
latest “claim to fame,” the
Oregon Coast Military Museum.
It is a major accomplishment for
a community the size of Florence,
and certainly speaks for the qual-
ity and dedication of the people
here.
I have recorded its progress
from the ground up and am total-
ly amazed at what has been
accomplished by so few very tal-
ented and dedicated people. The
quality of the work is of
Smithsonian caliber and so fit-
tingly displayed and arranged to
depict their actual surroundings.
It’s an outstanding and won-
derful tribute to all of the sol-
diers, sailors, marines and coast
guard members who gave their
life to win and maintain our free-
dom and quality of life.
Don’t miss it!
Jim Kaul
Florence
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WHERE TO WRITE
Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National
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Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com.
Pres. Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
Gov. Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line 503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
State Rep. Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
West Lane County Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email:
Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us