4 A
❘
SATURDAY EDITION
❘ DECEMBER 5, 2015
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
DISASTER PREP
B Y D AVE R OBINSON
Special to the Siuslaw News
I
always wear my seat belt. I wear a hel-
met when I ride a motorcycle. Most of
us have learned that these things are in
our best interest, just in case something
goes wrong. I do these things because in the
event of an accident I am protected. I do not
wear them out of fear, but out of wisdom.
An ancient Hebrew proverb says, “A wise
man foresees trouble and plans for it. A fool
goes on blindly and suffers the conse-
quences.”
If you make preparations out of fear, then
you’re going to a lot of effort for the wrong
reasons. Some time back we held a disaster
preparedness class at our church. About 25
people attended. At the class we discussed
being prepared, having a kit, making a plan
and being informed. Among the topics dis-
cussed was the probability of an earthquake
off the coast followed by a tsunami and the
impact such an event would have on our
region.
One of the attendees was a young mom
who went home, grabbed her kids and
pitched a tent out in a field near her house
for fear of an earthquake leveling her home
in the night. That’s not exactly what we had
RYAN CRONK , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
Opinion
The Fear Factor
in mind when we scheduled the class.
The point is, get your kit together but not
out of fear. Make your plans and prepara-
tions out of wisdom so that when things do
go wrong, you will be better off than others.
You will be in a position to extend help to
your neighbors rather than being a victim.
Not long ago there was an article in the
newspaper headlined, “Deputies Rescue
Two Motorists Stuck in Snow.” It seems
that this couple was on a Forest Service
road near Bend, Ore., when their car
became stuck. After trying to get unstuck,
the guy took off on foot for help.
Eventually the woman got worried and
dialed 911. He got very cold after walking
about three miles, turned around and went
back to the vehicle. The story has a happy
ending as searchers found them in their
vehicle that same evening.
Now get this, a deputy sheriff reports that
the man was wearing tennis shoes, jeans
and a T-shirt. Huh?
Let’s analyze this. Number one, if they
have cell service why didn’t they just call
for help to begin with? And secondly, a T-
shirt? Don’t you think that if you are going
YESTERDAY’S NEWS
to be out in the hills playing in the snow
you might at least have a sweatshirt or jack-
et? After all, you could get stuck and have
to walk out. Not many of the canyons and
gullies in our area have cell phone cover-
age. At least he did have the presence of
mind to get back to the vehicle, but overall
I’d give him a “D-minus” in survival sense
and an “A-plus” in dumb luck.
When you plan your winter outing, do a
little “what if” thinking. What if we slide
off in the ditch and can’t get unstuck? What
if a tree falls across the road behind us,
blocking our way out? Then fill your coffee
thermos and toss your “get home” bag in
the back. That’s because you already have it
loaded with the supplies and equipment you
would need if one of the “what ifs” hap-
pens. Just in case.
______________________
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.
LETTERS
I wish to express my genuine
thanks to the Siuslaw High
School seniors for the wonderful
Pie Social held at the school on
Nov. 24.
Add all superlatives you can
think of — It was super great and
the pie was delicious! The smil-
ing, beautiful faces of the young
men and women serving with
such grace and pleasure made the
entire event just beyond perfect.
Thanks to all who worked for
this lovely time had by all in
attendance.
Carol Strenkoski
Florence
The insane rhetoric of some of
our wannabe presidential candi-
dates and representatives regard-
ing the intake of Syrian refugees
is embarrassing.
For instance, some of these
candidates are saying, “We will
only take ‘Christian’ Syrian
refugees” or “Look what ISIS
does — I think water-boarding is
OK” or “We’ll send them back,
just send them back,” like these
people are a shipment of goods.
• On Dec. 11, 1918, author Alexander
Solzhenitsyn is born in the Caucasus
Mountains in Russia. The publication of parts
of “The Gulag Archipelago” in Paris in 1973
led to Solzhenitsyn’s arrest and exile in 1974.
• On Dec. 10, 1901, the first Nobel Prizes
are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, as Alfred
Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite, had
directed in his will. It is believed that he did so
out of moral regret over the increasingly lethal
uses of his inventions in war.
• On Dec. 9, 1921, General Motors engi-
neers discover that leaded gas reduces “knock”
in auto engines, eliminating the pinging sounds.
Ethyl alcohol also worked, and it was cheap —
however, anyone with an ordinary still could
make it, which meant that GM could not patent
it or profit from it.
• On Dec. 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese
warplanes attack the U.S. naval base at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, killing more than 2,400 naval
and military personnel. The U.S. declared war
against Japan the following day.
• On Dec. 8, 1993, the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is signed into law
by President Bill Clinton. NAFTA eliminated
all tariffs and trade restrictions between the
U.S., Canada and Mexico.
• On Dec. 13, 2003, in Seattle, the iconic
Hat ‘n’ Boots Tex Gas Station is hauled away
for restoration. The 44-foot–wide Stetson hat
had perched atop the filling station’s office,
while the 22-foot–tall cowboy boots had
housed the men’s and women’s restrooms since
1955.
A must read
Justice for all
MOMENTS IN TIME
The History Channel
• On Dec. 12, 1980, American oil tycoon
Armand Hammer pays $5 million at auction for
a notebook containing writings by Leonardo da
Vinci. In 1994, the book was sold to Bill Gates,
founder of Microsoft, for $30.8 million. Gates
has since loaned the manuscript to a number of
museums for public display.
Perfect pie social
Florence should be so proud
that it supports such a richly
diverse newspaper as Siuslaw
News. Wesley Voth’s column is
always a must read, but I thought
his column in the Nov. 28 issue
(“Words Worth Living Up To”)
was outstanding.
Balanced, full of common
sense, whilst admitting past and
current problems and providing a
short history that was totally new
to me, it was pithy in its subtle
suggestions as to where correc-
tions are needed.
Barbara Prisbe-Sutton
Oceanside, Calif.
formerly of Florence
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
It’s ignorant, inhumane and
arrogant.
These comments based on fear
ignore that there are good and
bad people in all walks of life —
Christians, Jews, Muslims,
Atheists, etc. After all, unfortu-
nately, we have had plenty of
mass shootings in this country
and one of the highest crime rates
in the Western world.
And, while these politicians sit
there in luxurious homes and
cars, eating fulfilling meals, they
don’t pretend to have an iota of
compassion for the innocent
Syrian civilians.
Besides our moral imperative,
this kind of crazy rhetoric and
proposed sanctions is foolish as it
plays right into ISIS’ hands. They
would love to see Syrians have
no escape and for us to declare a
war on Muslims to feed their
propaganda and to gain recruits.
Lastly, these kinds of words
and actions of our “so-called”
leaders are dangerous to the
American ideals that I hold dear
L ETTERS TO THE
E DITOR P OLICY
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to
the editor concerning issues affecting the
Florence area and Lane County.
Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten
or typed letters must be signed. All letters
should be limited to about 300 words and
must include the writer’s full name, address
and phone number for verification.
Letters are subject to editing for length,
grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter
— diversity, liberty, religious
freedom and equality for all peo-
ple.
Julie MacFarlane
Florence
Just remember
Before your heart aches too
much, please remember that the
Syrian survivors said that when
the boats became overloaded, the
Muslims threw the Christians
overboard and let them drown.
That goes along with anyone
who is found to be Christian is
tortured and beheaded in Syria.
These people would be coming to
a Christian USA. Maybe next
door to you.
Martin Cable
Florence
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Siuslaw News and will not be returned.
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Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
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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