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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 2017)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ SIUSLAWNEWS SATURDAY EDITION ❘ JUNE 10, 2017 ❘ $1.00 Summer Safe boating tips from USCG auxiliary Home & Garden SPORTS — B SPECIAL PUBLICATION INSIDE — C 126TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 46 SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 FLORENCE, OREGON W ESTERN L ANE E MERGENCY O PERATIONS G ROUP D ISASTER D RILL Interagency training drill deemed successful 17 ‘victims’ saved in disaster scenario Cooperation, communication key to successful drill B Y M ARK B RENNAN Siuslaw News B Y J ACK D AVIS Siuslaw News Western Lane Emergency Operations Group (WLEOG), Peace Harbor Medical Center, U.S. Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River, Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue (SVFR) and other county agencies participated June 8 in one of the largest disaster drills in recent Florence history. In addition, 17 community volunteers agreed to act as victims in the disaster that was staged on the Port of Siuslaw docks and camp- ground. The scenario, scripted during a recent WLEOG meeting, had a fictitious meth lab located on a boat in the marina catch fire and explode, severely injuring five people on the dock. The ensuing cloud of toxic material was blown into the port’s campground causing additional respiratory problems for 12 more victims. A command station was set up at the Port of Siuslaw office to coordinate all rescue and fire suppression activity. Siuslaw Valley and Western Lane were called to put out the fire and transport victims to the hospital — many in need of decontami- nation before they could be treated. The Coast Guard was summoned to help extinguish the fire, using the fire suppression equipment aboard the 47-foot Motor Lifeboat. A triage station was established to assess each victim’s status, and the hospital was noti- fied and immediately began assembling a decontamination chamber inside the new ambulance entrance of the emergency depart- ment. PHOTOS BY JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS Above, Siuslaw Valley firefighters attend to victims during a scripted disaster drill held at the Port of Siuslaw docks on June 8. Right, Western Lane Ambulance EMTs transport patients to Peace Harbor for care, decontamination. The clinic was notified to expect a large influx of respiratory patients. See On Thursday, I was one of 17 “injured” partici- pants who took part in an emergency preparedness exercise at the Port of Siuslaw. I was asked to play the role of a seriously injured boater that had been involved in an explosion and fire at a slip in the Siuslaw Marina. During the event, I was “unconscious” and having trouble breathing. It was raining as I took my position on the concrete pier below the boardwalk. I lay down and waited for the first responders to approach from the walkway. Three firefighters in full gear approached, moving quickly, and asked me my condition and if I had any injuries. I responded weakly, reciting the symptoms that had been assigned to me. The firefighters immediately checked my pulse and called my condition in. After a few moments, I was hoisted up by the feet and from under my arms, then carried somewhat awkwardly up the slippery metal ramp leading to the boardwalk. My 200 pounds was more than a handful for the firefighters carrying me, who slipped on the ramp as they worked to get me to the grassy area north of the boardwalk. Once there, a “triage” assessment was given to me by a sharp-eyed young man. He had an air of cer- tainty and confidence about him that I found reassur- ing. He directed my placement onto a rigid blue board, checked my vitals and then called for an ambulance to transport me to the hospital. The rain was still falling lightly and my pants and coat were soaked through from lying on the dock. TRAINING 7A See TRIAGE 7A Florence presents School Board receives facility assessment, petition Key to the City to LCC president B Y M ARK B RENNAN Siuslaw News CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS Florence Mayor Joe Henry (right) gives Lane Community College President Mary Spilde (left) the Key to the City during a scholarship ceremo- ny led by LCC Florence Center’s Dean Russ Pierson (center) Tuesday. INSIDE Lane Community College (LCC) Florence Center bid President Mary Spilde farewell during the 12th annual Student Scholarship B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Night June 6. Siuslaw News Spilde is retiring after 16 years at the college and more than 35 years in education. During the event, Florence Mayor Joe Henry gave her a Key to the City. “On behalf of the city, we are very appreciative of your efforts to help Lane Community College become one of our partners in our efforts towards growth, eco- nomic development and making Florence a better place to live,” Henry said to Spilde. “As a token of our appreciation, I would like to present you with this Key to the City.” See HONOR 9A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coastal Calendar . . . . . . . . . Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . Side Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6 A8 A3 B5 Siuslaw School District Board of Directors held its monthly meeting June 7 with a full room of interested parents and community members in attendance. A special session of the board began at 6 p.m., an hour earlier than the regularly scheduled meeting. The earlier start time was used by the board to hear a presentation from Curt Wilson, an architect and project coordinator from the Eugene based architec- tural design firm, PIVOT. Wilson presented an in-depth assessment and analysis of the MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS current state of the school dis- Siuslaw School District Board of Directors recognized retiring trict’s facilities from a number of staff members on June 7. These include Ron Rommel, Alice different perspectives. Holden, Pam Mead, Diane McPheeters and Carolyn Daniels. The primary focus of PIVOT’s assessment was an overview of plumbing and electrical systems condition of the structures and the the district’s three school build- and the long term viability of the use requirements of the buildings ings, taking into consideration buildings. and made suggestions for short- structural integrity, status of PIVOT evaluated the physical term upgrades, long-term solu- tions and for complete replace- ment of some structures. Another major element of the firm’s study was a determination of the seismic strength and dura- bility of the school’s buildings. The report suggested that the elementary and middle schools could be modified and upgraded to significantly improve the long term viability of the buildings. However, the high school pres- ents more serious challenges to successful seismic and structural upgrades. The recommendations from PIVOT were for replacement of the high school building either entirely or incrementally and as soon as possible. Wilson presented all of these evaluations to the board. The directors said they will respond to the study at a future date. See BOARD 9A Florence couple convicted on all charges in two counties Gregory and Doreen Cater each receive more than 40 years for child sex abuse County, where the couple lived before moving to Florence in 2014. Florence police originally arrested the two on Dec. 4, 2015. Initial charges included rape, sodomy, sex abuse, using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct and child sex abuse. B Y J ACK D AVIS Siuslaw News A Florence couple convicted of scores of child sex abuse charges will spend more than 40 years each in prison. Gregory Cater, 44, and his wife, Doreen Cater, 45, pled guilty to more than 200 charges stemming from investigations here in Florence and Deschutes Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Summer Home Section . . . . . C THIS WEEK ’ S Gregory Cater Doreen Cater TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 56 48 60 50 58 50 60 47 WEATHER Full Forecast, A3 S IUSLAW N EWS 3 S ECTIONS ❘ 24 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2017 See CONVICTION 9A
