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SATURDAY EDITION
❘ JUNE 10, 2017 ❘ $1.00
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Safe boating tips
from USCG auxiliary
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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