COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 •
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541-942-4415 • 2775 Row River Road • bradschevy.com
Comprehensive family, medical eyecare
and optical services
Cataract exams • Glaucoma exams • Lasik exams • Diabetic exams
Serving Cottage Grove Community since 2006
Welcome new patients
Offi ce hours:
Monday thru Thursday 9-5, Friday 9-4
257 N. 8th St. • 541-942-5000
www.PCVI.com
SUMMER
Tune-Up
CAITL;YN MAY/COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Firefighting equipment from several area agencies battled fires in Dorena and Cottage Grove this past week.
We’ll make sure your system is
running eff ectively and effi ciently.
Call for details and an appointment today,
and beat the spring rush!
Only
$99*
FIRES
from A1
Three structures, several
outbuildings and vehicles
were burned in the fire. As of
9 p.m. last Wednesday night,
no injuries were reported.
The fire was the second in
the area in the last seven days
as fires along the west coast
continue to burn and force
Complete Heating & Cooling System Service
Reasonable Rates • All Work Guaranteed
evacuations. Last Friday, a
vehicle sparked six separate
fires along Interstate-5 ap-
proximately 10 miles south
of Cottage Grove. Days
later, a grass fire ignited
near milepost 175 closing
Interstate-5 SB. The cause
of the fire has not yet been
released.
Find us online:
CGSentinel.com
Are you ready?
D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS
Disasters Happen. Prepare Now! September is National Preparedness Month
Recent wildfires, annual winter storms and
seasonal flooding are all stark reminders of the
importance of preparing for disasters. Oregon’s
Office of Emergency Management urges indi-
viduals, families, businesses and local organiza-
tions to take time during September – National
Preparedness Month – to learn about potential
hazards, make a plan for what to do in the
aftermath of a disaster and build a preparedness
kit (or add something new to your existing kit).
These essential steps are the foundation of basic
preparedness.
There are a variety of ways to approach disaster
preparedness and many resources available on
the OEM website, Ready.gov, The American
Red Cross and more. They offer a wide range
of preparedness perspectives on the specific
essentials to include in a kit. This year, however,
OEM is focusing on less-talked about elements of
preparedness such as learning life-saving skills,
checking your insurance coverage and saving for
an emergency.
“We recognize that people are at different phases
in their personal preparedness,” says OEM Direc-
tor Andrew Phelps, “and it can feel overwhelming
to maintain plans and kits and share prepared-
ness strategies with family members and friends.
Once the plans are made and practiced, and the
kit is established, it’s important to consider what
you need for long-term recovery,” he says.
Life-saving skills: Life-saving skills
include putting smoke alarms and
carbon monoxide detectors on every
level of your home, learning how to turn
off utilities like water or natural gas, and
taking part in a CPR or first-aid class.
Insurance coverage: Insurance is a first
line of defense when it comes to disaster
preparedness. Check to see what your
homeowner or renter policy covers, and
take photos of important documents
and personal belongings to help you
quickly file a claim.
Saving for an emergency: Plan finan-
cially for the possibility of a disaster.
Keep copies of lease agreements, mort-
gage papers, tax statements and other
documents to re-establish financial
accounts and provide if necessary for an
insurance claim. Keep a small amount of
cash at home in a safe place, especially
small bills if ATMs and credit cards are
not accepted after a disaster.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued a proclama-
tion in support of National Preparedness Month
and OEM promotes being 2 Weeks Ready for
earthquakes and other disasters. A series of
animated one-minute videos are available,
along with easy to read graphics and brochures.
Each brochure offers helpful tips on what to do
2 minutes, 2 hours, 2 days and 2 weeks after a
disaster.
“A major disaster could leave large areas of our
state without resources for days and weeks,” says
Phelps. “Having 2 weeks of food, water and other
emergency supplies is critical for individuals and
families who may need to take care of themselves
until formal response resources can reach them.”
Returning home after a fire
Home structure fires pose a significant, potentially
deadly threat. According to the National Fire Protection
Association, U.S. fire departments responded to an aver-
age 358,300 home structure fires per year between 2010
and 2014. Statistics regarding home fires in Canada are
somewhat elusive, but a 2007 report from the Council of
Canadian Fire Marshals and Fire Commissioners indi-
cated home structure fires accounted for 73 percent of
all fire deaths in the jurisdictions that contributed to that
year’s report.
A host of factors can contribute to home fires. Cook-
ing equipment, heating equipment and electrical distri-
bution and lighting equipment can spark home struc-
ture fires. In such instances, homeowners may soon find
themselves picking up the pieces after their homes, and
many of their possessions, have burned to the ground.
The U.S. Fire Administration offers the following tips
to men and women who must recover after their homes
have fallen victim to structure fires.
• Recognize the need to be patient. When a home is
on fire, firefighters may take certain actions to ensure
the fire is completely extinguished. For example, holes
might be drilled in the walls of homes to make sure
there are no hidden flames. In addition, holes may be
cut in the roof to let out heat and smoke. Such actions
can save lives and even homes, but the resulting cleanup
can be time-consuming. When returning home for the
first time after a fire, men and women must recognize
the need to remain patient as they formulate and execute
a plan to clean up their homes.
• Contact a disaster relief service. The local branch of
a disaster relief service like the Salvation Army can help
victims of home structure fires find lodging, food, cloth-
ing, and medicine. Don’t hesitate to reach out to such
organizations for assistance.
• Do not enter the home until the fire department
deems it safe to do so. Even fires that appear to be out
can start again. In addition, the USFA advises that roofs
and floors, even those that appear sturdy to the naked
eye, can still fall down after the blaze has been extin-
guished. Avoid entering a home until you have been giv-
en the go-ahead by the local fire department.
• Contact the police and your insurance agent. Vic-
tims of home structure fires whose homes are uninhab-
itable should contact their local police departments and
their insurance agents to inform them about the fire and
that they will not be living there. Police departments
and/or home insurance providers may require that holes
in walls and broken windows be boarded up to prevent
trespassers from gaining entry to the home. Renters
should contact their landlords immediately as well.
• Be careful with items that were not burned. The
USFA notes that even items that were not burned may
still have been ruined by smoke or been soaked with
water. Carefully clean any items that you think can be
salvaged before using them.
• Save all receipts spent on repairs. Insurance com-
panies may require receipts to confirm spending on re-
pairs, and such receipts may also be required for people
who want to claim any losses on their tax returns.
Home structure fires can turn lives upside down.
But following the advice of local fire departments and
accepting the assistance of local relief organizations can
make the recovery process go as smoothly as possible.
Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster.
• Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions.
• Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home.
• Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster.
For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center.
South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506
Twitter: @southlanefi re
Facebook: southlanecountyfi reandrescue
