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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2019)
June 7, 2019 T he C olumbia P ress Hovercraft: Preparing for disaster Continued from Page 1 are already in place, we’ll be on our own for at least seven days.” Officials from the county and local cities participated as did members of CERT (Community Emergency Re- sponse Team), AuxComm (Auxilia- ry Communications), Oregon Army National Guard, U.S. Navy, Clatsop County Search and Rescue, the sher- iff’s department, Medix and local ham radio operators. “As far as I know, this is the first time that this has been done,” said Cpl. Treyse Reber, a member of the Army National Guard from Salem. While developed for military oper- ations, LCACs can be used after nat- ural disasters through the Defense Support of Civil Authorities program. The program delivered supplies after the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsu- nami wiped out areas of Indonesia, Thailand, Sumatra and Sri Lanka. It’s the first time one has touched down on the Oregon Coast. John Cooper-Smith and his wife, Anne, watched the action from a nearby bluff. “We live in a tsunami zone,” he said. “This will be one of the main ways of getting supplies to the coast in the event of a disaster.” A Cascadia Zone earthquake and subsequent tsunami could cause widespread damage to highways, bridges and other Northwest infra- structure, complicating rescue and recovery efforts. Above: Members of the military and lo- cal volunteers stand by while equipment is brought onto the beach from the hovercraft. Left: The craft beaches itself. Photos by Peggy Yingst Man arrested for recklessness with a gun The Columbia Press A Renton, Wash., man was arrest- ed after Hammond residents report- ed gunfire and screaming near their homes in the middle of the night. Adam Wayne Heinke, 29, was booked at Clatsop County Jail on suspicion of disorderly conduct, un- lawful possession of a weapon with intent to use and reckless endanger- ment. “The first report was of multiple gunshots and people screaming,” Senior Officer Jeff Dalrymple wrote in a probable cause declaration. He pulled up near the Hammond Post Office and didn’t see anyone, but once Dalrymple rolled down his windows, he heard screaming com- ing from the Columbia River. As more 911 calls came in, officers from other agencies arrived to assist. They determined the noise was coming from somewhere between the Hammond Marina and the Point Triumph Condominiums. From his vantage point at the west end of the condos, Dalrymple used his flashlight and spotted a man seated on the beach. “Several times I asked the man to stay put, but he got up and began walking away,” the officer wrote. Officers had to climb down a rocky embankment to get to the shore, but the man had left the area. Multiple empty gun casings were found on shore. Another resident called to report he’s spotted the man walking down the street and officers located Hein- ke and took him into custody. The man was highly intoxicated, Dalrymple wrote. He had a belly concealment holster and a 9 mm magazine, but the gun wasn’t on him. A search of the area wasn’t suc- cessful in finding the weapon. Heinke was taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital for medical eval- uation and then booked at Clatsop County Jail. Right: The two landing craft each can carry 60 tons of emergency supplies and equipment. Photo by Mark Wickham 11
