The INDEPENDENT, July 2,1997
Page 13
Hazardous materials spills can cause major emergency situations
What would you do if you
were driving down Highway
26 and began smelling a
strong odor of ammonia?
Would you think that some
thing in your car had malfunc
tioned or would you suspect a
major spill from a tanker truck
somewhere in your vicinity?
What would you do?
When we hear the word
“disaster'’ we are most likely
to think of natural disasters
such as earthquakes and
floods. We forget that disas
ters can also be man-made.
Northwest Oregon is the site
of several large industrial pro
ducers and users of haz
ardous materials, most of
whom adhere to strict safety
rules governing the handling,
use, and storage of these ma
terials.
State Highway 47, and
U.S. Highways 26 and 30 are
used regularly to transport
hazardous materials. The
presence of these major
transportation routes makes
the possibility of hazardous
materials incidents a reality
that we need to be aware and
prepared for.
Hazardous materials (haz-
mat) are any materials which
pose unreasonable risk to life,
the environment, or property
when not properly contained.
Some examples of hazardous
materials that regularly tra
verse Columbia County by
truck, rail, ship, or barge are
ammonia, chlorine, gasoline,
diesel, caustic soda, liquefied
petroleum gas, sodium chlo
rate, and a variety of other in
dustrial and household chem
icals.
An accident involving a
large quantity of hazardous
materials could result in a re
lease to the surrounding air or
ground, necessitating the
evacuation of large areas of a
city or neighborhood border
ing or adjacent to the release
site. The same prepiredness
procedures that are used to
prepare for other natural dis
asters also apply to haz
ardous materials incidents,
including developing family
and neighborhood disaster
plans, assembling disaster
supply kits, and knowing how
to evacuate your home safely.
Be aware and consider the
following:
• Your home’s location in
relation to industrial sites, pe
troleum storage facilities,
Hwy. 30, Hwy. 47, Hwy. 26,
railroad lines, and rivers.
• Do you have a family/
neighborhood disaster plan in
place?
• Have you assembled an
evacuation kit or disaster sup
ply kit?
• Do you have a pre-select
ed place to take your family if
requested to evacuate?
What to do about a Hazmat
Incident:
If you observe or smell a
hazmat spill, you should:
• If in a vehicle, protect
yourself and your passengers
by safely moving well away
from the scene of the sus
pected release.
• Do not drive through a
hazmat spill. Go around it.
• Call 9-1-1 to report the
location and nature of the re-
lease/ spill.
• DO NOT attempt to inter
vene in a hazmat spill your
self. It is too dangerous for
you to do so. Fire service per
sonnel are trained to identify
and handle these incidents.
Call 429-9410 to place your ad in the only Service Directory in the upper Nehalem Valley,
th e NEW WAY
MOVING & STORAGE
1-800-570-5296
World Wide Movers
Copy
Service
EXTRACT
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Carpet Cleaning Service & Installation
429-3770 - 645-9234
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St. Helens, OR 97051
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429-9410
STORAGE CARTONS & PADLOCKS AVAILABLE
4 2 9 -S T O R
or
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58605 Nehalem Hwy. S., Vernonia, OR 97064
P oppino
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HARDW ARE
4 2 9 -5 6 5 1
F re e E s tim a te s
1026 Bridge S t, Vernonia
Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB No. 90548
f W c FAX’ 429-0514
• Excavation...................... CCB #109588
• Septic Installation............. DEQ #37688
Manufactured Dwelling Installation...#970MDI
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(5 0 3 ) 4 2 9 -5 0 1 4
Specializing in Concrete Flat W ork
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(503) 429-8722
Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB #106793
O
OPEN 10 AM-5 PM, SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK
V E R N O N IA
V IM C E T iT B A K E R
CONSTRUCTION
Licensed
Bonded/lnsured
Paul Arpin Vanlines Agency
o n q u a n t it y
DELBERT ALLEN
Owner Operated
Since 1988
Tim & Keily Willis
429-7101
T H E Y A R D D O C T O R , IN C .
Landscaping • Sprinkler systems
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P O. Box 316, Vernonia, OR 97064
Zi
liiihrt*
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NORTHWEST EXCAVATING SERVICES
OR LIC. 106893
LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED
Dick Titus - 429-1492
57230 Timber Road, Vernonia, OR 97064
FALL CREEK
WOODWORKING
Wood Floors
R E M O D E L IN G
INSTALLED &
REFINISHED
IN C
429-4351
Cory Colburn
11561 Keasey Road, Vernonia, OR 97064 • CCB #79876
DEQ 37308
Licensed Septic Installations • Ditches • Site Preparation
Land Clearing & Leveling • Driveways • Drain Fields
Quality Remodeling &
New Construction
Jim Morrison Jr.
General Contractor
(5 0 3 ) 6 9 3 - 6 1 4 7
I icillvd • Bonded • lllMIlcd ( ( B- I I.’»»6*’
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ROOFING
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(503) 397-7979 • (360) 577-1667
HAND-NAILED COMPOSITION SHAKES • TAR & GRAVEL
1-PLY - MINOR STRUCTURAL REPAIRS
1133 14th A ve ., L o n g vie w , W A 9 8 6 3 2
(503)429-4003 -1-888-429-4003
DAVE JENSEN
30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
CCB #114024
LENNOX
L anders
C onstruction , I nc .
Qudlity Ciislom .'Homes
(5 0 3 ) 4 2 9 - 4 5 4 3
58146 Nehalem Hwy. S., Vernonia, Oregon 97064
CCB *0115283
Great location... May be
subdivided! Cai1429-9410