Life savers honored
by state, community
Public Health provides biological info
Although Columbia County
is not a likely target, Columbia
County Public Health has sent
every physician and health
care provider in the county a
com plete description of all
bacteria and viruses that could
be used for biological terrorism.
The descriptions should help
health provider identifyif a client
becomes infected.
The descriptions are de
signed to help providers identi
fy the possible presence of
these agents with detailed in
formation on clinical effects, in
cubation periods, where the
agent is found (livestock, ro
dents, etc.), occurrence loca
tions, preferred treatment and
other measures to take, i.e. no
tifying Oregon Health Services
with phone numbers.
Included in the list of bacte
ria is anthrax, as well as
cholera, bubonic plague, etc.
The list of viruses includes
smallpox, an encephalitis agent
and a hemorrhagic fever agent.
There is very little likelihood
of anyone in Columbia County
coming in contact with these
agents, according to Public
Health A dm inistrator Karen
Ladd, but it is important from a
public health standpoint to be
on top of even a remote possi
bility. Information is crucial to
relieving fears, and prepared
ness is the best defense. Pub
lic Health is one of the respon
ders of the Columbia County
Emergency Response Plan.
If you think you may have re
ceived a letter with anthrax, do
not open it. If you have opened
it already, wash your hands
with soap and warm water, cov
er the envelope and immediate
area with plastic wrap and call
the police department. Ladd re
ports that several people have
followed these procedures.
They did not open suspicious
letters, but called the police,
who took care of the items.
For more information, call
Public Health at 503-397-4651.
Darren Berg and Bill Jawors
ki, both of Birkenfeld, received
medals awarded by the state
Emergency Medical Services
System, at a ceremony Octo
ber 18 in Mist.
As Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire
Protection District Chief David
Craw ford said, the awards,
which recognized life-saving ef
forts after a m otor vehicle
crash, were a “joyous occa
sion."
The crash occurred July 23,
2000, on Hwy. 202 near Ves
per, when a pick-up truck dri
ven by Joe Poetter of Vernonia,
who was blinded by the sun,
sm ashed into the back of
Berg’s heavily loaded hay w ag
on. The impact forced the pick
up’s engine into the passenger
compartment and sheared off
the top of the carburetor, throw
ing gas on the hot manifold and
causing both vehicles to erupt
in flames.
Jaworski, a near-by resident
and volunteer M-BRFPD Emer
gency M edical Technician,
called 9-1-1 for help, then
rushed to the scene. He first
moved Poetter, who was par
tially thrown from the truck but
unable to move, to safety.
He then attempted to re
move the passenger, Jared
Busch of Mist, who was
trapped in the already burning
vehicle. Jaworski was unable to
open the passenger side door,
and ran for a fire extinguisher in
an attempt to control the flames
until emergency equipment ar
rived.
Berg left his truck and, ignor
ing his own safety, forced open
the pickup door and removed
Busch as the flames were liter
ally brushing his legs.
Busch and Poetter both had
broken legs and required hos
pitalization. Berg suffered mi
nor burns to his hands.
The Civilian Service Medal
was awarded to Berg for risking
his own safety in order to save
another person. It is the highest
award the state gives to an in
dividual who is not part of an
EMS system, but who provides
extraordinary service in the
course of an EMS emergency.
The Life Saver Medal award
ed to Jaworski recognizes a
volunteer EMT who makes a
noteworthy contribution to ef
forts which result in the saving
of a life.
“Thank God for this com mu
nity,” said Jared Busch. “There
are not many who would have
done that to save another's
life."
Steve Poetter, Joe’s father
and a W ashington County
Deputy Sheriff, agreed. In his
nearly 30 years in emergency
services, an emotional Poetter
said, he “had seen very few
miracles, but this was one. We
bless you from the bottom of
our
Measure 50 kicks in with tax reductions
Though death and taxes re
main inevitable, Measure 50
has taken a bite out of the prop
erty taxes Oregonians pay.
The market value of all tax
able property in Columbia
County has declined by 2.18
percent (due primarily to a re
duction in the assessed value
of the defunct Trojan Nuclear
Power Plant) and the value of
residential properties in the
county is mostly unchanged.
Two major exceptions are in
side the City of Vernonia,
where residential market val
ues increased by six percent,
and rural C latskanie, where
market value has increased by
eight percent.
However, property taxes are
not based on market values,
but on assessed values, and in
1997-98, Measure 50 reduced
assessed values to the 1995-
96 value less 10 percent, and
capped the annual increase at
three percent, with certain ex
ceptions, one of which is bond
ed debt.
Good news or bad, the first
installment on property taxes is
due November 15.