The INDEPENDENT, December 13, 2007
Page 5
Water and mud return to Vernonia area as unwelcome guests
From page 1
the high school, traffic had to
detour. Power was restored to
most areas Tuesday morning,
and most phone service was
back by Wednesday.
By Tuesday night, Red
Cross had arrived with enough
volunteers to close the other
shelters and use only Cedar
Ridge for emergency food,
shelter and supplies.
Town Hall meetings were
held in the Washington Grade
School gymnasium on Tues-
day, Thursday and Saturday.
Tuesday the gym was packed,
though attendance was down
for Thursday’s meeting and a
pretty good crowd was in atten-
dance on Saturday. Information
on electricity, phones, water,
and other services and assis-
tance were provided, then
there was a question and an-
swer period. At the Thursday
meeting, Vernonia City Planner
Aldie Howard was named as
Emergency Interim City Admin-
istrator, as City Administrator
M.R. “Dick” Kline was not avail-
able.
Reports from some places
put the water level lower than
1996, but most areas saw
deeper water. Some business-
es and homes that had only mi-
nor damage in 1996 had exten-
sive damage in the Flood of
2007. Since the roads weren’t
damaged, the National Guard
was able to bring in boats and
help with the final rescues,
some from second story win-
dows on Heather Lane and
other streets in that area.
Thankfully, there was no loss of
life in the Vernonia area.
Water for drinking, food
preparation and sanitation be-
came an issue on Tuesday. The
flood mud was proving to be
too much for the water plant,
where Jeff Burch of Public
Works had been working since
the waters started rising, even
though his own home flooded.
Water restrictions went into ef-
fect Tuesday. Water was to be
used for food preparation and
sanitation only, no hosing down
muddy areas and no clothes
washing allowed. At its low
point, the water level in the wa-
ter plant was at two feet instead
of the normal 27 feet. A
$30,000 a day water purifica-
tion system was brought in to
help restore the system. On
Saturday, December 8, water
restrictions were lifted.
As in 1996, volunteers quick-
ly opened Mount Trashmore
south of City Hall and also
started the Victim’s Assistance
service at City Hall, making a
data base of what people need-
ed and what other people had
to give.
Supplies and volunteers
started coming in and, by
Wednesday, the piles of sod-
den carpet, insulation, ruined
furniture
and
appliances
seemed to be in front of every
home and many businesses.
Heavy equipment rumbled
through town, aided by Nation-
al Guardsmen directing traffic.
Police Chief Mat Workman
lined up enough additional po-
lice help to be able to watch
and protect the properties va-
cated because of mud and wa-
ter.
Governor Ted Kulongoski
flew in Tuesday and spent
about three hours reviewing the
damage. The Vernonia City
Council had sent an emer-
gency declaration to Columbia
County on Monday, the Colum-
bia County Board of Commis-
sioners sent a declaration to
the Governor, and information
started going to the Federal
Government that same day. By
Saturday, December 8, Presi-
dent Bush had approved the
emergency declaration that
provided payment for the extra
manpower and equipment used
in Columbia County. The decla-
ration of emergency for individ-
ual property owners came on
Sunday, December 9. FEMA
(Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency) set up a toll-free
number and people were able
to start registering for federal
assistance (additional informa-
tion on FEMA in this issue).
The Governor returned to
Vernonia on Sunday and
toured the school buildings, the
downtown area, and City Hall.
When asked what he would like
to say to Vernonians, Governor
Kulongoski replied, “What I
would like to tell them is that
they are actually showing citi-
zens of the state what a com-
munity is, and how you come
together. To the citizens of Ore-
gon, you’re actually telling the
people what Christmas is all
about. It’s about caring, it’s
about reaching out, not just
with your money and your time,
but also your heart. That’s what
this is all about, it’s about Ore-
gon and it’s about the people
here in Vernonia.”
Volunteers can still register
at City Hall. Medical care is be-
ing provided in an evacuation
tent at the Providence Medical
Clinic parking lot, and Colum-
bia Community Mental Health
is seeing people at the same lo-
cation. Supplies are available
across from Vernonia City Hall
and from the Red Cross at
Cedar Ridge. Cedar Ridge is
also still the location for those
in need of food and shelter.
Money donations for the
community can be made at
Wauna Federal Credit Union
and food donations are now be-
ing taken at Columbia Pacific
Food Bank at 474 Milton Road
in St. Helens, instead of at Ver-
nonia Cares.
The cleanup work continues
and Mount Trashmore grows
and then shrinks as loads come
in and go out. One thing every-
one has learned from the Flood
of 2007 is that 100 year floods
don’t always wait 100 years be-
fore happening again.