The INDEPENDENT, February 3, 2011
Page 13
New earthquake property protection tips
Letters sent on school immunizations
The Institute for Business &
Home Safety (IBHS) an-
nounced, January 18, the avail-
ability of new guidelines to pro-
tect property from the effects of
earthquakes.
The new IBHS guide, “Earth-
quake Risk Around the U.S. -
How to Protect Your Property,”
provides information to help
residents and business owners
better understand the areas of
a home or business most vul-
nerable to earthquake damage
and offers solutions to minimize
the risk of property losses. The
information and suggestions
presented in this guide range
from simple weekend tasks
that require basic carpentry
skills to more complex projects
that may require professional
assistance.
Key topics covered include:
• The relationship between
your home or business and an
earthquake;
• Key areas of your home or
business that are especially
susceptible to damage;
• Ways you can reduce dam-
age to your home or business
and belongings; and,
• What you can do to protect
yourself and your family.
“In the U.S. we mainly asso-
ciate earthquakes with Califor-
nia, but many other states also
are at serious risk, such as
South Carolina and those in the
New Madrid Seismic Zone, in-
cluding Arkansas, Illinois, Indi-
ana, Kentucky, Mississippi,
Missouri and Tennessee. Be-
tween December 1811 and
February 1812, the New
Students and children in cer-
tified care facilities who do not
have their vaccinations up to
date will not be allowed to at-
tend school as of February 16
according to an official of
Washington County’s Depart-
ment of Health and Human
Services. “It’s important that
each student have his or her
vaccinations to protect them
and their fellow students,” says
Gregg Russell, Washington
County’s immunization pro-
gram coordinator.
On February 2, Health and
Human Services sent “exclu-
sion letters” to parents of over
5,000 Washington County stu-
dents who attend schools and
certified child care facilities.
The letters will explain which
vaccinations are missing from
Madrid Zone had four of the
largest known earthquakes in
North America. It was reported
that the Mississippi River ran
backwards and the ground mo-
tion from the last quake caused
church bells to ring as far away
as Boston,” said Julie Roch-
man, CEO and president,
IBHS.
“The deadly earthquakes in
Chile and Haiti last year tragi-
cally and vividly illustrated how
damaging a single event can
be, and what a difference effec-
tive building codes and other
loss control measures can
make to lives and property,”
Rochman said. “Earthquakes
are not like blizzards or hurri-
canes; we do not get a clear
warning period that one is im-
See Earthquake, page 21
Have your well (or spring)
tested for Coliform bacteria.
Pick up sample bottles be-
tween February 13 and the test
dates of March 3 or 10 at one of
the following collection sites:
• Ace Hardware, Forest
Grove
• Jim’s Thriftway, Banks
• North Plains Hardware
• Petrich General Store,
Scholls, or
• OSU Extension Service,
185th/Walker Roads
Payment of $25.00 must be
made when picking up the bot-
tles. Make checks payable to:
OSU Extension Service.
In the morning of March 3 or
Receive $2 off
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10, collect a water sample and
drop off your water test bottle
before 10:00 a.m. at the same
collection site where you got
the sample bottle. Do not drop
them off before the testing
date; water must be fresh the
day of the test.
Plan to attend the free,
“Managing and Maintaining
Wells and Septic Systems,”
class April 2, from 10:00 a.m. to
noon, at the OSU Extension
Service office, 18640 NW
Walker Road, (Entrance D-1),
Beaverton. If you are unable to
attend, your results will be
mailed to you. This is a free,
educational program to provide
homeowners with basic infor-
Main Street Pizza
Receive $1 off
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mation on how to care for their
drinking water well. There is no
charge for attendance or mate-
rials, but pre-registration is re-
quested so there will be ade-
quate materials. Walk-ins will
be welcome.
For information, contact
OSU Extension Service at 503-
821-1150.
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680 S. Main
Oak Village Shopping Center
Banks, Oregon
503-324-5858
regular health care provider for
their children may call the
Washington County Depart-
ment of Health and Human
Services at 503-846-8851 to
set up an appointment to have
their child immunized at a
county clinic.
Parents are strongly encour-
aged to keep an updated im-
munization record at home for
all members of the family.
Parents who would like to
have more information about
immunizations, and which im-
munizations are needed for
school, can visit the Washing-
ton County Health and Human
Services web site at: http://
www.co.washington.or.us/HHS
/Immunizations/index.cfm.
They may also call 503-846-
4955 with particular questions.
OSU Extension Service offers well and spring testing
Main Street Pizza
680 S. Main
Oak Village Shopping Center
Banks, Oregon
503-324-5858
the student’s record and which
are needed. Parents will have
until February 16 to get their
students vaccinated or bring in
the missing records to their
schools. The schools can then
cancel the exclusion orders
and the students will continue
attending school.
There are exemptions from
this rule, according to Russell.
“A few students may be under-
going medical treatment and so
vaccinations aren’t recom-
mended for them at the time.”
Medical exemptions need a
doctor’s letter or a lab report to
be confirmed by Health and
Human Services. Exemptions
may also be given if parents
have a religious objection to
one or more vaccinations.
Parents who do not have a
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