Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA)

WASABE/PACESetter Exericse Testing Area Readiness

2013-05-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

The following information is shared as part of a joint news release between Clark County, Clark Public Health and CRESA.

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Contact: Don Strick, Clark County Public Health

(360) 397-8000 ext. 7307; don.strick@clark.wa.gov

Eric Frank, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency

(360) 992-9235; eric.frank@clark.wa.gov

Three-day exercise to test response to simulated bioterrorism attack

Clark County Public Health will be closed on May 23 to participate

Vancouver, WA— If terrorists were to unleash a biological agent such as anthrax in Southwest Washington, how prepared are we to respond? WASABE (Washington State Annual Bioterrorism Exercise), which takes place May 21-23, is designed to test readiness among public agencies and community organizations.

“Public Health has a responsibility to protect public health and safety,” said Marni Storey, Interim Director at Clark County Public Health. “WASABE is an example of how we continue to prepare and train for a wide range of emergencies.”

Exercise participants include:

Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties;
local and state public health agencies;
local and state emergency operations centers;
hospitals;
local, state, and federal law enforcement;
local fire agencies;
and community volunteers.

Day 1 of the exercise will test public health’s ability to identify the agent and the source of exposure. On Day 2, an incident management team will handle the continuing investigation and plan for a medical response. Day 3 will involve setting up a medication center at Clark College and distributing imitation antibiotics.

News media invited to observe

News media may observe the exercise. For more information, contact Don Strick at (360) 397-8000 ext. 7307 or (360) 518-1731 (cell).

Role of Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA)

CRESA will support first responders and facilitate ordering and delivery of medical supplies for public health agencies in the four-county region. CRESA also will work to provide policy makers with timely and accurate information for decision making.

Additionally, CRESA will support first responders during PACE Setter, an exercise in the Portland metro area scheduled on the same three days as WASABE.

PACE Setter, the Portland Area Capabilities Exercise, will involve people from more than 65 jurisdictions who will react and respond to a simulated bioterrorism attack and other scenarios, with participation in more than 50 venues around the region.

For more information about PACE Setter, contact Kama Simonds at (503) 702-7902.

Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony

2013-05-13T10:50:00.002-07:00

The following information is shared from the Clark County Sheriff's Office

The public is invited to a Thursday, May 16, ceremony honoring law enforcement officers who died last year in the line of duty. The annual ceremony is organized by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and other regional law enforcement agencies. It is scheduled for 11 a.m. in the plaza at the east end of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver.

Nationwide, 120 officers died in the line of duty last year. Ceremonies across the country will recognize their sacrifice in service to their communities and public safety. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, an officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 57 hours. Since the first known line-of-duty death in 1791, more than 19,000 U.S. law enforcement officers have been killed on the job.

Arson Awareness Week - Reducing Residential Arson

2013-05-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

This year's Arson Awareness Week (May 5-11) focuses on how to “Reducing Residential Arson.” The goal is to provide communities with tools and strategies to help combat arson in their neighborhoods. The motivations behind the burning of homes are curiosity, vandalism, concealing another crime, excitement, revenge and insurance fraud or arson for profit.

An estimated 16,800 intentionally set fires in residential buildings occur annually in the United States. These fires result in an estimated 280 deaths, 775 injuries and over $593 million in property loss each year.

Five percent of all residential building fires were intentionally set.

Lighters (22 percent), heat from other open flame or smoking materials (19 percent), and matches (15 percent) were the leading heat sources of intentionally set fires in residential buildings.

The majority (76 percent) of intentionally set fires in residential buildings occurred in one- or two-family dwellings. An additional 19 percent of fires occurred in multifamily dwellings.

Forty-one percent of the intentionally set residential fires occurred in vacant buildings.

Rubbish, trash and waste (8 percent); magazines, newspapers and writing paper (7 percent); and uncontained flammable liquids or gas (6 percent) were the items most often first ignited in intentionally set fires in residential building.

Statistics showed that 14,717 law enforcement agencies reported 43,412 arsons.

Arsons involving single occupancy and other residential structures accounted for 29.3 percent (12,720) of the total number of arson offenses.

Preliminary FBI UCR data from the first six months of 2012 shows an increase in arson offenses for the first time in six years.

Photo Courtesy of USFA. FEMA

Missing 86 Year Old in Battle Ground Area

2013-05-01T20:55:00.001-07:00

At about 8pm on May 1st, CRESA launched an Emergency Community Notification Message for a missing person in the Battle Ground area. The information concerning this missing person is listed below:

This is an emergency message from CRESA on behalf of Clark County Sheriff’s Office, please don’t hang up. The Sheriff’s office is asking for help from the public locating a missing endangered person.

Betty Kramer is an 86 year old white female. She was last seen around 25019 NE 239^th Circle about 2 hours ago. She is 5 foot 1 inch, and has curly white hair. She is wearing a white and purple polka dotted shirt and dark grey sweat pants.

Please check your out buildings and around your home.

If you have any information on her possible whereabouts please call 911 immediately.

The message above was sent out via the County ECNS Message system hitting a 3 mile radius. This system is only able to send messages to traditional land lines and mobile phones IF you have registered your device with the county.

This messaging system is critical for public safety and we urge everyone to register your mobile device by visiting our website and registering here.

What Is That In The Sky?

2013-05-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

Here Comes

As a life long north-westerner this time of year means one thing, time to shed the parka, pack up the galoshes and dig out the sunscreen and Crocs. With forecast high temperatures reaching into the mid 80's this weekend it is a good opportunity to revisit some warm weather reminders.

The first topic I would like to review is water safety. While everyone is excited to see the warmer weather coming our way, please be aware that even though the temperatures reach into the 80's the water is generally still very cold and running quickly. According to experts, when bodies are suddenly plunged into the cold water the first hazards are usually panic and shock. Immersion in cold water can quickly numb the extremities to the point of uselessness. Cold hands cannot fasten the straps of a life jacket, grasp a lifeline, or hold onto a over-turned boat. Hypothermia can set in within minutes.

Please ensure the proper use of flotation devices and keep a close eye on swimmers and fellow boaters. If you do have an emergency on the water call 9-1-1 and know your exact location.

Another topic that is very important to me as a pet owner is the safety of pets left in cars during periods of warmer weather.

The image above shows how hot the inside of your car may become even during mild temperatures. Though this image is cute and playful please take the message to heart. Parts of Clark County may get into the mid 80's, which means the inside of your car may be near 140 degrees. I don't know about you, but I would not leave my dog Jasper in the car if the outside temperature was above 70 degrees. If 70 degrees is too warm to keep pets in the car please do not consider keeping children in the car unattended.

With that said unpack the barbecue, put up the patio umbrella, fill the cooler, and get out there and enjoy that sun while it lasts.

Come On Out And Get Your Hands Dirty!

2013-04-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

As a Downtown Vancouver agency we support efforts to keep the neighborhood clean, welcoming, and well maintained for all residents, businesses, and visitors. Come on down and show your pride in our beautiful and thriving community by participating in the SOLVE Spring Clean Up.

SOLVE Downtown Vancouver Spring Clean Up

When
Saturday, 05/04/2013
8:00 AM-12:00 PM

Where

Turtle Place

W 7th and Main St.

Vancouver, WA

The spring cleanup is a project to pick up trash, clean up planters, and maintain plants in the downtown Vancouver area. We will also be cleaning up graffiti and other markings.Activities include: Litter Pickup and weeding.

There may not be such thing as a free lunch, but coffee, juice, and snacks will be available at the start of the event.

Hope to see you there............

Suspicious Package Awareness

2013-04-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

In light of recent high profile events, we have been asked to remind everyone to dust off your local emergency and facility safety procedures to keep yourselves and your employees safe.

1. Remember, if you see something suspicious, please say something. If the suspicious activity is in-progress, or has evidence of a crime please report it to 9-1-1 immediately.

Most incidents of interrupted terrorism are caught by alert people who are aware of their surroundings. Suspicious activity may include probing questions about security or taking pictures. You can report tips directly to the Washington State Fusion Center at this website location: http://nwwarn.org/alertSignup-Fusion.aspx.

2. To review recommendations surrounding suspicious packages, remind your employees to be aware of the protective actions recommended by the U.S. Postal Service.

If you receive a suspicious letter or package:

· Stop. Don’t handle.
· Isolate it immediately.
· Don’t open, smell, or taste
· Activate your emergency plan.
· Notify your manager.

If you suspect the mail or package contains a bomb (explosive), or radiological, biological, or chemical threat:
· Isolate area immediately.
· Call 9-1-1.
· Wash your hands with soap and water.

3. We have linked many of the official websites with trusted source recommendations on our website at http://www.cresa911.org/emergency/preparedness.php

National Telecommunications Week

2013-04-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

April 14-20th has been designated as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. It is designated as a time when citizens can thank public safety men and women who are the first line of contact of those emergency professionals who respond during times of crisis. This week allows Americans from across the country to show gratitude to the 9-1-1 call takers, dispatchers, technicians, that maintain radio and emergency phone systems, communication staff trainers, communications center and other public safety personnel. This group of unique and dedicated folks work tirelessly, often behind the scenes to help you during emergencies.

Dispatchers are the conduit between the public, and first responders, as well as the lifeline to those boots on the ground. It requires considerable patience, and professionalism to calmly transmit to an officer while dealing with an irate or hysterical caller on the phone at the same time. Information gathering, disseminating information to officers, remembering locations, and continually adjusting priorities, all done every day by dispatchers, is the heart of emergency services.

The public usually do not see the incredible courage and fortitude dispatching requires. Most of the time it is looked upon as simple call taking, however many most overlook the emotional and mental toll it takes on the person hearing officers fight for their lives, listening to people being attacked or screams of folks for help waiting for help to arrive, even sometimes too late.

Here at CRESA we believe we have some very professional, compassionate folks answering your calls when help is needed. In recognition of those, a short video was created to thank those here at CRESA for the amazing job they do off and ON the Floor. Below is a highlighted version of that Video we would like to share with you.

So if you can, take a moment this week and join us in Thanking all our very dedicated and passionate Telecommunications Staff for all they do, 365 day a year, 24/7!! This week we salute you!!

Annual Report EMS District 2

2013-04-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED BY EMS DISTRICT 2 AND IS BEING SHARED BY CRESA911

2012 EMS DISTRICT #2 ANNUAL REPORT: PERFORMANCE BASED AMBULANCE CONTRACT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARE AT A LOW COST

For information contact: Doug Smith-Lee, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency, (360) 737-1911 ext. 3949, doug.smith-lee@clark.wa.gov

The 2012 Clark County EMS District #2 Annual Report highlights how over the past 20 years the District has been providing a high performance paramedic ambulance contract for Clark County and the Cities of Battle Ground, La Center, Ridgefield, and Vancouver. As a result to these jurisdictions cooperatively working together, the community enjoys:

A high level of clinical care;
Some of the most stringent response time standards in the nation; and
Low cost for ambulance service with no funding from local taxes

Mike Plymale, Chair of the EMS Administrative Board and Dr. Lynn Wittwer, Clark County’s Medical Program Director state, “the 2012 Annual Report clearly shows the District’s paramedic ambulance services contract continues to promote performance based EMS through delivering quality out-of-hospital care at a reasonable cost.”

The EMS Administrative Board is composed of citizen volunteers with expertise in business, finance, law, health care administration and insurance that provide independent oversight of the District’s paramedic ambulance service contract. The Medical Program Director is appointed by State Department of Health and is under contract with the county for oversight of training, certification and patient care provided by all EMS personnel, including the District’s paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

Since 1992, the District’s ambulance contract has implemented a number of clinical innovations. A few of innovations include: Accreditation by the National Academy of Dispatch; high cardiac arrest survival rates; and enhancements in cardiac and stroke care. The ambulance contract has also made significant contributions to the community in over $3 million for first response enhancements.
The 2012 Annual Report outlines system enhancements and performance levels that have kept the District at the forefront as a high performance EMS System. In addition, the Report also shows how the District and EMS providers are working to find new ways to combine resources and gain efficiencies as a result of dwindling public and private funds for EMS and healthcare reform efforts.

Reports are available by clicking these links:
Executive summary
Entire report

Strong Winds Sunday Morning

2013-04-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

Lock down those garbage can lids. The Weather Service is predicting strong winds on Sunday between 2 and 11 AM. The strongest winds will be from 3 to 9 AM. Expect winds from the south at 25-35 MPH with gusts to 45. This could be strong enough to damage trees and cause power outages.

In Clark County, remember to call (360) 992-8000 to report power outages. You can also monitor outages on Clark Public Utilities Outage Map.

For more information see the Wind Advisory from the National Weather Service in Portland.

Phone Service Restored to the Woodland and La Center Areas

2013-04-02T23:45:00.001-07:00

CRESA has confirmed that full phone service, including 9-1-1, has been restored to the Woodland and La Center areas. Please do not make test calls to 9-1-1.

Telephone Outage in Woodland and La Center Area Impacts 9-1-1

2013-04-02T14:44:00.001-07:00

There is a land line telephone system outage in the cities of Woodland and La Center, Washington and the surrounding areas in Clark and Cowlitz counties. It appears at this time to only impact Frontier Communications customers in these areas. This also impacts 9-1-1 service for these areas.

>> Any Frontier Communications customers in these areas should use their cell phones to call 9-1-1 in an emergency or use a telephone service from a provider other than Frontier Communications. If you don't have access to a cellphone, report to your nearest fire station and request assistance. Please do not make a test call to 9-1-1. <<

CRESA will provide updates when new information when it becomes available.

Don't Dig Into Trouble - Call Before You Dig!

2013-03-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Got any excavation projects planned for the spring? Don't forget that if you are going to dig down more than 12 inches you are required to call 811 at least two business days before your project. This is important to ensuring your safety.

CRESA and our response agencies have responded to pipeline incidents over the years resulting from excavactors accidentally cutting into underground pipes and releasing natural gas and causing other problems. In 2012, Washington State had 1,289 incidents regarding damage to gas pipelines caused by digging. Aside from pipelines there are other important underground utilities. A handful of times over the years, telephone (including 911!) services have been disrupted because excavators cut into telephone lines.

Calling 811 before you dig is an important step to preventing these incidents. In recognition of the value of this notification, Governor Inslee proclaimed April 'Safe Digging Month'.

For more information about pipeline safety and the 'call before you dig' requirement, please visit:

http://www.utc.wa.gov/publicSafety/pipelineSafety/Pages/callBeforeYouDig.aspx.

Report of Possible Tornado UPDATED

2013-03-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

UPDATE:
Just after 4 pm on Thursday March 21, 2013 a wind event caused extensive damage to a barn near Hockinson. Witnesses describe it as a twister. It hit the building from a westerly direction, picking up pieces of the roof and spreading it over a 10 acre area to the east. The building partially collapsed after the event.

Fire District 3 responded to assist the salvage of building contents. There were no injuries, and no other property damage reported.

The National Weather Service sent a team to investigate and confirmed it was a tornado classifying it as an EF-0 meaning sustained winds of 65-85 mph.

Photos Courtesy of Fire District 3

Original Report:

This afternoon with a strong storm cell moving through the area, CRESA Dispatch received a call of a possible funnel cloud in the Hockinson area. We are aware of the call and the National Weather Service is investigating. Reports are that it took the roof off of a small barn. We will update more as we gather information.

CANCELLED: Volcano Observatory in Vancouver to Hold Open House on May 4

2013-03-21T15:32:00.002-07:00

Update 3/29/2013: The USGS announced yesterday that this open house event is cancelled due to fiscal constraints related to the sequestration of USGS funding. They will tentatively re-schedule the Open House for May 2014.

===========================

Did you know that one of only five USGS volcano observatories in the nation is right here in Vancouver? And its having an open house on May 4! This is a great opportunity to check out a unique local resource.

The Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) is responsible for monitoring and research of volcanoes and related hazards in the western United States and around the world. This one-day event provides an opportunity for the public to interact with volcano scientists, enjoy hands-on volcano activities, and view demonstrations of volcano monitoring equipment. A geologist will be on hand to identify your mystery rock samples. Watch for more information on the Cascades Volcano Observatory webpage.

There's One Thing Your Cell Phone Shouldn't Do!

2013-03-19T16:00:00.002-07:00

It's always exciting to get a new phone. New apps, better speed, and many new features, but what do you do with the old one? There are many options to donate them to help keep them out of landfills, but one thing is for certain... An old cell phone with a charge and battery does not make a good toy for a toddler!!

Unfortunately there are some education professionals that have suggested this is a good option as it helps introduce kids to the basics of technology. The flashing lights and beeps make them a favorite play item for many toddlers, however there is one thing that has been overlooked or just not understood. Even a deactivated mobile phone can call 9-1-1 baffling dispatchers and responders while wasting resources and trying to track down the caller to make sure nothing was wrong.

You may not be aware but in the U.S. and Canada, Wireless Mobile Carriers are required by law to provide 9-1-1 service even if they have no official phone service. This means any phone with a charge is still capable of reaching 9-1-1 in an emergency situation. Although this can mean the difference between life and death in real world emergencies, it also creates problems for dispatchers. An example of this is if you are for any reason disconnected from 9-1-1 during your call, the dispatcher is unable to call you back because the dispatcher does not have a telephone number to contact you with.

Allowing a toddler to have an old cell phone as a toy can easily become a problem if they figure out how to dial 9-1-1, especially when they hear a voice on the other end of the call. In fact it can be a criminal act to call 9-1-1 repeatedly for non-emergent reasons. A quick Internet search brought up several stories of individuals that had been charged because of the abuse.

Closer to home, recently a mother was cited in Astoria, OR for her toddler who repeatedly called 9-1-1. According to the Astoria dispatch center, the child dialed the emergency line seven times in six minutes. The mother now faces a misdemeanor charge of misusing 9-1-1 that could lead to a fine up to $6000 and a year in jail.

As pictured above and to the right, there are some great options out there to give your toddlers giving them something that looks and responds like a mobile phone, yet wont connect accidentally. If you do choose to give your old mobile device to your child as a toy, please make sure you pull the battery. Unwarranted calls to 9-1-1 could end up costing a lot more than you could imagine. Your old Cell Phone is not a toy, and it doesn't matter what type of phone you have. There's no way around it, and there's no App for that!!

Strive to Survive Emergency Response Workshop Series

2013-03-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Clark County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will hold a special training event this spring: the Strive to Survive Emergency Response Workshop Series.

The target audience includes facilities with chemical inventories and transporters of hazardous materials along with responders and supporting agencies. This workshop series will be a great opportunity to improve your readiness for an emergency so that you can protect your employees, customers, the community, and your business. It will involve a progressive ‘no-fault’ exercise series, starting with a planning workshop and followed by exercises that work through each phase of response and recovery. There is no requirement to participate in every event. Sign up for some or all. The first event on March 28 is free. The cost for the three following events is only $10 each. Lunch is provided.

This will be held on the following dates:

Setting the Stage – Planning and Preparedness Workshop - March 28, 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Tabletop Exercise – Alert/Warning and Initial Response Actions - April 25, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Tabletop Exercise – Incident Management and Communications - May 23, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Command Post Exercise – Integrated Interagency Response and Recovery - June 27, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

For more information about the Strive to Survive Workshop Series and to register, please visit the Clark County LEPC Web page.

Space is limited. Register soon!

Community Notification Issued Regarding Burglary Suspect

2013-03-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

At approximately 3:40 PM today, CRESA issued an emergency notification to Vancouver residents in the area of 28th and Grand Blvd asking them to remain indoors for about a half hour. This is to allow a clear area for police and police dogs to search for a burglary suspect. At about 4:15 PM police terminated the search. Residents in the area may have received a phone call on their landline telephones with the notification. Residents who registered their cell phones, VoIP (internet) phones, and email addresses on CRESA's notification website would have also received a notice. This notification was sent at the request of the Vancouver Police Department. Vancouver Police were particularly interested in ensuring that children just released from school come indoors to keep the area clear for this brief period.

If we need to issue a notice like this for your neighborhood, keep in mind that, unless you take action, you'll only recieve the notice on your landline telephone. To receive the notice via your cell phone, VoIP phone, or email you will need to register. You can do so by visiting CRESA's Emergency Notification Website. Registration just takes a couple of minutes.

Spring Forward This Weekend...

2013-03-08T13:42:00.004-08:00

Over the past couple weeks, I have increasingly noticed more and more daylight during my daily commute to work. In fact earlier this week, there was a fantastic sunrise visible as I drove in. Well all that morning light will once again be halted this weekend when we turn our clocks forward. The trade-off; even more daylight in the evening hours!

There are some unfortunate adjustments we all need to make this weekend and in the coming week. The following video gives a few hints on not only the history of why we do this, but what we can do to help adjust our internal clocks as well as the ones throughout our homes, cars, and places of employment..

As you adjust your clocks this weekend we urge you to also replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. It is a great practice, that as we adjust all of our time clocks, to also remember our smoke detectors.

We also urge you to take a few moments to review your emergency supply kit, and make sure it is up to date, rotate water, and to make sure all food items have not expired. Ready.gov recommends rotating stored food and water at least every 6 months.

So as you adjust this weekend, take a few extra minutes and switch out batteries, rotate food and water. Consider getting the entire family involved. It's a great opportunity to do some teaching about preparedness. Perhaps make this a weekend challenge! As you rotate new supplies into your emergency supplies, live off the supplies you are replacing.. It could be a great way to see if you really do have what you may need to survive! Engage your kids to think of items missing, or other examples of what could be used in making sure your emergency kit is ready if so needed.

Here at CRESA, we hope everyone has a great weekend! We will see you all back next week.... One hour earlier... well not really.... but kinda!! Happy Clock Setting!!

Missing Girl Found Safe & Sound

2013-03-07T00:20:00.002-08:00

Vancouver Police just reported that seven year old Maddyson was found safe and sound.

VPD Seek Missing Seven Year Old Girl

2013-03-06T23:59:00.000-08:00

At 11:15 PM, CRESA issued an emergency notification on behalf of the Vancouver Police Department to residents in the Burnt Bridge Creek neighborhood in Vancouver, Washington.

Vancouver Police are seeking the public's help in find seven year old Maddyson. She was last seen at about 1:30 PM on Wednesday, March 6 at her home near NE 155th AV and NE 47th ST (just west of 162nd AV). She is 3 ft, 5 in. tall and 84 lbs. She has shoulder length blond hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a red and black dress.

If you have any information that can help find Maddyson, please call 911 in Clark County.

Have You found a New Home?

2013-03-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Recently I moved into a new home here in the Vancouver area. As the move date got closer, not only did I have a growing pile of boxes sitting throughout my current townhouse, I had an ever growing list of places I needed to call or go online and to officially change my address.

Utilities
Water and Sewer
Waste Pick up
Internet
Cable TV
Insurance
Phone
Updating Bank Accounts
The Postal Service

It seemed like every time I thought about it, I would think of another service where I needed to notify someone of my new address. It is easy to overlook something when you move, and for the most part it can be easy to remedy once it crosses your mind.

But what if once you move, you need assistance? Over 65% of all calls coming into the 9-1-1 Dispatch center from Cell Phones, and dispatcher's estimate that about 20% of the time the address listed within the system doesn't match that of what the caller states. This is another reason why a dispatcher will ask you to confirm the address you are at.

I like many, no longer have a conventional home phone. I use either my cell phone as my home phone or a Voice Over Internet Phone (VOIP) as my main phone. Using these instead of a conventional land line do not share your location when you call 9-1-1. The use of a "Location Capable Phone" does not ensure your location is known accurately. Some cell phone service providers do not provide this service. This is one of the reasons it is so important for you to register your cell phone and it is just as important to update that information when and if you move.

If you have recently moved, or have a scheduled move coming up here in the near future, please make sure you add updating your address in the Cell Phone/VOIP 9-1-1 registry for Clark County, and Happy Moving!

Hanford - "What Do We Really Know"

2013-02-28T16:01:00.001-08:00

"HANFORD: Highly radioactive: 1,000 gallons of nuclear

waste leak in Washington every year."

"1,000 gallons of Radioactive “Sludge” may be leaking a year

from Hanford."

"US Nuclear dump is leaking toxic waste."

Recently, you may be hearing concern from your community members about leaking radioactive waste from Hanford. Here at CRESA, we have received no specific emergency alerts about this situation. The Department of Ecology is the principal agency that is involved with sharing information about this topic. Feel free to refer community members to their website. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/

We were informed today that there is a meeting being held tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Clark County PUD Meeting Room for a presentation by the Columbia Riverkeeper and the Sierra Club called “Beyond a Nuclear Northwest” on assessing the risks of nuclear reactors in light of Japan’s experience in 2011.

I Know Where I am.. Do You?

2013-02-22T15:52:00.001-08:00

Over the past couple weeks We have been sharing information regarding the importance of "Knowing Your Location." As we continue in this series in sharing the importance of "Knowing Your Location," we wanted to show you some posters that you may begin to see:

Over the past few months these posters have been distributed to schools throughout Clark County. In coordination of the Safe Schools Task Force, these signs will hopefully end up in every classroom across the county. This is part of a State-wide campaign to help share the importance of knowing your location when you call 9-1-1. As we have shared in the past couple blog posts, there are numerous reasons why knowing your location is a critical part of the information you need to know when talking to a dispatcher. Knowing exactly where you may be in a large building can be difficult. Recognizing that remembering this critical piece of information may be difficult during stressful emergency situations is the mission of this campaign.

Our goal is to hopefully expand this into care facilities and throughout businesses' across the area. We would love to see these simple blue and yellow posters start popping up all over Clark County. To help make that happen, we are providing you with a PDF Version of the poster for you to print for your office, business and building! So spread the word, (and the poster,) so no matter where you may be, you will know your location. If you have some clever locations for these we would love to hear them!

If you see these at your local schools or you start to see them out and about we would love to know about it. We want to challenge you to snap a picture and send it to us!! Attach it in a comment on the blog, share it on the CRESA Facebook page or tag @CRESAtalk on Twitter. Lets have some fun and see if we all can learn to "Know our Location!"

The Background Helps Set the Scene.

2013-02-06T16:58:00.001-08:00

Last week I shared information about the importance of knowing your location including the City when you dial 9-1-1. Today I want to expand on this a bit more in explaining how this background information is important in painting an accurate picture of whats going on.

When I was a kid I remember watching Bob Ross on PBS showing what seemed so simple in how to paint a masterpiece. The one thing I remember mostly from watching him, was how he always started with the background and filled in others front items on top of those earlier layers. One of those included him adding snow to a mountain scene.

In the same way, when you call 9-1-1, there is a lot of information that helps paint an accurate background that is just as important in sending the right resources, and getting help on the way.

One of these items include confirming the address you are calling from. Although it doesn't happen often, Dispatcher's estimate that about 20% of the time the address listed in the system does not match that of where you are calling from.

A few of the reasons for this include; people who use a VOIP, (Voice Over Internet Phone,) and have moved but not updated their address of where they have the phone registered. When you call 9-1-1, the address listed will still be that of your last residence. Here is the link if you have recently moved and may not have updated the information from your VOIP or Cell Phone.

Another problem that happens is that the address associated could be part of a complex. Apartment Complex's, Mall's and other type structures, usually only have one physical address, with a sub address of a unit number. In this case the wrong unit number sometimes appears based more on the geographical area of the complex instead of actual unit layout.

The third reason relates to cell phones. Although there is GPS in most newer Cell Phones, the accuracy can sometimes be completely wrong or even more often, the location listed is that of the cell tower your signal may be bouncing off of instead of your actual location. When you factor in that an estimated 65% of calls coming into 9-1-1 are now from cell phones, you can see where the possibility for confusion arises.

9-1-1 Dispatcher's are trained and make it their goal to assist you in what could be your worst day. It is understood that when you are calling, emotions, anxiety and fear factor into the response you give back to a dispatcher. Just remember, even though at the time, it may seem like a waste of time, all the questions they are asking back of you are critical in painting not only the snow on that mountain, but the mountain itself!