Although they are still reeling from the recent winter blast the Jewell community is pulling together to help one another as power for most of the residents is still out. While there is hope that Fishhawk Falls area might see the power on soon, since the trees and debris have been cleared and access to the lines is now available, road crews are still trying to make it up to Nicolai Ridge to make sure a mainline hasn’t been damaged during the latest bout with ice and snow.
Many of the residents have been without power for eight full days, and some had power outages during the week before the power went out for good. Hot showers, along with coffee and conversation, at the Sheriff’s substation was a welcome “treat” for those who couldn’t afford to waste their generator’s gasoline on the hot water tank.
Baker’s General Store finally received a shipment of fuel and while many were on hand to fill up others weren’t sure how much longer they would be able to afford to keep their generators running. Deb Treusdell, a volunteer who is helping out at the substation, said that it is costing, on the average, about ten dollars a day for people to keep their generators running. “That’s not something a lot of people can afford to keep doing,” Treusdell worriedly commented. Treusdell is the project manager for Oregon Emergency-Preparedness Outreach (OEPO). She stressed that there was not a projected time line for when power would be restored and a need for generators has been the most common expressed need.
“The folks out here are pretty self-reliant and prepared to go without power for a couple days or so but now they have been without power for eight days straight,” Treusdell explained, “and they had to cope with a week or so of bad weather before that.”
Treusdell, along with other volunteers at the substation and ham radio operators, have been providing essential care items to those who stop by along with the opportunity to take a hot shower, collect some Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) as well as share information.
“We hear about who has general needs, who has special needs and we pass the information to the Sheriff who will coordinate efforts to get those needs met,” Treusdell explained, “One of the most important ways people can help is to check on their neighbors, especially the elderly and those you haven’t seen for a couple of days.”
Treusdell said they have found out about a woman with children who has been unable to leave her home first because of the ice and snow on the road and then because when the snowplow went by it created mounds of snowdrifts in front of driveways, trapping many vehicles in driveways. The mounds soon harden and when that happens are virtually impossible to move.
The woman had no more food supplies nor fuel for heat. Treusdell said that they were able to get supplies to the woman, but she worries that there are others like her that no one has checked on and no one knows how they are coping.
The substation reports that 5-6 cases of MREs have been distributed, along with cases of bottled water and 21 hot showers. The substation will be open again tomorrow, Sunday, from 10-4 pm. Depending on the information received, regarding the needs of the community, Sheriff Bergin will decide how many days to keep the substation open.
Treusdell said that the Nehalem Valley Church would be used as a back-up if the substation closes. Many supplies have all ready been transferred to the church and the area around it has been plowed to make it more accessible for people. Sunday services will be held tomorrow and those who have concerns or need help are welcome to bring their questions and requests to the church. Pastor Abel Baker is helping to coordinate efforts to get help to those who need it.
One of the greatest needs that has already been brought to the forefront is money to keep generators operating. Jewell has six people who are on dialysis for their kidneys. Three of those kidney patients use at home machines which need power generated to run. At least one of them has now resorted to siphoning gasoline out of their vehicles in order to keep their generator running.
Contributions of cash, gasoline, dry firewood, and food can be made through the Nehalem Valley Community Church (80803 Highway 103, Seaside, OR 97138; 503-755-2376) or Baker’s General Store (44601 Highway 26, Seaside, OR – (503) 755-2739) which Pastor Baker’s parents own and operate.
Treusdell has made out a flyer which is available at the general store and the church letting people know what help is available for them and some precautions they can take to help in this situation. Checking frequently on neighbors is very important as those who are able to get past the packed mounds of snow and out of their driveways make their rounds in their neighborhoods. Treusdell encouraged people to contact the Sheriff’s office (503-325-8635) with their concerns and if they have specific issues that need to be immediately addressed.
At this time cellular service in the Jewell area is spotty. AT&T cellular is down and won’t be available until the power outage problem is solved. Verizon is operable and working in those areas where service has always been available. Century Tel brought a generator out so the land lines are operable for those people who still have telephones (rotary style) that can work without electricity.
West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc.,the service provider for Jewell’s electricity, say that it has lost the transmission feed from the Bonneville Power Administration at the Mist Substation and the Jewell/Elsie area. It is not yet clear why the transmission feed has been lost. Until crews can cover the whole area and clear the lines of debris it is unknown when power will be returned. Rumor has it that Fishhawk Falls may have power restored as early as tonight with the rest of Jewell sometime between now and Wednesday. West Oregon Electric Cooperative does not offer any such timeline.
What the Cooperative does offer is its website which states the order in which power is restored after a massive outage:
1. SUPPLIER’S TRANSMISSION LINES have to be restored first. Otherwise, there is no power for the rest of the system. We must confirm that our power supplier’s transmission lines are operational and supplying electricity to our substations first.
2. THE COOPERATIVE’S TRANSMISSION LINES (if applicable) come next. Once we can confirm that our supplier’s transmission lines are functioning properly and delivering power to our substations, we must then confirm that our transmission lines are intact ahd delivering power properly.
3. SUBSTATIONS come next. Before we can make any progress and move forward with repairs, we must make any necessary repairs to our substations to get them in working order so there is power available to deliver on the power lines that feed your homes.
4. Then FEEDERS AND MAIN LINES. These distribution lines leave the substation and supply power to the majority of members. Repairs have to be done there before electricity can be delivered to your home or business. Without them operating properly, you will be without electricity.
5. TAP LINES or BRANCH LINES are next. These tap or branch lines come off of the main lines or feeders and supply one or more homes.
6. Finally, INDIVIDUAL SERVICES. Generally these lines serve only one home. Most often they are the lines that go directly to a house from the pole.
The Cooperative’s website also recommends during severe storms that customers be a good neighbor. Its website counsel’s that severe storms usually increase the number of accidents and medical problems. “Remember this increases the response time for service agencies,” is one of the cautionary issues, another suggested, “You may want to organize people in your area to check on each other and lend assistance.”
Treusdell said that while the snow has stopped and the rain is helping to wear down the packed snow mounds that are blocking people’s driveways the next immediate concern is flooding. On many of the highways along the coast landslides caused by rain saturated ground cause as many road closures as trees across the road do in other places. The National Weather Service (NWS) out of Portland calls for a flood watch to remain in effect through Monday afternoon. The NWS states that precipitation over the past 24 hours ranged from two to three inches in the coast range and one to one and ahalf inches in the Cascade Foothills and Columbia River Gorge. Strong south winds ahead of the front combined with the rain falling on the low and mid elevation snowpack will enhance the runoff on rivers and streams in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. Rivers and streams draining the watersheds of the coastal mountains and cascades and are responding to the runoff and will continue to show some significant rises through Monday. A few rivers will reach or exceed bankfull and may reach flood stage on Sunday. In addition the rain on snow in urban areas may lead to flooding in areas with snow cover.
Contact Information:
Sheriff’s Office Nehalem Valley Substation at 79532 Highway 202 in Jewell, 503-325-8635 (to report concerns and special needs)
Nehalem Valley Community Church 80803 Highway 103, Seaside, OR 97138; 503-755-2376 (to pick up MREs and other essential items, to make donations, to get information)
Baker’s General Store 44601 Highway 26, Seaside, OR 503-755-2739 (to make donations, get information)
West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc. 503-429-3021 (to report problems) http://www.westoregon.org/outage.php (for updates on power outage)
Commissioner Jeff Hazen – 503-791-0131 – (if you can loan out your generator to a family in Jewell until power is back on). Hazen has been in the field in Jewell and plans on returning.
Commissioner Ann Samuelson – Email Ann Samuelson (any other issue that isn’t being addressed, or if you need help resolving an issue). Samuelson is in the field through out the day where cell phone coverage is spotty. She will be checking in at the substation, church and store on a regular basis and is able to check her email nightly.
UPDATE
Vernonia, which is also served by West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc., had its power restored Sunday morning.
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