The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners met in special session Monday afternoon to approve a resolution and order declaring a disaster for several communities in southeastern Clatsop County. The vote formalizes the action the board took on Thursday, Christmas Day, when it approved the resolution via a telephone poll in response to the ongoing hardships faced by citizens in Jewell, Elsie and other rural communities due to the severe winter weather. Commissioner Ann Samuelson originally signed the declaration on behalf of the board when it was first approved on December 25th.
Sheriff Tom Bergin reported to the board that Western Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc., which serves Jewell (and most of southeastern Clatsop County as well as Vernonia) would have service restored by Monday afternoon. However, as of 6 pm Monday night no place in Vernonia could confirm service had been turned on, though numerous locations were called and as late as 8:30 pm people from the church were still reporting that they had no power.
Residents in the area have been without electricity for up to 17 days, may have been unable to travel because of road closures or high snow blocking their driveways and private roads. According to Sheriff Bergin the county and American Red Cross responded to the storm by providing food, water and other supplies to local residents at the Jewell School, the county’s Nehalem Valley Substation and through direct visits to local residents who were unable to leave their homes.
The Sheriff reported that residents throughout the Jewell area were notified about the availability of supplies and the opening of the substation through the 911 reverse system, which automatically dials all of the residents in the Jewell area delivering a prerecorded message. The Sheriff stated that the system had been tested during the summer to make sure it was working and to educate the Jewell people as to what would happen in case of an emergency. Approximately 180 out of the 680 residents called had phones that could not be reached because they were rotary style. The 911 reverse system will not work with a rotary style phone. The Sheriff indicated that the residents had been informed of this glitch during the summer campaign.
According to the Clatsop County website a disaster declaration authorizes the county Public Works Deparment to assist residents by clearing blocked driveways and private roads, and to coordinate with Wstern Oregon Electric Cooperative and the Oregon Department of Transportation in restoring power to the area. The declaration also allows the county administration to make unplanned expenditures to respond to the situation without formal prior approval of the board of commissioners. The declaration is also a necessary step if the county attempts to seek state or federal assistance or reimbursement for expenses incurred in responding to the crisis.
Bergin reported that snowplows from the county Public Works Department cleared snow from many driveways and private roads. Local ham radio volunteers, coordinated through the county’s Emergency Operations Center, also set up operations at the Sheriff’s substation in Jewell, at the Nehalem Vallery Church and at Baker’s General Store to provide back-up communications capability.
Several other entities also responded, including local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) from Astoria and Lewis and Clark whose members checked on vulnerable residents bringing them needed supplies. CERTs were able to get to over 90% of the Jewell residents to assess damages, evaluate needs, and respond to requests for supplies and in at least once instance a diabetic’s medicine that was waiting at a pharmacy to be retrieved.
The Nehalem Valley Church reported that it would stay open continuously, as long as the community was still in crisis. Those who wish to can bring sleeping bags and toiletries and can stay at the church. Donations of dry firewood, canned goods, fresh water, and gasoline can be made directly to the church (503-755-2376) or send an email to NorthCoastOregon.com if you need someone to pick up your donation. If you have a generator that you can lend out, please send an email to NorthCoastOregon.com leaving your name, and contact information. While projections from WOEC indicate power restoration is imminent with additional snow and high winds in the forecast how long the power will stay on is questionable.
Manpower to keep snow cleared is still desired. If you plan to travel to the Jewell area to volunteer or bring donations you are cautioned to use high clearance vehicle is the event of running into flood situations and to use a cell phone with Verizon as the carrier. No other cell phone company is operable in the area at this time.
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