EVCNB Means Being Prepared - May 2020
EVCNB was born twelve years ago after hurricane-force winds isolated our region for over a week and we had no organized community mechanism to respond. Fast forward to today — EVCNB has grown to become a critical component of preparedness in our community.
Our mission to “Promote A Culture of Preparedness” has never been more important than it is right now. The biggest surprise is that the worst case we initially imagined was a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami. Little did we realize that we would be faced with two tornadoes and a pandemic in the meantime. When we talk about all hazards, we really mean all hazards!
Not surprisingly, our EVCNB volunteers have stepped up in the COVID-19 emergency. The Medical Reserve Corps has been activated to do contact tracing for Tillamook County Health Department, and Community Emergency Response Team members are on standby for Tillamook County Emergency Management.
As part of the Neighborhood Gathering Site strategy, Prepare Your Neighborhood (PYN) clusters have stocked supplies, including N95 masks, hand sanitizer, and Clorox wipes. With the recent shortage of personal protection equipment and sanitizer, a portion of these supplies have been distributed to those in urgent need at our local grocery stores, food bank and post offices. The dedicated individuals at these businesses/organizations are continuing to work in conditions in which they are often unable to be six feet apart from their coworkers and the public. A BIG THANK YOU to them and to the PYN clusters for putting others first and giving back!
Residents in many of our neighborhoods are also supporting each other by making combined grocery runs, keeping in contact through social media and checking on their neighbors, virtually of course. Many thanks to all our volunteers. We have a strong community and we will get through this crisis together.
We are learning a lot as we experience this pandemic. It might be considered a great wake up call. Imagine if we did have an earthquake and tsunami — are you ready for 30 days of isolation with no Little Apple or Fresh Foods available? Are you ready, without a public water supply or sewage system, to provide for safe drinking water, proper hygiene and sanitation? We hope that you will take the time to make plans for additional supplies and actions that would help you prepare for that possibility.
The news is full of projections around opening the country, states, and cities in order to restore the economy. Today, Governor Brown announced that Tillamook County is qualified to enter Phase 1 of Oregon’s reopening plan. With these actions, comes an increased risk of spreading COVID-19. We have been fortunate to have a very low number of cases in this county, thus far. We hope it remains that way, but we encourage you to take action today to be prepared for this to go on longer.
Please stay home if you can, wear your masks when going out, maintain safe distance from others, and wash your hands often. For more information, answers to common questions, and the latest news about COVID-19 in Oregon, visit https://coronavirus.oregon.gov.
Remember — small acts of kindness go a long way when we are all under significant stress.
Best regards,
Linda Kozlowski
President
PS. We have just launched our new website and encourage you to check us out at www.evcnb.org. You will be able to learn about our programs, training and event schedules (although limited due to the pandemic), find helpful resources for your emergency preparations, and more. We hope you are pleased with what you see and will return to our website often.
PPS. While visiting our website, we would appreciate if you would consider making a secure online donation in support of EVCNB. If you’d prefer, your contribution can be mailed to EVCNB, PO Box 598, Manzanita, OR 97130.