The current Chinook Observer, August 28, 2019, contains a Letter To The Editor from Mark Scott, a current Board member. Mark, a long time resident of Surfside, lives on I Street, near Veterans Park.
As a Board member, he serves as a Trustee to the Emergency Management Committee as well as The Community Relations Committee. He has been an active member of the EMC and supports their efforts in looking after the members in the preparation for an emergency. He prepared the evacuation route maps as well as being hands on in the construction of the emergency storage shed. He has been more active with a committee as Trustee than any others in years. While I personally oppose the practice of a Board member being on a committee, he certainly makes a case for being on a committee. All around he is one of the few "good guys".
His letter is informative and has suggestions that I had not thought of, but I do have some concerns as to the tone of the letter. He did state that he had talked with Pacific County Emergency Management Agency Scott McDougall. The letter to the editor may be a result of that conversation, but I don't know. It appears to me that there is more information that we as members would like to know.
I have worked with and made requests to the county, and always found them to be cooperative, informative and honest. I guess that is why I am a little disturbed by the tone of the letter, and there may be a good reason for that tone. I am left with more questions than answers. I agree the evacuation signs are really needed in Surfside and should be installed as soon as possible. Thank you Mark for acting on this important need, and your service on the Emergency Management Committee.
You set a good example of a Trustee working for the members.
 |
| Mark Scott, Surfside Board Trustee |
Click once or twice on the letter below for a larger read.
10 comments:
This MAY be a matter that should be addressed in more detail, and some signage in Surfside would probably be a good idea. I have some reserve about confirming a need, in that the fact is, virtually all of the peninsula is a hazard zone. In addition, Surfside has been very active in getting information out to the members, along with maps I think Mr. Scott helped create.
So some signage in Surfside could help delineate evacuation routes, but too many signs would have a counter-productive effect. So well placed signs are a good thing, sparingly placed at strategic locations. Surfside members are asked to head for high ground ON FOOT, so signs on highways needn't be numerous, as they are the only evacuation routes, and are also in the hazard area.
A new study was just released by WA State indicating that an earthquake registering over 9 at our offshore fault would generate 7 Tsunami waves delivered to the Longbeach peninsula, each draining entirely before the next one hits. So there is new information available, though it would seem, not at all encouraging.
I'm certain that there are Tsunami Evacuation signs on some of the highways leading south and to the east near Seaside and Cape Dis. Park. There surely are some things worth doing as preparation for an Earthquake generated event, but most predictions seem pretty dire for Coastal areas. It's questionable Ocean Park would survive much of an event, the elevation being pretty spare from both east and west bodies of water.
It seems that Mark has a good point, in that there hasn't been any apparent action by the County on this, and that signage such as this benefits from being consistent in its' appearance, simple and easily identified as Tsunami information. Better to have the County handle it with established signage, but no need really to indicate all entrances and exits from an imaginary safety zone, just escape routes.
I've travelled all the major roads that any traveller would traverse to reach the peninsula and you can't get here without passing one of those "Entering Tsunami Hazard Zone" signs. I know there are a few signs along Sandridge for evacuation routes.
As for Surfside, forget your vehicle, hoof it on foot to higher ground. Todays Tsunami Walk/Run event is an annual event that allows residents to walk/run to higher ground under safe conditions and we time them so they know how long it took them to reach higher ground. Education, planning, and having emergency supplies is going to save lives.
The estimate is that a large earthquake that generates a Tsunami will allow only twenty minutes to evacuate low lying areas before the first wave hits. A quake of about 5.9 hit about 125 miles west of the Oregon Coast just a couple of days ago.
Mr Cox can't help himself and has to add his long winded comments. Mr Scotts letter did not need it.
Any thoughtful comments are appreciated. Not negative comments with no thought involved. People should keep schoolyard rebuttals to themselves.
8:59....The point really is that Mr. Scott is entitled to his discontent that the County has made a commitment and they have not fulfilled it over several years following their assurances of more signage. But he is not accurate in his claims that there is no signage. That you need to gripe about who's stating the facts, I couldn't care less if you like me.
Nearly all of the peninsula is a hazard zone, and hundreds of signs are not needed to make that point.
The signs are needed for the thousands of tourists. Night time clam digs are especially a hazard. Mark has taken a small step, but at least it is a step and that is more than most have done. What other board member has done anything?
Anyone approaching the Longbeach peninsula on the highways are warned about Tsunami danger. Common knowledge in Western Washington is that the Coasts are very vulnerable. There will be no real escape from a large event, which is what is predicted. None of the peninsula is higher than about 40feet above sea level except Cape Disappointment. Essentially, all of the peninsula is a hazard zone. More signs are not needed, but a few marking the pedestrian escape routes could be helpful.
So you've got 20 minutes to head for higher ground. IF the alarm system sounds, will you hear it right away ? If you don't, you won't be able to escape on foot as is required. Many owners are not within 20 minutes of a high point, the maximum elevation being about 40 to 45 feet on the highest points of the ridge, and much of the ridge is not accessible.
Too many signs become confusing and get ignored, and there really aren't points where we go in and out of the hazard zone on the peninsula. Some of the Cape is all there is.
As in the past, we will most likely have Tsunami events that won't be the "big one". A ten to twenty foot wave can still do major damage, bt escape is possible. These we can prepare for. That is why signs are needed for higher ground. Those evacuation signs are all over the county, except surfside.
Most of the high ground is private property on J Place. The parking lot at the Wymark Hotel is one of the only high spots, and it is not sufficiently high to be a safe haven, should a very large event occur. At least a couple of earthquakes around 5 to 6 on the scale have occurred in recent months. The intensity, distance from shore and depth at which these occur all are factors.
I don't really think signs in Surfside are necessary, but I do think that all Surfside households should have an evacuation route printed and posted near the door, particularly for guests. Anyone who owns property in Surfside should know what their best escape route is, and where the nearest high ground is. The fact remains that many residences do not have fast access to ground higher than about 30feet, the Wymark lot only being about 45 feet I believe.
But if you're anywhere but on the ridge when the sirens sound, head for the ridge. That doesn't require signs. Who knows if J Place owners will object to refugees wanting to wait in their yard. Most do not tolerate other owner's trees, so people not wanting to drown ? Don't know.
Post a Comment