AARP to Help With Fire Survivors
Southern Oregon continues to recover from the fires of 2020 and grants are helping residents in the region. The Almeda Fire in Jackson County devastated the towns of Talent and Phoenix. About 17-hundred manufactured homes were destroyed, and more than half of those homes were in communities for people age 55 and older. Many of those folks are still displaced. A-A-R-P Oregon has donated ten-thousand dollars to Firebrand Resiliency Collective to help with recovery. Tucker Teutsch heads that organization and says there are a number of barriers to recovery for older residents.
“We experienced this fire on top of COVID and its own supply-chain issues but also the largest building-supply price bubble that I think any of us have ever seen. So that income disparity in that community really prevented people from being able to purchase new homes or build new homes.”
Teutsch says disability is another barrier for folks. His organization has also focused on victims’ access to technology and their social circles, both of which were struggles for older Oregonians.
Hybrid Training for Preparedness
The Lane Preparedness Coalition will host a hybrid training event for the county. The event will feature presentations from Western Lane Amateur Radio Emergency Services and the Florence Emergency Communications Network as well as a presentation of the Shake Alert Earthquake Warning system. The meeting will be presented through the online network global.gotomeeting.com. on February 15th from 2:30 to 4:00 pm. You can also attend in person at the Springfield Justice Center at 230 4th Street in Springfield. To login to the meeting:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/591249749
to install the mobile app: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/591249749
Road Clearing
A rock slide near Siletz on Oregon 229 has shut down a portion of the road and ODOT says it will take several days to clear and stabilize the hillside. The slide is at milepost 18 and crews will be working during the day with traffic closed to both directions. At night part of the roadway will be reopened, but will close again at 8am. More information and progress will be available at TripCheck.com
Budget Committee Members Wanted
Positions are open for the Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue and Western Lane Ambulance Budget committees. Applications will be accepted through February 17th for both committees. In order to be considered for either committee applicants will have to be a registered voter within the districts covered by the institutions. Committee members serve a three year term and can expect to give up to 20 hours of their time 1 to 2 times in April and May of each year served. Question about either committee should be directed to Dina McClure at 541-997-3212.
