C.O. Emergency Info Network: Emergency supply kit, landfill-garbage service

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Here is the Central Oregon Emergency Information Network daily digest for Monday, with information on creating an emergency supply kit, landfill/garbage services and where to find more info about wildfires and smoke.

Daily Digest, Monday, September 14, 2020

CREATING AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT

Often referred to as a ‘go-bag,’ an emergency supply kit with essential items can assist people who must evacuate during a wildfire or other emergency.  The

Red Cross emergency preparedness kit offers a comprehensive list of recommended items.  The Oregon Office of Emergency Management and Central Oregon’s local emergency managers also have printable resources on their websites.

• Oregon Office of Emergency Management
• Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management
• Crook County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management
• Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management

Below are the 5 “Ps” FEMA suggests you need to quickly gather up when ordered by the local authorities to evacuate.

• People — Be ready to flee with yourself and your family, and if safely possible, with pets and other animals.
• Prescriptions — Have them bagged and ready to go, including medicines, medical equipment, batteries or power cords, eyeglasses, and hearing aids.
• Papers — Important documents (hard copies and/or electronic copies saved on external hard drives or portable thumb drives.
• Personal needs — Such as clothes, food, water, first aid kit, cash, phones, and chargers and items for people with disabilities and others with access and/or functional needs, such as older adults, children, and those with limited english proficiency.
• Priceless items — Including pictures, irreplaceable mementos, and other valuables.

As Oregon, Washington, and California cope with unprecedented wildfires in addition to a pandemic, the magnitude of loss is being felt more closely by families, friends, and neighbors.  In times of crisis, being prepared can make a significant difference by reducing the stress of a situation.  Creating an emergency kit is a proactive measure you can take to be ready at a moment’s notice.

DUE TO POOR AIR QUALITY KNOTT LANDFILL LIMITS OPERATIONS, RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE SERVICES DELAYED

Due to poor air quality, Knott Landfill will be operating at limited capacity until further notice. The landfill is not currently accepting recycling, yard debris, or household hazardous waste. Household garbage is still being accepted for disposal.

Waste Connections - Cascade Disposal will be delaying all non-essential routes by one day only this week, September 14th-19th. Monday will be serviced on Tuesday, Tuesday on Wednesday, Wednesday on Thursday, Thursday on Friday, and Friday on Saturday.  They thank you for your understanding during this sensitive time.

Republic Services - Bend Garbage and Recycling collection routes have been suspended on Monday, September 14th. They will resume service as soon as it is safe to do so. Essential services, such as hospitals and grocery stores, will continue service.  If it is safe to resume service on Tuesday, they will be servicing one day late. For example, Monday customers will be serviced Tuesday, and this schedule will continue through the end of the week with Friday customers being serviced Saturday.

If you are unsure whether your garbage and recycling services are operating under a modified schedule, please contact your service provider.

WHERE TO FIND WILDFIRE, SMOKE, AND ROAD INFORMATION

There are many locations for getting wildfire and smoke/air quality information. Here are a couple of options to consider.

InciWeb 

InciWeb is an interagency all-risk incident information management system and provides information for all large fires across the United States. You can go to InciWeb by clicking this link: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/.

Northwest Coordination Center

The Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC) provides information on all large fires in Oregon and Washington. You can find fire updates, maps, and information about anticipated fire behavior and weather at NWCC’s blog: https://nwccinfo.blogspot.com/ 

Some specific items located on NWCC’s webpage are the following:

• The large fire map displays large active fires in Oregon and Washington: https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/information/firemap.aspx
• Seven Day Regional Significant Fire Potential: https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/content/products/fwx/guidance/DL.pdf?2020-07-25%2011:26:48

Oregon Department of Forestry

Information about wildfires from the Oregon Department of Forestry can be found at this site:  https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/firestats.aspx  

Air Quality and Smoke Information

For information about air quality and smoke, the following websites are good options:

• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/Pages/Air-Quality-Map.aspx 
• Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow: https://www.airnow.gov/ 
• Oregon Smoke Blog: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
• United States Forest Service: https://tools.airfire.org/websky/v2/run/standard/PNW1.33km-CMAQ/2020091400#viewer 
   

Road Closures and Travel Information

Heavy smoke from fires up and down the West Coast is creating hazardous driving conditions in Oregon.

For those who aren't evacuating, the safest option is to stay off the roads in smoky and low visibility conditions, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Winds and wildfires also create other hazards, including downed limbs and power lines. Remember to check conditions if you must head out.

Several roads are closed throughout the state, and the situation is rapidly evolving. Go to Tripcheck.com or call 5-1-1 for real-time road conditions.

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ABOUT COEIN
COEIN’s website, www.coemergencyinfo.blogspot.com, provides a collective resource for up-to-date information. Access to accurate, timely information both, locally and nationally, is encouraged. Our County Public Health experts point to the Oregon Health Authority and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as good sources of information.

Central Oregon Emergency Information Network (COEIN) includes Deschutes County Health Services, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, St. Charles Health System, Crook County Health Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Health Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, tri-county public schools, City of Bend, Bend Police, Bend Fire & Rescue, and others. COEIN’s purpose is to collect, coordinate, and distribute timely and accurate information. 

Accommodation Information for People with Disabilities   

To obtain this information in an alternate format such as Braille, large print, electronic formats, etc. please contact the COEIN JIC at 541.316.0087 or centraloregoninfo@gmail.com.