ICED OVER Cold knocks out power to 3,000 area households

By Hillary Borrud / The Bulletin
Published: December 09. 2009 4:00AM PST advertisement:
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For updated information about the power outage and emergency services, call the Deschutes County emergency information line at 541-550-4888.

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The power will likely still be out for some households in the Sisters, Black Butte and Camp Sherman areas this morning, more than 24 hours after an outage hit 3,000 households began due to an equipment failure related to the cold weather.

Central Electric Cooperative also anticipated scattered, unrelated outages overnight, and crews planned to work through the night, according to a news release sent out late Tuesday.

Utility and contract crews had restored power by 6 p.m. Tuesday to about 70 percent of the 3,000 households from north Bend west to Black Butte Ranch and Camp Sherman that lost power during the outage that began early Tuesday morning.

Cold weather was a factor in the equipment failure that caused the outage, with subzero temperatures in Sisters overnight Monday and a high temperature of 12 degrees Tuesday. The temperature was forecast to dip back to 6 degrees below zero Tuesday night in Sisters.

The National Weather Service forecast continued cold temperatures through the weekend in Bend, with a high temperature barely topping freezing on Sunday, according to the service's Web site.

The problem began at about 2:30 a.m. when a connector stopped working, said Alan Guggenheim, CEC member services director. “Extreme cold weather caused it to fail,” he said.

The failure had a cascading effect, knocking out a 69,000-volt power transmission line near the Tollgate substation northwest of Sisters.

Some customers experienced power surges when electricity began flowing, causing it to fluctuate or go out again. Guggenheim suggested customers with power still out should turn off major appliances at the circuit breaker, or in the case of a furnace, dial down the thermostat, but leave on some lights, so they will know when power is restored.

When power returns, he said, customers should wait 15-20 minutes to turn on the appliances and the furnace, to ensure they get an even flow of electricity.

Few residents using shelter


As of Tuesday evening, CEC was working with Deschutes County Emergency Services, as well as the sheriff's offices in Deschutes and Jefferson counties.

Deschutes County Search and Rescue team members went from house to house in the Black Butte Ranch and Camp Sherman areas Tuesday to check on residents and visited the homes of 30 people with health conditions to see if they needed help, according to a Deschutes County news release.

Members of the Central Oregon Council on Aging also coordinated several groups to identify and contact vulnerable residents who might have needed help.

The Oregon Mountain River Chapter of the American Red Cross established a shelter at Sisters Elementary, 611 E. Cascade Ave., for residents who could not comfortably stay in their homes, but only one person had sought shelter there by 5 p.m. Tuesday, said Deschutes County spokeswoman Anna Johnson.

“We're going to put him in a hotel, because it's not reasonable to keep it open for one person,” she said.

Guggenheim recommended that those seeking shelter in other locations, such as a motel, check in with emergency officials at the school, in case relatives call to check on residents who have left home.

Bulletin reporter Tim Doran contributed to this report.

Hillary Borrud can be reached at 541-617-7829 or at hborrud@bendbulletin.com.

Warming Center to Open in Salem

Red Cross responds to need for emergency sheltering of vulnerable

Salem, OR December 9, 2009 — Volunteers with the Willamette Chapter of the American Red Cross are opening a Warming Center in Salem tonight to help shelter people from the cold weather. The site for the Warming Center will be at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall located at 630 Hood St NE in Salem. Hours of operation will be 9:00 pm to 7:00 am tonight and 7:00 pm to 7:00 am on Thursday and Friday. Weekend hours to be determined based on need.

People who need to stay at the Center will be offered warm beverages and bread each evening and breakfast each morning. Cots and blankets along with basic hygiene items will also be available.

Dogs and cats will be accepted with their owners, however must be crated (provided at shelter) for the duration of their stay, with the exception of exercise breaks outside the Center. Limited food and water for the pets will be provided.

Public calls about the Center may be made to the Red Cross Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. After hours calls should be made to 503-881-2874. Media inquires should be made to Margaret A. Sanner at 503-508-0688.

EMERGENCY WARMING CENTERS WILL BE OPEN THIS WEEKENDPORTLAND, Ore.

For the third year, the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross will open emergency warming centers for Portland's homeless community when severe weather strikes.EMERGENCY WARMING CENTERS OPEN THIS WEEKEND:
.
Sunday, Dec. 6
9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Portland Foursquare Church
1303 SE AnkenyThe Red Cross anticipates being activated about 15 times this winter and serving up to 300 people each night.What Makes Warming Centers Different:Red Cross emergency warming centers differ from other homeless shelters in several ways:
Singles, couples and families are all welcome.

Guests can come and go as they please throughout the night.

Pets are welcome as long as there is a kennel available. While the centers will provide mats and blankets for guests, as well as hot drinks they differ from traditional Red Cross shelters in that beds, food, clothing and financial support will not be available.

Activation Requirements:The City of Portland will alert the Oregon Trail Chapter when they have confirmed that weather conditions meet the requirements of emergency warming center activation.

Notification should occur by 2 p.m. on the day in question.Under DRY conditions:
A single night at 22 degrees Fahrenheit or below
Three consecutive nights at 25 degrees Fahrenheit or below
32 degrees Fahrenheit or below and sustained wind of 15 mphUnder WET conditions:
32 degrees Fahrenheit or below, with 1 inch forecast accumulation of precipitation
32 degrees Fahrenheit or below, with sustained winds of 15 mph
1 inch of snow on the ground over most of PortlandWarming Center Locations:When activated, emergency warming centers MAY be located at:
Lents Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 8835 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland Foursquare Church, 1303 SE AnkenyExpected hours of operation will be 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.More Information:To find out if the Red Cross emergency warming centers are operating:

Call 211Info (2-1-1 from a land line or 503-222-5555)
Call the Red Cross Info Line at 503-528-5990

Visit www.oregonredcross.orgTo volunteer, visit www.oregonredcross.org/EWCvolunteer. Orientations are currently scheduled for:Tuesday, Dec. 84-6 p.m.Oregon Trail Chapter3131 N. Vancouver Ave.

Preparedness Gift Ideas from FEMA

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Each and every year millions of American lives are disrupted by natural disasters ranging from earthquakes and tsunamis to floods and wildfire. But all disasters—large or small—share a common attribute: they focus attention on the importance of disaster preparedness and the critical need to take action before disaster strikes. The trick is to convert good intentions into good deeds, and according to Acting FEMA Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger, there's no time like the holidays.

"Disaster-ready gifts can save lives, and are a wonderful way of welcoming in 2010," said Hunsinger. "Helping to better prepare neighbors, friends and loved ones for emergencies is a great way to say 'I care.'"

Emergency and preparedness items that might make great gifts this Holiday Season include:

NOAA Weather Radios and extra batteries.
Enrollment in a CPR or first-aid class.
Smoke detectors.
Appropriate fire extinguishers (kitchen, garage, car).
Disaster kits for homes, offices and autos (first aid kits, food, water and prescription medications for 72 hours, extra clothing, blankets, flashlights).
Foldable ladders for second-story escape in a fire.
Car kits (emergency flares, shovels, ice scrapers, flashlights and fluorescent distress flags).
Pet Disaster Kits (food, water, leashes, dishes and carrying case or crate).
A camp stove with extra fuel.
The gift of a gardener to cut back combustible vegetation from wildfire-vulnerable homes.
National Flood Insurance.

A wealth of information and preparedness tips is available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's READY.GOV site at: www.ready.gov and from FEMA at: www.fema.gov.

Stay informed of FEMA's activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema; follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/femainfocus twitter.com/femaregion10 and on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/fema.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Oregon Emergency Management encourages you to follow us on www.twitter.com/baileyjn

VERY COLD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEK OVER THE PACIFIC

A MODIFIED ARCTIC AIR MASS OVER SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST
OREGON WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEK. DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE NOT
EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FREEZING TODAY AND WEDNESDAY IN THE INLAND
VALLEYS...WHILE NIGHTTIME LOWS WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES
TONIGHT. COASTAL AREAS WILL ALSO BE VERY COLD TONIGHT WITH LOW
TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S...WHILE DAYTIME HIGHS
ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN IN THE 30S THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

A SLOW WARMING TREND IS EXPECTED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY BUT CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN
COLDER THAN NORMAL.

RESIDUAL NORTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE IN MOST AREAS TODAY. HOWEVER...SOME EAST WINDS ARE LIKELY AT TIMES IN THE WESTERN COLUMBIA GORGE THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK.

MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO INDICATE A TRANSITION OUT OF THE
ARCTIC AIR MASS THIS WEEKEND. THE INITIAL SYSTEM IS EXPECTED
AROUND FRIDAY NIGHT...WHICH MAY BRING SOME FREEZING RAIN TO THE
INTERIOR LOWLANDS FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING.

Prepare Now For Winter Storms - from the Red Cross

PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon is prone to winter storms, and the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross urges residents to take steps now to stay safer when severe weather threatens.


"By preparing together for winter storms, we can make our families safer and our communities stronger," Eric Corliss, Director of Emergency Services said. "We can help you and your family create a disaster preparedness plan now, before our communities are threatened by dangerously low temperatures, snow, ice and strong winds."


As with any disaster, preparation can be the difference between life and death. The Red Cross recommends that individuals and families prepare for winter storms by:

Assembling an Emergency Preparedness Kit:

Pack a winter-specific supply kit that includes a warm coat, hat, mittens or gloves, and water-resistant boots, along with extra blankets and extra warm clothing. Sand or non-clumping kitty litter is good to have on hand to help make walkways or steps less slippery. Additionally, make sure you have a first aid kit and essential medications, canned food and can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a battery-powered radio with extra batteries in your home in the event of a power outage.


Heeding Storm Warnings:

A winter storm WATCH means winter storm conditions are possible within the next 36 to 48 hours. People in a watch area should review their winter storm plans and stay informed about weather conditions via NOAA Weather radio, or local radio or television stations. A winter storm WARNING means that life-threatening, severe winter conditions have begun or will begin within 24 hours. Individuals in a warning area should take precautions immediately.


Preparing Your Home and Car:

Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank full, which will help to keep the fuel line from freezing. Make sure your home is properly insulated by installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic from the inside to help keep cold air out. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year. Running water, even at a trickle, helps to prevent pipes from freezing.

For more winter storm safety tips, visit www.oregonredcross.org/winter. A free online preparedness course is also available at www.oregonredcross.org/beredcrossready.