Woodburn Independent Online

Woodburn develops disaster plan

• By: Rachel Cavanaugh  
• Published: 11/9/2009 8:33:49 AM

WOODBURN — City officials have outlined the top natural disasters most likely to hit Woodburn, as well ideas for how to ease their impacts.
 
According to Associate Planner Don Dolenc, earthquakes, windstorms and severe winter storms are the three threats that carry ‘high’ ratings in both probability and vulnerability.
Flood and drought are also listed as “high” probability, but the city is only “moderately” vulnerable.
 
“So, those are the three where we’ve put the most effort,” said Dolenc. “By going through (a mitigation plan), we have a better understanding of the needs and the resources and we can be looking ahead.”
 
Dolenc referred to Woodburn’s Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, which a steering committee recently completed. Development Services Director Jim Hendryx presented the plan to city council earlier this month.
 
In it are recommended action items.
 
Examples include doing an inventory on high-risk earthquake buildings, making an update to the city’s flood insurance rate maps, and holding an educational campaign about tree pruning for windstorm mitigation.
 
Dolenc said the biggest advantage to putting together these action steps is it makes them eligible for grants. He stressed that as of now, the action items are unfunded. There are proposed timelines, but no deadlines.
 
“It’s more, ‘let’s be aware of these things,’” said Dolenc. “Once we have a list of action items, prioritized needs, then we’re eligible to get in line for FEMA grants.”
 
He said a priority is to develop a “vulnerable population registry” that would assist emergency crews during a disaster. The idea would be to create a detailed map of where certain demographics are.
 
“For example, we have a population like an assisted living facility,” said Dolenc. “We know that if bad things happen, it happens on the vulnerable populations worse than on the rest of us.”
 
He said a map and registry would show them where they need to concentrate search efforts.
 
The plan will also help during capital improvement projects. In road improvement, for example, he said it would be helpful to have a list of items in the beginning.
 
“They can maybe … do it cheaper up front than having to go back and dig up a road and put a bigger culvert in,” Dolenc said.
 
Another key factor in the plan is continued public outreach, as well as making lists of major housing providers and communication channels.
 
Both Dolenc and Hendryx emphasized the plan they have put together is for pre-disaster mitigation, not emergency response. The latter is a separate issue, which addresses how the city will respond once a disaster occurs.
 
“Certainly there’s awareness and a will to respond to emergencies,” Dolenc said. “I think the city is moving ahead.”
 
Before the disaster plan becomes official, it must go through a period of public comment and then on to FEMA for approval. It then returns to city council for final adoption.
 
Hendryx said, overall, the plan will keep the city and its residents safer and more prepared.
 
“It’s certainly an important step for jurisdictions to go through this exercise,” he said. “It identifies things pre-planned for how you can address them. If, over a series of years, you can take steps to mitigate the potential impacts, you’re way ahead.”

  (log in to rate)