The volunteers who coordinate Oceanside’s emergency readiness efforts received a surprise phone call from county and state emergency management officials this week. Despite having initially denied Oceanside’s Emergency Resilience Hub Grant application for emergency supplies last year, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) called to say that an award was now available – but with a deadline. If Oceanside could ready a site within 30 days, ODHS’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) would deliver and install an insulated and electrically wired, 20-foot Conex storage container (example pictured to left). Moreover, it would come stocked with emergency equipment and supplies (a $60,000 package). The package includes both satellite and radio communications equipment and two small generators (complete with a propane storage tank.)
Fortunately, before applying for the grant last summer, the Oceanside Protection Society community foundation (OPS) and Oceanside Volunteer Emergency Readiness Team (OVERT) had already secured a tentative agreement to store such a container at the Netarts-Oceanside Sanitary District (NOSD) treatment compound in the hills south of the Village. It will be located adjacent to the Emergency Operations Center that the Netarts-Oceanside Fire District built inside the NOSD compound several years ago.
According to OVE
RT co-chair Rob Hoeper, the Conex and supplies will “fill a big hole in our strategic plan for coping with stranded visitors and residents if a disaster event isolates Oceanside in the future.” Fire Chief Jeff McBrayer called it “incredible news,” and assured state officials that “the Fire District will support ALL efforts of Oceanside OVERT, … to comply with the 30-day deadline.”
re now open for officer positions at the Oceanside Neighborhood Association. The ONA is recognized by the Tillamook County Board of Commissioners as the community’s representative to the county and other outside entities. ONA President Terri Warren and Secretary Paul Brey have announced that they will step down, while Vice President Gill Wiggin and Treasurer Sharon Brown will run for re-election. To date, there is one nomination for President (Simeon Dreyfuss) and no nominations for Secretary – which is a good “starting” position on the Board. Nominations (including self-nominations) may be sent to Kathe Norris at knorris43@charter.net or to any current ONA officer. The duties of these positions are outlined in the ONA Bylaws posted on the ONA website . The elections will take place at the ONA Annual Meeting and Elections scheduled for June 21.
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jerrykeene@oceansidernews.com