El Nino Articles 1) Red Cross Funding Concerns 2) Emergency

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El Nino Articles1) Red Cross Funding Concerns2)Emergency ServicesInformationfor HumboldtCounty 3) Historic Range of rainfall totals and likelihood of flooding4) Global effects of El Nino-----------------------------------1) Red Cross Funding ConcernsPosted: 10/12/2009 01:27:09 AM PDThttp://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_13543160 The combination of dwindling donations due to the recession and many local fires has theHumboldt County American Red Cross a little worried.”I don't want to go into the winter like this,” said Barbara Caldwell, executive director of the Humboldt Red Cross.There have been more situations requiring the Humboldt Red Cross' response this year than expected and with the threat of an El Niño year bringing floods, more are likely tocome. Last year, the Humboldt Red Cross spent $25,000 on direct disaster relief and itlooks as if this year will be more costly, she said.Caldwell is optimistic that money will come, though, so they can help everyone in needand she assures the public that they aren't about to close their doors.”I'm not even going to entertain that thought,” she said. “There's no one else who doeswhat we do.”Red Cross volunteers will respond any day at any hour to secure disaster victims a placeto stay and give them any needed supplies.One such emergency was last November when the Budget Motel on Fourth Street inEureka burned down -- it was 3:30 a.m. on a rainy Saturday and backup volunteers had to be called to assist the three already on scene, she said.

The first hotel the Humboldt Red Cross group found to send victims ousted by the firerefused to take them in because “they smelled like smoke.” After more searching, theHumboldt Red Cross found them a place to stay.All the emergencies that the group responds to, such as the motel fire, are unpredictableand it's hard to know how many more are to come.”With this job, you never know,” Caldwell said.The Humboldt Red Cross has two full-time employees, including Caldwell, and the restof the staff is made up of volunteers and some part-time positions.Humboldt Red Cross board of directors member Mike Moreland said the group is notcurrently in dire straits, but funding is marginal.”If there's no need, we'll probably be OK,” he said.A primary need the Humboldt Red Cross fulfills is helping displaced people after a floodor fire has destroyed or disabled their residence, he said. The Humboldt Red Cross is alsoimportant because of its availability.”Because it's the only entity you can call at 3 a.m. on a Saturday to get an immediateresponse,” he said.There is also less of the “bureaucratic guff” that are a part of government agencies suchas welfare, Moreland said. The Humboldt Red Cross can also help disaster victimsreplace their medications.Eureka Fire Department Chief Eric Smith is also a member of the board of directors andsaid the EFD depends on the Humboldt Red Cross.”They're the ones we can count on for helping find places for people who are displaced,”Smith said.The EFD can't extensively help the victims of fires and floods but the Humboldt RedCross makes sure they have a place to stay, clothes to wear and food to eat, Smith said.Much of the relief this year has been for single families affected by structure fires.Although funding is currently a little lower than she'd like, Caldwell said she has faith inthe community to help the Humboldt Red Cross get through the year.”Humboldt County is too generous,” she said. “We care for each other and take care of each other.”

For information on the Humboldt Red Cross or to donate, call their headquarters inEureka at 707-443-4521 or visithumboldtredcross.org. Allison White can be reached at 441-0506 or awhite@times-standard.com.

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2) Emergency ServicesInformationfor HumboldtCounty Humboldt County Ordinance 2203 established the Humboldt Operational Area (OA) andidentified the Sheriff as Director of Emergency Services for the County. The responsehierarchy works in the following manner: When a City or Special District cannoteffectively handle a crisis with their own available resources and organization, theyrequest OA assistance. OAs will provide whatever resources and assistance which can bemobilized locally from county assets and from other Cities and Special Districts withinthe county. Should additional resources and assistance be needed, the OA will requesthelp from the state Governor's OES. The state, in turn, will provide whatever resourcesand assistance thath can be procured from state assets. FEMA is contacted when the stateneeds assistance to handle the crisis. In some large states such as California, there is anintermediate level between the OAs and the Governor's OES for better efficiency inresponse efforts. In California, the Coastal Region is comprised of the sixteen coastalcounties from Del Norte to Monterey. Any assistance requests from the Humboldt OA godirectly to the Coastal Region which immediately canvasses the sixteen coastal countiesfor needed resources and assistance. Should more assistance be needed, the CoastalRegion will contact the Governor's OES in Sacramento which will, in turn, canvass theother Regions in the State. The Humboldt County OES manages the OA response fromthe Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located in the basement of the CountyCourthouse in the old Civil Defense Shelter. The EOC consists of a large room area for displaying/exchanging information and smaller room areas for specific applicationsdepending on the need.http://co.humboldt.ca.us/sheriff/oes/ …Floodwater levels are closely monitored by local, state, and federal agencies. Historicflooding events have generally defined the area limits of water intrusion into thecountryside. As water levels approach those limits, a coordinated warning system assistslocal agencies and the public in general to prepare for evacuation and begin floodfightingefforts. This concerted effort usually results in property damage only with no loss of life.However, as happened in 1955 and in 1964, loss of human and animal lives and extensive property damage sometimes does occur. Because of past experience and ongoingemergency management planning efforts, local, state, and federal agencies located inHumboldt County are well-prepared to assist Humboldt County residents during floodevents. Inundation areas are generally well-defined, evacuation destinations and routes

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