(November 24th WSB/WCN photo by Patrick Sand)
The night of the November 24th house fire that killed 71-year-old Peggy Munsen, we heard from her friend Lissa Stephens, who explained she had seen the WSB coverage and went to the scene to tell authorities she knew the victim’s identity – since she wasn’t sure they would be able to reach Ms. Munsen’s out-of-town family. As a result of that, Lissa and her husband wanted to share information to make sure that others could be sure that their families could be reached in case of tragedy or disaster. Here’s their message to you:

A Note to Our Friends and Neighbors of West Seattle and beyond –

Our friend Peggy Munsen passed away tragically from a fire in her home on November 24th. To quote her sister, Kay, “Peggy was a friend to all.” She was a wonderfully sweet and kind lady with a wicked sense of humor and a hearty laugh that could make you laugh; a dear friend who will be greatly missed.

When we first saw the article about the fire on the Blog, all I could think of was “How would they find her sisters to let them know she passed?” and so we (my husband and I) raced over to Peggy’s that night and gave the fire commander the contact information, who then contacted her sister, Kay, of Bremerton.

With Peggy’s passing, it became very apparent to us that very few people would know how to reach our families (all out of town) if such circumstances were to happen to us.

I would like to ask everyone to take a few minutes to really consider the importance of having an emergency contact information sheet. In the last few days I have asked several of my friends “If you perished in a house fire, how would people know how to notify your next-of-kin?” Nobody had a good answer, me included. Our hope is that this small note will get people thinking and taking action to make sure their emergency contact information is in order and with a neighbor, a copy in the freezer or with friends.

Here is a sample template of an emergency contact sheet that is downloadable and alterable to fit your family and circumstances. site.beaniedesigns.com/blog/emergency-contact-sheet-template

There are many samples on the internet, most free. In our case we will also include our pets and any medications.

It is also suggested to put a contact listing in your cell phone titled “ICE” – in-case-of-emergency, with important contact information and phone numbers.

During this busy holiday season please take a few minutes to update your emergency information.

Be grateful for your friends and family who are still with you.
Wishing everyone safe and happy holidays!

Lissa and Bill Stephens

As noted in Ms. Munsen’s obituary, published here earlier this morning, her memorial service is at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church tomorrow.

Anyone spotting oil skimming vessels, containment boom and other response equipment on the west side of Blake Island in Puget Sound Wednesday Oct. 24 shouldn’t be alarmed.

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is testing the ability of six area oil companies to mount a rapid, aggressive and well-coordinated response to a major oil spill in central Puget Sound.

No oil will be discharged during the drill.

Harley Marine Services is sponsoring the multi-party oil spill preparedness drill with its cleanup contractor Marine Spill Response Corp. MSRC is a private, non-profit company supported by oil terminal and shipping company members.

More details, including “who’s participating,” ahead:

The news release from Ecology continues:

MSRC will deploy four skimming vessels, response boats, aircraft, boom and other equipment as part of the simulation.

Representatives from Ecology will be out on the water to observe and evaluate the Oct. 24 exercise. The drill will test how well the companies can work together to keep oil out of nearby environmental, economic and culturally sensitive areas and clean up the spill.

Under state law, oil tankers and fuel barges, refineries, liquid fuel pipelines, large oil-handling facilities, commercial cargo and fish-processing vessels and passenger ships must have oil spill readiness – or contingency – plans to operate in Washington.

Larger ships and facilities also must practice their spill contingency plans in addition to regularly updating them. By participating in the drill, the companies will fulfill part of Washington’s oil-spill preparedness requirements.

In addition to Harley Marine, a Seattle-based tug and barge company that transports petroleum products for oil companies operating in Puget Sound, other participating companies receiving drill credit include:

Alaska Tankers Co. – Operates oil tankers that deliver Alaska crude oil to Puget Sound refineries.

Paramount Petroleum Richmond Beach Asphalt Terminal – Produces and ships paving and industrial asphalts; facility also stores and distributes oil.

Shell Seattle – Fuel storage and distribution terminal located on Seattle’s Harbor Island.

BP West Coast Products – Seattle Terminal – Fuel storage and distribution terminal located on Seattle’s Harbor Island.

Olympic Pipe Line Co. – Interstate liquid fuel pipeline system delivering gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel along a 299-mile corridor from Blaine to Portland.

11:11 AM: Fun morning so far at “Reach Out” – the volunteer-organized preparedness event happening till 2 pm at Arbor Heights Elementary (3701 SW 104th). We and others who are tabling and talking are in the school cafeteria; next door in the gym, presentations are happening almost continuously – here’s what’s still ahead:

Now till noon – JoAnn Jordan with SNAP! (Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare)
Noon-12:30 pm – Lunch break (Bigfood has a truck outside, selling lunch)
12:30-1:15 pm – Seattle Red Cross
1:15 pm-1:35 pm – Seattle Animal Shelter
1:35 pm-2 pm – Seattle Fire Department

Many other organizations are here too – including the volunteers behind the West Seattle Be Prepared Emergency Communications Hubs:

Each of those locations is a “hub” where preparedness volunteers will set up in case of disaster – know your nearest one, so you can go there and find out if all other channels of communication are down. Again, this is on till 2 pm – and we’re told a fire truck just arrived (for visits, not crisis) – looking out the window, we see it’s Engine 37 from Sunrise Heights:

More to come!

11:57 AM: Just wrapping up, the SNAP demonstration with JoAnn Jordan:

SNAP is a city-sponsored program with workshops around the city all year – keep an eye on their calendar to see when one’s coming to West Seattle. Back outside, Engine 37 continues to be a hit:

12:50 PM NOTE: Still time to come visit – the event’s on till 2, and the “preparedness with pets” presentation from the animal shelter at 1:15 pm is up next.

(Click image to get full-size flyer [PDF])
Tomorrow’s the day – whichever part of West Seattle you’re from, come on over to Arbor Heights Elementary (3701 SW 104th) and be part of “Emergency Reach Out.” The preparedness event is happening 10 am to 2 pm, but you can drop by for whatever amount of time you can spare, four minutes or the full four hours. The day starts with free espresso cart/treats 10 am-noon. You can stop by tables to meet, talk with, and/or gather information from organizations including: American Red Cross, CoolMom.org, Make It Through, Seattle Animal Shelter, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare (SNAP), Seattle Police Department‘s Living Room Conversations, Seattle Public Utilities, West Seattle Be Prepared, West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network, and the YMCA.

And us! (If you saw our previous story, one note: Our WSB-branded ice scrapers were held up at the factory, so we won’t have them tomorrow – sorry – but we hope to get them in time to bring them to our Pumpkin Bowling booth at next weekend’s Junction Harvest Festival.) Here’s the schedule, so far (doublecheck when you get there)

10:00 – 10:30 West Seattle Be Prepared
10:30 – 10:45 West Seattle Block Watch and Seattle Public Utilities
10:45 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:00 SNAP (Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare)
Noon – 12:30 Break
12:30 – 1:15 Red Cross
1:15 – 1:35 Seattle Animal Shelter
1:35 – 2:00 Seattle Fire Department

Also planned: The FREE latte and pastry cart from 10:00 to noon; snacks and grilled items available for purchase from BigFood Truck; raffle prizes and gifts. A fast, fun way to learn about being ready for big trouble from winter storms to earthquakes and beyond. AH neighbors got a city grant to put this on – so come get a life-saving lesson or two! Here’s a map – see you there!

(Click image to get full-size flyer [PDF])
On Saturday, October 20th, you have a chance to get ready for anything – winter weather, other types of emergencies/disasters – at a fun and important event in Arbor Heights; we at WSB are proud to be part of it. It’s the “Emergency Reach Out,” and it’s NOT your average “sit down and watch PowerPoints” type of event – it’s a place to get information, meet neighbors, learn, and enjoy. With treats! Here’s the plan:

Learn about emergency preparedness and connect with your community.

Arbor Heights Elementary School received an Emergency and Disaster Preparedness grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. As part of this grant they will be hosting an Emergency Preparedness Workshop Event at the school (3701 S.W. 104th Street) for parents and neighbors in the Arbor Heights area and surrounding communities in West Seattle and White Center on Saturday, October 20th, from 10:00 to 2:00.

What would you do if there was a natural disaster or emergency? Would you be prepared? What about your family, friends, and neighbors? Leaders and experts will provide you with the emergency preparedness know-how and tools to get you and your loved ones ready for the “just in case.”

These organizations will be there to provide vital information: American Red Cross, Cool Moms, Make It Through, Seattle Animal Shelter, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare (SNAP), Seattle Police Department’s Living Room Conversations, Seattle Public Utilities, West Seattle Be Prepared, West Seattle Blog, West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, and the YMCA.

There is no charge to attend and you do not need to live in the Arbor Heights area. People can attend all 4 hours or any portion of this time. The tentative schedule of presentations is as follows:

10:00 – 10:30 West Seattle Be Prepared
10:30 – 10:45 West Seattle Block Watch and Seattle Public Utilities
10:45 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:00 SNAP (Seattle Neighborhoods Activily Prepare)
Noon – 12:30 Break
12:30 – 1:15 Red Cross
1:15 – 1:35 Seattle Animal Shelter
1:35 – 2:00 Seattle Fire Department

FREE Latte and Pastry Cart from 10:00 to Noon.

Snacks and grill items available for purchase from BigFood Trucks.

Amazing Raffle Prizes and Gifts for attendees.

And if you didn’t get to the West Seattle Junction Car Show in time for the first-ever WSB-branded freebie – the lovely ice scrapers shown below – come to “Emergency Reach Out” to get one – we’ve ordered another couple boxes:

10 am-2 pm on Saturday, October 20th, Arbor Heights Elementary, 3701 SW 104th (map) – see you there!

Preparedness is for all ages – and that’s the lesson learned at Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) today. Students took to the field this morning for an earthquake simulation, complete with role-playing. Some students practiced first-aid, others practiced being patients, and John Zilke from the Burien Fire Department even came to help oversee (he’s at left in the photo below, with science teacher Kristin Moore):

For Explorer West, it was all hands on deck – in the field – including head of school Evan Hundley:

The drill is an EW tradition (here’s our report on the 2010 edition).

SIDE NOTE: The city has a variety of preparedness classes coming up in West Seattle – see the schedule here.

If you can spare a few hours next Saturday morning, the volunteer-run West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs would love to have your help as a “citizen actor.” It’s another drill – this time with a terrorism scenario – and two of the 11 West Seattle hubs are scheduled to be “activated,” along with at least 10 others around the city. The “hubs” are neighborhood spots designated as places you would be able to go to find information if some kind of disaster takes out the regular communications channels, and local volunteers “activate” them periodically in drills, to stay fresh with the procedures and skills that might have to be put to use someday. The drill is scheduled for Saturday (May 19th) 8:30-noon at hubs in High Point and Fauntleroy; to volunteer as a potential “citizen actor,” role TBA, please e-mail Cindi at cbarker@Qwest.net.

Today marks one year since the earthquake/tsunami disaster in Japan. To commemorate that, we are reminding you about West Seattle Be Prepared‘s neighborhood Emergency Communication Hubs – places to find information and to gather if disaster ever hits here. Look for the “hub” nearest to you on the map above; and explore West Seattle Be Prepared‘s other online resources. Meantime, here are today’s highlights, from the still-undergoing-renovations WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

MEET THE COFFEE VENDORS: If ever there was a morning calling for coffee, it’s the morning after the night you lose an hour of sleep. >PCC Natural Markets‘ West Seattle store (WSB sponsor) invites you to come in between now and noon to meet their coffee vendors and try samples. Details here.

SEATTLE BIKE EXPO CONTINUES: Not in West Seattle, but Cascade Bicycle Club is sponsoring WSB through today to invite West Seattle bicyclists to the Seattle Bike Expo – 9 am to 4 pm at Pier 91 in Magnolia (Smith Cove Cruise Terminal). See the schedule of speakers/events here.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm at 44th/Alaska. New at the market: Pampeana Empanadas with sweet or savory empanadas “that combine the traditional flavors of Argentina with the freshest northwest ingredients.”

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND PREPAREDNESS: No Japan-earthquake/tsunami anniversary events in West Seattle that we have heard of (it was one year ago today), but Seattle Center downtown is hosting a day of remembrance and preparedness starting at 10 am. All the information is here.

WINTER’S NOT OVER YET … NOR IS M2SO’S WINTER GEAR SALE: 11 am-5 pm, Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) is open at 3602 SW Alaska with its extended sale on winter gear – which it’s not too late to use, given how the season’s been going in the mountains!

TOXIC-FREE KIDS FAIR: Bring the family to find out how to reduce the toxics in your kids’ (and your!) lives. Learn how to select toxic free toys and care products for growing bodies. Bring a toy or product for instant analysis. Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) invites you to today’s free, fun event, 11 am-1 pm. Here’s our preview.

WINERY’S GRAND REOPENING CONTINUES: Cairdeas Winery celebrates its new wines and tasting-room reopening at 3400 Harbor Ave SW (street level of ActivSpace), noon to 5 pm.

CELEBRATE GIRL SCOUTS’ 100TH ANNIVERSARY: CAPERS in The Junction will be serving tea and Trefoils (the original Girl Scout Cookie) 1-3 pm, and Scouts from The French-American School of Puget Sound will be selling cookies. (One more week to go for the cookie sale in this region, by the way.)

LAST DAY OF THE BEER JUNCTION’S MOVING SALE: After today, The Beer Junction closes its original store at 4707 42nd SW, and gets ready to open (within the next two weeks or so) its new one – but first, a clearance sale, 10 percent off everything. Here’s our report from yesterday.

BARTON STREET P-PATCH: 1 pm-3 pm today, the gardeners are celebrating as they start official planting – peas in the P-Patch! 34th/Barton.

SAVE-THE-SALMON BENEFIT: Environmental advocates fighting against a mining project in Alaska are having a silent auction 1-6 pm at Beveridge Place Pub. Our friends at the West Seattle-based Washington Beer Blog wrote about it here.

BIKE-REPAIR EVENT IN WHITE CENTER: West Seattle and White Center bicycling experts team up once a month for DubSea Bikes, a chance to get minor bike repairs done for free – 2-4 pm at the White Center Food Bank‘s HQ, 8th and 108th, details here.

FIRST MATINEE FOR ‘LITTLE VOICE’: It’s the first Sunday matinee for ArtsWest‘s new production “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice,” 3 pm in The Junction.

ZUMBATHON AT THE Y: West Seattle Y (WSB sponsor) hosts a Zumbathon benefiting the Y’s Partners with Youth: 5 – 7 pm. $20/person, must have photo ID, no child care. From the announcement: “Every year the West Seattle Y Partners with Youth campaign raises over $400,000 to put into programs for West Seattle kids, youth and families. It’s our way of bringing the Y experience to all who want it. This year anyone can help by coming to our Zumbathon event, non-stop shaking for two full hours in the West Seattle Y gym. Come get your party on!”

Last weekend, canopies were up in the Fauntleroy Church parking lot for the Fauntleroy Fall Festival. Saturday, a very different kind of event – one of the periodic Emergency Communication Hubs drills, as part of West Seattle Be Prepared‘s ongoing readiness efforts. Appropriately enough, given the leaves covering the ground, the scenario (detailed here) this time around was a windstorm – folded within the context of a major onslaught of winter weather that started with freezing temperatures. “Hubs” are volunteer-run stations at preplanned locations that would coordinate communication in the event regular channels and methods are thrown into chaos by disaster – here’s the current map (from a preview on the WS Be Prepared blog-format website):

The hubs scheduled to participate in the Saturday drill – part of a larger citywide practice, since other neighborhoods now have “hubs” too – included Alki and North Delridge as well as Fauntleroy, which was led by Gordon Wiehler, sporting an official “hub cap”:

In addition to citizen volunteers who were role-playing in the disaster scenario, future volunteers were on hand too, like Katie (with Cooper):

Volunteers is the one thing WSBP can always use more of. Sometimes that includes people to be the official hub point person – just this week, while covering the Highland Park Action Committee‘s monthly meeting, we heard that neighborhood needs hub leadership help. Contact WSBP through the info here if you want to help in your neighborhood – even if it doesn’t have its own hub yet. P.S. One more preparedness note – Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare (SNAP) offers a free class at Southwest Library this Thursday night, as noted by WSBP.

While many of us have emergency plans in place for our families, most of us probably don’t have specific plans for our pets beyond grabbing them and running if disaster should strike. Members of the Washington State Animal Response Team (WASART), which focuses on animal safety and rescue, gave a presentation at the West Seattle Senior Center last night, sponsored by West Seattle Be Prepared, to provide information and resource sites for getting your pets as prepared for an emergency as the rest of the family.

WASART co-founder/president Gretchen McCallum, along with volunteer Ginger Dixon (R-L in photo), noted that the human/animal bond is never more important than in times of extreme stress, and WASART was created after stories of animals abandoned during Katrina were publicized. McCallum points out, “If it’s not safe for you to stay in your house, it’s not safe for your pets.”

Besides having enough food, water and medical supplies for your pet, McCallum focused on being able to identify your pet.

She said that post-Katrina, shelters were set up for unidentified animals. However, people running the shelters noticed that individuals were coming to the shelters and picking out the “bully breeds” such as pit bulls to use in dog fights, claiming, “That’s my dog.” One of McCallum’s recommendations is to have a photo taken of you with your pet, and having that photo on your cell phone and on the pet’s carrier. Also, take a look at emergency contact cards created by the American Veterinary Medical Association to help you gather contact information for your pets.

A very comprehensive document has been created by WASART to help you with getting a plan and supplies in place and can be found here. Besides cats and dogs, it covers birds (think of your urban chickens here too), reptiles and amphibians. Karen Berge of West Seattle Be Prepared mentioned she adds chemical hand-warming packets to her list to keep tropical fish or reptiles warm during transport.

We have typically been told to have three days’ worth of food/water/supplies on hand, but guidelines are being changed to warn people to have at least seven days’ worth of supplies. This goes for pets as well. Also, if you provide canned food for your pets, get the pop-top kind so you don’t have to search for the can opener. Adds Ginger Dixon: “Don’t put the stuff they don’t like in the emergency kit. If they don’t like it during the good times, they sure aren’t going to like it during the bad times.”

The key for animals is having a comprehensive plan in place to be able to relieve their stress levels during times of disaster or evacuation; from having multiple forms of pet identification and plenty of supplies, to having something that smells familiar in their crates.

More information, including upcoming trainings to participate in WASART’s rescue deployments, can be found on their website: Washingtonsart.org. Their website also provides many links to other local emergency management websites.

Finally: a good general tip from WASART is to create a list of contact numbers on your cell phone under the heading “ICE” or In Case of Emergency. McCallum says that the cell phone is often the first place responders look to contact someone who knows you.

SIDE NOTE: You may have heard of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act that was enacted post-Katrina, because of concerns that emergency responders were not allowed to rescue people’s pets during rescue efforts. The Michigan State University College of Law’s Animal Legal & Historical Center’s website states: “In order to qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, a city or state is required to submit a plan detailing its disaster preparedness program. The PETS Act would simply require that the State and local emergency preparedness authorities include how they will accommodate households with pets or service animals when presenting these plans to the FEMA.” Although there are supposed to be emergency evacuation plans that include pets, McCallum notes that there aren’t any hard and fast rules about this, therefore keeping our pets safe and sheltered is ultimately up to us.

The big line outside West Seattle’s Target store this morning was the result of an invitation sent out three weeks ago (here’s our version) – in honor of National Preparedness Month, Seattle Police and Target were teaming up to offer 100 families $100 each to put together their disaster kits.

All 100 slots filled up fast – and this morning, the people who got in on the offer got to go shop! Among them was the WSB’er who provided these photos. She adds: “I try to keep several days’ worth of food and water on hand for emergencies, and we have sleeping bags, but but there is no way I would have bought lantern/lamps and spare batteries without this program. Thank you, Target!” – and SPD, which explained the program in this SPD Blotter update published yesterday.

P.S. You’re not prepared till you know where your nearest Emergency Communications Hub is – find out (and access tons of other great info) via West Seattle Be Prepared. (We covered their special presentation about “pet preparedness” last night, and the story will be up soon.)

“DIY Seismic Home Retrofitting” – Experienced home retrofit contractors and experts will show participants how to assess and retrofit their homes using the City of Seattle’s free pre-engineered plans. This workshop is presented in partnership with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management and Seattle Department of Planning and Development. Registration is required; call the Seattle Office of Emergency Management at 206-233-5076 to register.
(three locations elsewhere in the city, plus …)
o 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Southwest Branch, 9010 35th Ave. S.W., 206-684-7455

For all the other workshops – which cover a wide range of topics from canning to chicken-raising to spreading the word citywide about the West Seattle Tool Library! – check out the news release.