Damage from the January16-23 Weather Event

(Yakima, WASH-)
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has two loan programs which may assist victims of disasters. These are the Physical Disaster Loan Program, which basically requires that 25 residences and/or businesses suffer uninsured loss in excess of 40%; and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which can be requested if 5 or more businesses suffer economic harm from the event, even if they’re physically undamaged. (The latter program is not very well known).


I’m attaching a short survey form for use in supporting an EIDL request. If you believe your businesses in Yakima County was affected by the January 16-23 weather event, please report the impact.                                                           ###
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ESTIMATED DISASTER ECONOMIC INJURY WORKSHEET FOR BUSINESSAccurate responses to the questions below will assist in evaluating a request for a declaration of
disaster.(Please complete and email to : oem@co.yakima.wa.us or post by standard mail to :Y.V.O.E.M ,128 N. 2nd street, suite 110 Yakima, WA 98901)
1. Name of Business Owner:

Name of Property Owner:

Business/Property Address:

Mailing Address:

Telephone Numbers: Business: (    )________                   Home: (      )____________

2. Estimated Adverse Economic Impact:

What period of time was your business affected by the disaster? to

MO/YR MO/YR

Estimate approximate dollar amount of gross sales/receipts for:


Disaster Period $

Corresponding Period Previous Year $

3. Business interruption insurance received or anticipated: $

4. Brief explanation of what adverse economic effects the disaster had on your business:


5. How many persons did you employ prior to the disaster?


How many persons did you employ after the disaster?


If your business also suffered a physical loss, answer the following questions:
6. Estimated dollar loss to:

Real Property (building), if owned: $

Personal property (machinery and equipment,

Furniture and fixtures, inventory, leasehold improvements, etc): $

7. Insurance recovery received or anticipated for physical damage: $

Signature of Business Owner/Representative Date_____________________________

Winter Readiness Reminders



 Yakima, WASH- The State Enhanced 911 Office and local telephone carriers remind citizens in the affected area:



 To stay off the telephone unless you have a critical need to make a telephone call. Remember a FAX or a computer also uses a telephone line and its use may affect your ability to get immediate help in a life-threatening emergency.


 DO NOT call 9-1-1 unless you need an emergency response from police, fire or emergency medical personnel. DO NOT call 9-1-1 unnecessarily. 9-1-1 lines must be kept open for people who have a true emergency.


 If you experience other types of problems not related to these emergency services, call the appropriate telephone number for those services.


 If you pick up your telephone to make a call and do not hear dial tone, DO NOT HANG UP. Simply wait a few seconds, and you will get dial tone and be able to make your call.


Residents in the state should consider the following preparedness actions:


 Listen to radio or television stations for local information and weather reports.


 Do not use charcoal or gas grills to cook or heat indoors.


 If you must travel, assemble an emergency auto kit, stay on main roads, follow traffic instructions.


 If the power goes out, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to keep food frozen up to two days.


 Provide assistance to your neighbors, especially the elderly or disabled.
 
   Winter weather could mean power outages and increased chances of carbon monoxide poisoning. That kind of poisoning is the result of poorly ventilated generators or using charcoal or gas grills to cook or heat indoors. For more information about how to prepare for winter storm power outages and avoid carbon monoxide hazards, check these web links from Washington Emergency Management Division:



• http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_infocus_winter2011.shtml


• http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_infocus_winter2011.shtml#COSafety


• http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_infocus_winter2011.shtml#PowerLines


• http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_infocus_winter2011.shtml#FoodSafe



Prevenga el Envenenamiento de Monóxido de Carbón
¿Qué es el monóxido de carbono?

In Spanish /Espaniol

Unwanted Guests

Northwest Farm and Ranch Report / KayDee Gilkey

January 05, 12

The Northwest’s high quality soil which makes our agriculture so productive is also conducive to cultivating higher quality, and therefore more expensive, marijuana. Drug trafficking organizations have now found it easier, less dangerous, and more profitable to grow closer to their market in the Pacific Northwest, especially in rural areas.


CR Katlin, Homeland Security Planner for the Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management, shares what the challenges are monitoring large geographic area owned by multiple jurisdictions.

   "Eastern Washington offers the narco-criminals a vast rural region of private agricultural, tribal, state and federal lands. These mostly un-patrolled sanctuaries are the home of undermanned/ underfunded county and tribal law enforcement agencies. With in Yakima County alone there are 15 municipal jurisdiction, eight counties on the border, one sovereign nation, 806 square miles owned by Feds and 363 square miles owned by state. All this makes for an abundance of jurisdictionally hazy border lands to set up grow operations.”

Katlin says a property owner’s discovery of any unfamiliar fertilizer, garden hoses,camouflage netting, "Keep Out" signs, guard dogs or unusual structures can indicate the presence of a marijuana grow operation. He urges property owners NOT to investigate any suspicious activity but rather to report it immediately to local or state law authorities.



Click on the play button to listen to report.

Download Report: 01-05-12NWFR Unwelcome GuestsWEB.mp3

Is Your Farm or Ranch Disaster-Ready?

Northwest Farm and Ranch Report/Date: January 03, 12
by KayDee Gilkey
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No one can predict when disaster or an emergency will strike. However, farmers, ranchers and other business owners can be prepared for possible disruptions by creating a business continuity plan.


KR Catlin, Homeland Security Planner for the Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management, explains some of the pieces of a standard Continuity of Operations Plan (or COOP).

"The things to look for in your COOP plan is to train family or employees on a regular basis about what to do during a disaster or emergency. Acquiring and maintaining needed safety equipment and emergency supplies that you would need for your family or to keep your operation going. Showing your family or employees how to be prepared at work and at home so they are better equipped to help the farm respond and recover from an emergency or disaster. You need to Identify the key assets, people, or resources that if lost would shut your operation down; and then plan on how to eliminate some of that risk if they are lost. Also you need to conduct and assess regular evaluations by just sitting down with family/ employees and asking, 'what would you do?' to determine the readiness of your farm or facilities."

Catlin stresses it is important to consider your region and what type of disasters would most likely impact your business and then plan accordingly. A free online resource www.readyrating.org is designed to help interested businesses develop COOP plans.

Click on the play button to listen to report.
Download Report: NWFR01-03-12COOPweb.mp3