From Bob Foster: More on Earthquakes

Howdy All,
Yep, here I go again, I’m ringin’ that bell!
(Almost) None of us have escaped hearing about the recent seismic events on the South American Continent, Chile and the surrounding areas.

Please read the following short article and please understand that this is not about fear, it is about readiness (preparedness) and that alone can take some time.
Please, take the time to have the conversation with others about being prepared and help others get ready if you can.  This is not to say that we will have the ‘big one’ today, but we are against the clock.
Bob Foster-Index Washington
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February 28, 2010, 6:29 pm
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
I’m dealing with a disaster of microscopic dimensions, being among the 200,000 households in the Northeast still lacking electricity, heat and flushing toilets three days after an astonishing  dump of snow (with several more days to go, supposedly).  But I’m able to get online long enough to reflect on the message sent to the Pacific Northwest from the great earthquake in the southern hemisphere.
…………………That message is a clear “get ready.”

The Pacific “ring of fire” doesn’t stop at the equator.  While my print story and post on quake threats last week focused on the seismic peril facing millions of poor people living in fast-growing cities in quake zones, there are plenty of prosperous places that have not adequately responded to their exposure to enormous, and inevitable, earthquake risk. A prime case in point is Oregon.

After the destruction of  hundreds of poorly built schools in China’s Sichuan province, I wrote repeatedly here and in print about similar vulnerability identified by engineers  and seismologists in that state, despite the clear record of devastating quakes and tsunamis generated by the Cascadia fault beneath the sea bed off the Northwest coast.  Read this recent warning from Patrick Corcoran, a hazards outreach specialist  with the Oregon Sea Grant program at Oregon State University:

…“The release of pressure between two overlapping tectonic plates along the subduction zone regularly generates massive 9.0 magnitude earthquakes –- including five over the last 1,400 years. The last ‘Big One’ was 309 years ago.  We are in a geologic time when we can expect another ‘Big One,’ either in  our lives or those of our children. Prudence dictates that we overcome our  human tendencies to ignore this inevitability.”…

The good news is that the state has recognized the problem and has found some  money to move forward with a plan to retrofit public schools and other important
public buildings (thanks to Yumei Wang from the state’s geohazards group for the alert on this). The bad news, of course, is that the seismic clock is ticking.
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PHOTOS: FIRE DEPT. 28 INDEX, SANTA PHOTOS

Well, to begin with we had a BLAST on December 20, 2009 from 11am to 2pm!  The Index Fire Department out did them self this year.  There were a lot of visitors and Santa passed out presents for the children.  We shot photos and more photos.

Those that want the full size photos of their family, without the frames or enhancements, contact the F.D.  They have it all on CD.  If you have a flash drive, please take it along to accommodate them.  You can have them printed elsewhere.

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Photos: DID YOU MISS THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT?

On December 10, 2009, the Index School held their annual Christmas Bake Sale and the children from the school put on an outstanding and fun filled play.

It’s a feat in itself keeping the kiddies organized.  We asked around to find out what the theme was this year and the response was just as much fun as everything else.  “What Are We Going To Do For a Christmas Play This Year” was the response from those involved.

The lighting of the tree in the park is another long standing tradition in this small town.  100+ people gathered ‘round the fire while others mulled around and made new friends during the lighting.

Fire District #28, along with Captain Ernie Walters, transported Santa to the park in a shiny red fire engine with lights and sirens blaring.  Everybody, young and old was welcome to sit on Santa’s lap.

All participants enjoyed hot cider and tea along with some of the fresh baked goodies that were on sale as a fund raiser for the school.  There’s nothing that says Christmas is here, like gatherings in small towns.

P.S. – Outdoor photos are courtesy Dana Starfire, Postmaster, Index, WA.

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Photos: A Ride to Reiter Pit

We took a ride this morning to see if the Pit is being policed and taken care of until it reopens.

Beer cans were laying around but everything is blockaded.

We took a few snapshots for you though. It was a foggy morning and a bit chilly but the sun was out in areas and the ride, all 4 miles of it from Index up Reiter Road, was a pretty ride.

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Photos: End Of Tree Life in Doolittle Park

The Town had to remove a tree at Dolittle Park.  As Bill Cross put it, the tree was forked and had to go.

Below are some “late” photos of the work being done.

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Photo: Index Town Climbing Wall

A quick snapshot of the Index Town Climbing wall.  The photo depicts the 3rd snow on the wall in November.

Kaiya – The Town Saint

We are going to keep this short even though there is much to say.

Kayia was the “Town Dog” more or less. More because many tended to her, less because she was her own boss and did as she pleased.

Kayia nipped somebody in the leg over a week ago and she had to be put into an animal control shelter for evaluation. Plans were in the works to put her up at Yvonne’s house, fenced in to avoid future issues.

I guess you could say it was blind luck that she was put into the shelter. The vet found many things wrong with her and her health was failing.

The short of the story is, Kayia was euthanized today at noon. Our former animal control officer, Angel, was at hand for this sad event. Angel volunteered to pay for Kayia’s cremation and Kayia’s remains will be brought back to her stomping grounds and buried on Wes Smith’s property, the man that Kayia loved so dearly. They were best friends.

Photo Story: FEBRUARY FIRE WAS REALLY A MIRACLE

Back on February 2, 2009, a miracle happened on Index-Galena Road on the North Fork of the Skykomish River.  Those were the words of Kelly Rose Schmidt, the petite pretty woman who lost her home and suffered severe burns to her hands and face in an explosion that burned her new 5th wheel to the ground.

“I was cooking one of my favorite snacks in the toaster oven, spam on toast, and it just happened.  The timer went off, the elements in the stove shut off and I opened the toaster oven door.  Little did I know that there was a faulty seal in my fuel tank.  My oven was in a closed cabinet and when I opened the oven door the elements were still glowing.  As I opened the enclosure that the toaster oven was in, the fumes were drawn in from the propane tank.  There was no BOOM, no warning, just a WHOOSH then my arms and face were engulfed in flames.”  Schmidt suffered severe 2nd degree burns to one hand, 2nd degree burns to the other hand and 1st degree burns to her face.  If it wasn’t for her jacket covering her arms, it would have been much worse.

23-year-old Schmidt escaped with her life, which was just the beginning of what she calls a miracle.  The trailer was a total loss (see photos at bottom).  While this webmaster was interviewing Schmidt, she found a burned up knife that her father had given her years ago.  Kelly said with a twinkle in her eyes, “See, another miracle”.

“People that were my friends turned out to be just my buddies and all of my buddies turned out to be friends”.  It took 14 years and a fire to figure that out.  “I had to recuperate from my burns while staying with my brother and his wife for two months in Gold-Bar.”

The Index Café held a spaghetti feed with a suggested $5.00 donation.  Schmidt stated she had so many pain killers in her at the time that it’s kind of foggy, but she remembers being at the Café.  Clothes, money, flatware, bedding and much more were donated to help her get back on her feet but the question still remained, “how do I rebuild?”

More miracles.  One person whom we spoke to ( he called him self JOHN DOE, a volunteer at the Index Fire Department) donated a very large amount of building materials, time, labor and many, many others donated time, food and labor along with more materials to get Schmidt started in her rebuilding phase 2 weeks ago.  Schmidt says she has shed a lot of tears, some out of fear of the unknown but most are tears of joy from all the help she has received.  “Today August 22, 2009,  the roof should be completed but there is much more to do”.

“I’m trying to scrape enough money together to buy sheetrock, flooring and siding.  I also need a dump truck of gravel for the road now.  It’s coming together piece by piece but I have a lot of worries with winter coming soon” Schmidt stated.

“I do want to say thank you to all those that have helped me.  I don’t know what I would have done without my friends and two employers that donated so much”.   “The fire was the most wonderful thing that has happened to me in my life.  I now know my strengths but most of all I know who my friends are”.

Do you want to be a part of this miracle and help Kelly?  Click the CONTACT US button. We will put you in contact with her or if you prefer, we can to it anonymously.

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Photo: From The Estate of Ruby Egbert

Photo is below article.

The historical society received an album of photos in July from the estate of Ruby Egbert, a noted Olympia area ornithologist, who grew up in Index. This photo confirms the verbal description and drawing offered years ago by Wes Smith. We had despaired on ever finding a photo of this. The base unit of granite on the right side of the scene was returned to its proper location on the west end of town a number of years ago. The tall granite pillar and one of the base units were long ago removed to become a memorial in front of the Sportsmen’s Club. The location of the other pillar is unknown at this time. It is presumed that the wood cross piece rotted long ago.

We hope that people will visit the museum this summer to see not only this but a recent donation by the Webber family of a painting by their uncle, Arne Jensen. That painting depicts the quarry saw (now in the park) as it appeared with all of its mechanical workings at the quarry in 1950.  We also have scanned a large collection of postcards related to Index from the collection of David Heckman. See all when the museum is open each weekend through September from Noon to 3:00 p.m.

Louise Lindgren
FRIENDS of HEYBROOK RIDGE
Cooperating with Snohomish County Parks
to develop this forested ridge for a public
educational trail system.
http://www.heybrookridge.org

Click photo to view full size.

Ruby Egbert Courtesy Photo

Photos-Index Arts Festival – August 1, 2009

Well, the Arts Festival has come and gone. It was quite a day and this webmaster spent almost the whole day there roaming and visiting and helping his wife display her wares.

We met a lot of very nice artists and all in all it appears as though EVERYBODY that came to the Festival had a great time.

We thank Yvonne Lawson, President, for working so hard throughout the year to put together such a gang-buster event.

Here are some photos for you to check out:

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