Living on the Peninsula - Winter '08 by Port Townsend Leader

WINTER 2008

EMERGENCY RESPONSE: Pg.10 0

Brain attack Time is of the essence for stroke victims

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Not just putting out fires Port Angeles Fire Department

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Sequim Fire Rescue on duty 24/7 Preparing for the worst with the best Jefferson County Emergency Operations Center plans, trains and drills with an exceptional team

Multitasking is the of| the LIVING ONname THE PENINSULA WINTERgame | DECEMBER 2008

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LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

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LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

14 28 9 34

DEPARTMENTS Winter nter Recreation 9 Win A finne snow hike – on spatulas Health & Fitness 13 He The connection between nutrition

& Soul 41 Heart The hope that we don’t see New Life 46 Your Choosing patience and presence

and winter depression

24 The art of pairing food and wine Food & Spirits

Pathways 27 Peninsula Local hangout: Public beach access a favorite with dog owners

52 Events Calendar Living End 54 The The aftermath of a tragedy & Then 56 Now Photographic journal

Gardening 28 Good Nature’s amber aristocrat

SPOTLIGHT Brain attack 10 Time is of the essence for stroke victims

for the greatest good 38 Forests The difficult balances of

19 38

ecological management

Song 14 Bird Walkin’ the walk with Bob Boekelheide, Director of the Dungeness River Audubon Center

19 Port Angeles Fire Department

Not just putting out fires

Fire Rescue 30 Sequim on duty 24/7 and his toys; 34 Aa boy man and his machines

End Volunteer 40 West Ambulance Corps for the 43 Preparing worst with the best Jefferson County Emergency Operations Center plans, trains and drills with an exceptional team

Multitasking is the 48 name of the game

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

On the cover: Port Angeles firefighters swap out air tanks during a tire and debris fire at an illegal dump site, Eclipse Industrial Parkway, U.S. Highway 101, Port Angeles. Cover photo by Jay Cline

Contributors!COLUMNISTS Patricia Morrison Coate is the award-winning editor of Living on the Peninsula magazine. She has been a journalist since 1989 and earned degrees in Spanish from Eastern Michigan University and Indiana University. Coate joined the Sequim Gazette in 2004 as its special sections editor and can be reached at patc@ sequimgazette.com.

Chris Cook is the editor and publisher of the Forks Forum and a resident of Forks. He is the former editor of The Garden Island newspaper in Kauai, Hawaii, and the author of “The Kauai Movie Book” and other regional bestsellers in Hawaii. Cook is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and a veteran surfer who is attempting to adapt to the cold water waves of the Olympic Peninsula. Michael Dashiell is sports editor for the Sequim Gazette. A graduate of Western Washington University’s journalism program, Dashiell has won numerous regional awards for photography and sportswriting, including Washington

Newspaper Publisher Association’s 2006 Sports Portfolio award. Dashiell can be reached at miked@sequimgazette.com.

Karen Frank received her master’s degree in transforming spirituality from Seattle University. She is a writer and spiritual director in Port Townsend. Reach her at kdf1404@olypen.com or www.yourlife assacredstory.org.

Beverly Hoffman

writes a gardening column for the Sequim Gazette that appears the first Wednesday of each month. She is an enthusiastic longtime gardener and she can be reached via e-mail at columnists@sequimgazette.com.

Samaya Jones is a natural foods personal chef with a degree in viticulture and winemaking. She offers natural foods education, shopping and preparation and can be reached at samayaj@yahoo.com.

226 Adams St. Port Townsend, WA 98368 360-385-2900 Fred Obee fobee@ptleader.com

lic Information Officer/Public Education Specialist for East Jefferson Fire Rescue and also serves as the PIO for the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management. She is a certified Emergency Program Manager. A former newspaper publisher/editor and award-winning journalist, Keplinger worked as a public affairs officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency for nearly 10 years prior to joining EJFR.

writing and the arts and recently has forayed into combining the two in freelance articles. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Marylhurst College in Marylhurst, Ore., and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Hayward State University in California. She works as a nurse at Olympic Medical Center. She also volunteers at The Dungeness Valley Health and Wellness Clinic and for The North Olympic Library System Outreach Program.

Jerry Kraft is a playwright, poet and theater critic. His poetry collection, “Rapids,” was published in 2004. He reviews Seattle theater productions for SeattleActor.com and the national theater Web site AisleSay.com. In addition to his writing and photography, he teaches memoir writing at the YMCA in Port Angeles where he lives with his wife, Bridgett Bell Kraft, and their daughters, McKenna and Luxie.

Fred Obee is a longtime Pacific Northwest journalist. He graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham with a degree in journalism and has edited weekly, twice-weekly and daily newspapers from Puget Sound to Northern California. Currently he is the general manager of the Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader and can be reached at fobee@ptleader.com.

Ruth Marcus, M.A., Ph.D., has a private counseling practice in Sequim. Visit www.wideawakepublishing.com to view her book, “Inspiration.” Her Sequim Gazette column appears the third Wednesday of each month. She can be reached at 360-681-2205 or via e-mail at rmarcus@ olypen.com.

Cathy Shoaf moved to Sequim in 1991 from Portland, Ore. She likes to dance, fly-fish and spin, weave and knit with wool. She has two grown daughters. As Cathy Van, she wrote the Chasing Trails hiking column for the Sequim Gazette in the 1990s. She has been the Gazette’s copy editor since 1993.

Design

Keppie Keplinger is the Pub- Kelly McKillip always has loved

Shawn Arrington

Cathy Clark earned a bachelor’s

In Memorium, 1950-2008

degree in art from Calvin College, which led to a career in advertising design. She has been an award-winning graphic designer for the Sequim Gazette since 2004. She enjoys traveling and reading history in her free time. Clark can be reached at production@sequimgazette.com.

On Oct. 18, 2008, our Living on the Peninsula colleague and friend Shawn Arrrington lost an 18-month hard-fought battle with an aggressive form of breast cancer. We miss her talents, her humor and her goodness. Shawn Arrington was the art director/production manager for the Sequim Gazette for 15 years, winning many awards for advertising and editorial design layouts. She graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara where she earned a degree in art. She enjoyed oil pastels and painting in her free time.

Melanie Reed is the awardwinning lead designer for Living on the Peninsula. She has been a graphic designer for the Sequim Gazette since May 2004. She has a bachelor’s degree in drawing from Western Washington University. Reed can be reached at production@sequimgazette. com.

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Winter RECREATION

A ﬁne snow hike [on spatulas] By Michael Dashiell

I’m

not no n ot su ssure sur ure re h how ow dducks ow ucks uc ks do do it it — having havvin ing never ing neeve n ver bbeen be een en a duck du ucck myself myyse self lf — but lf but ut I imagine ima magi g nee iit’s t’t s a little lilitt itt ttle le awkward aaw w wkw kwarrd ha kw kwar having avi vin ving ngg tthose hossee rrather ho athe at her large, laarg rge, e, flopp e, ooppy ppyy pp webbed feet ffor walking lkk around. d Yeah, I know: ducks have webbed feet for a purpose and the average anas platyrhynchos gets good use in water. On land, it’s a bit amusing to watch them waddle around. So it is with snowshoeing, I’m learning, particularly for those who are doing it for the first time or the first time in several years. With just a modest rental at Brown’s Outdoor store in Port Angeles (112 W. Front St., 457-4150), my wife, Patsene, and I headed up to Hurricane Ridge with a set of snowshoes ($10 for each pair for the day, $8 each day after) that look very different from the converted tennis rackets I had in mind. Snowshoes now are multicolored, trendy and look a bit like sports cars with straps for one’s feet. I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked, but I got most of my visions of Christmas from a big, well-worn Norman Rockwell book. Time to adjust to the 21st century, I guess. Buying snowshoes outright also can be very pricey, ranging from $80-250, so I thought we’d borrow first to try ’em out. With enough snow on the ground, trails near Hurricane Ridge’s Visitor Center are a great place to try out the waddlers. Make sure, though, you are well-prepared. Know the conditions on the ridge (417-1542 or hurricaneridge.net or nps.gov/ olym/wic/conditions.htm) before you go and treat it as if you’re cross country skiing. The simple walking motions exaggerated by the planks on your feet make for a good, aerobic exercise, but you don’t want to overheat. Bring breathable gear and a backpack with ample water. Patsene and I like to tote a lunch along on our hikes, find a secluded ridge and wolf down turkey wraps, cookies and chai tea. From the visitor’s center, a snowshoer has several decent options. Hurricane Hill Trail begins at the end of Hurricane Ridge Road. A steady, 1.5-mile path leads to the top of the hill where hikers view the majesty of Port Angeles’ downtown and the Victoria, British Columbia, ferry through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Patsene and I eagerly launched onto this trail and found the first few steps uneasy. With a decent pair of snowshoes and hardpack below us, though, the waddle became a walk and eventually a hike. “Like walking with spatulas on your feet,” Patsene joked.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Yeah Ye eah ah,, but bbu ut it’s itt’s’s just jus ust st a plain pllai plai ain mess mess me ss the th hee other oth theerr way. way ay Try ay. Try wiping Tr wippiingg the wi the he Yeah, ccaake ke bowl bow wl clean clea cl ean an with wiith w th a snowshoe. sno nowsh wsh ws hooee.. D oesn oesn oe sn’tt wo sn’t w ork. I ttried. or ried ri ed d. cake Doesn’t work. H rr Hu rric ican a e Hill Hillll provided provi vide ded d a great grea gr eat spot spot for for a bit bit of of tea teea and and a Hurricane b We chatted h d a bit b withh a Boy Scouts leader l d from f d ll bite. Woodinville who brought two dozen youths to the ridge for the day. They made it up the hill. Patsene and I, sorry to say, did not have the inclination for the inclination. For us, the ridge’s rolling slopes were quite enough. Early in the season Hurricane gets a mix of snow conditions, but that won’t greatly change the effectiveness of the shoes. Snowshoes work by displacing one’s weight over a greater area than one’s boot or shoe. The result is a bit of sinking, but most of you stays atop the snow’s surface. That feeling of floating makes for one enjoyable ride, particularly on a clear Washington afternoon. Another spot to snowshoe at Hurricane Ridge is the Meadow Loop trails, just north of the visitor’s center. They offer city parklike paths for wandering through a sub-alpine environment. The thick bundles of wildflowers in summer are packed well below the snow. The trail continues to Klahhane Ridge, one that offers breathtaking views of the strait to the north and several Olympic Mountain peaks to the south. Beware of the uneasy footing along Klahhane trails without snow: The fall is a quick, steep one. The last time Patsene and I shuffled along Klahhane Ridge, we were treated to the unusual prayers and religious devotionals of a men’s church group from Mexico. We never actually saw them, but we saw their bus and heard their chorus from a Hurricane Ridge peak. More challenging hikes include the Switchback Trail, which actually starts two miles from the ridge lodge at Third Peak Trailhead. This path does more than 20 switchbacks, taking hikers to the top of Klahhane Ridge. Add to that a 5.2-mile day hike to Mount Angeles. At 5,850 feet, Mount Angeles offers impeccable views in all directions. Follow the trail from the Hurricane Ridge for 2.2 miles to the unmarked but well-worn summit trail. It also connects to the Switchback Trail and Klahhane Ridge. But snowshoe users looking just to cruise around should be satisfied with Hurricane Hill and Meadow Loop areas. The views are spectacular, the snow is generally deep enough to make the hike interesting and it keeps you close to your ride home. That’s a nice aspect when you find you’ve been trying to run with kitchen utensils on your feet.

Snowshoeing at Hurricane Ridge How long: As long as you’d like. Hurricane Hill is 1.5 miles, Klahhane Ridge 2.3 miles and Switchback Trail is 2.6 miles. How hard: Varies depending on the snow, wind conditions. On average, moderate to difficult. Snow covers many of the standard trail markings. Trails near the center are easy to moderate. How to get there: From downtown Sequim, take U.S. Highway 101 west to Port Angeles. Turn left on Race Street and follow that as it changes to Mount Angeles Road and then Hurricane Ridge Road. From downtown Port Angeles to the ridge is about 17 miles. Guided snowshoe walks: For individuals or families — 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Monday holidays, Jan. 3-March 29; also 2 p.m. Jan. 1 and Jan. 2. Participation is limited, so visitors should register at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center information desk 30 minutes before the scheduled walk; a $5 donation is suggested. For groups — 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Groups must make advanced reservations. All walks are 90 minutes long and less than a mile in length. Call 565-3136.

Brain attack

Time is of the essence for stroke victims

East Jefferson paramedics, hospital focus on rapid assessment By Keppie Keplinger Public information officer East Jefferson Fire Rescue

Annie

had been working in the garden, not doing anything particularly strenuous, when a severe headache suddenly hit her. She stopped what she was doing, intent on going into the house to rest and get a cup of tea. She never made it that far. Annie, (not her real name), a 53-yearold Port Townsend resident, had suffered a stroke. Luckily, her husband was home at the time, just heading out to the garden to see her progress in the flowerbeds. Instead, he found Annie lying on the ground unconscious. When he couldn’t immediately revive her, he called 9-1-1. East Jefferson Fire Rescue (EJFR) medics were dispatched to Annie’s house. The 9-1-1 dispatch operator provided them with as much information as possible regarding Above: To make the most of every moment, Annie remains on the stretcher and is taken directly to the Annie’s condition based on her husband’s hospital’s CT scanner by East Jefferson Fire Rescue EMT Curtis Sanders where staff has been alerted of her arrival. Both paramedics and stroke team members remain with Annie so she can return to the emergency answers to the dispatcher’s questions. room after her rapid CT scan. The scan is read immediately and is simultaneously faxed to Swedish Hospital’s The information shared with the dis- Stroke Unit for a confirming diagnosis. patcher is relayed to the responding medic EJFR medics quickly confer with Jefferson with thrombolytics (clot busters) and requires unit and frequently can include things about the patient’s ongoing health issues (diabetes, can- Healthcare’s emergency room physician who surgical intervention. If the scan shows no free cer, heart problems, for example) that help the alerts the hospital’s stroke team of the incoming blood, Annie’s change in mental status likely is due to a small clot that is obstructing blood flow patient even before the medics arrive. Some of a patient. Annie is moved rapidly to the ambulance to her brain. patient’s pre-existing conditions may be responwhere paramedics continue their assessment sible for current problems. Upon arrival, the medics assess Annie’s condi- and begin treating her. Another call is made to Time is critical “A very important thing for a patient or a tion and gather more information from the report- Jefferson Healthcare and all of Annie’s vitals and her neurological status are given to the waiting bystander to note is the time the first signs or ing party, in this case, her husband. Annie begins to come around but is confused, emergency room physician. Jefferson Healthcare’s symptoms appear,” said East Jefferson Fire Rescue her speech is slurred, she has facial droop and her stroke protocol is started and stroke team members Assistant Chief/EMS Gordon Pomeroy. “There is a grips are unequal. Although she tries several times, respond to the emergency department to meet the three-hour window of time that can mean the difference in saving a life and increasing the chances she is unable to sit up. The medics perform a quick paramedics who will be arriving within minutes. If free blood is found in the scan, the stroke is of a full neurologic recovery if the type of stroke stroke test and determine that Annie likely has classified as hemorrhagic and cannot be treated that occurred is the result of a blood clot.” suffered a stroke.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Telemedicine is coming to PT hospital Jefferson Healthcare has partnered with Swedish Hospital in Seattle to be the other end of its telemedicine system in assessing stroke patients. Telemedicine provides smaller hospitals with the advantage of having a room full of virtual specialists. Defined as the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications for the health and education of the patient or health care provider and for the purpose of improving patient care, telemedicine includes consultative, diagnostic and treatment services. This Internet-based system can reach a specialist with access to the Internet anyplace in the world. The specialist can evaluate the patient clinically using a Webcam and together with a faxed copy of the CT scan results, can assist the stroke team in the emergency room in determining if tPA is the appropriate treatment. The telemedicine system will be up and fully operational by January 2009, according to Jim DeCianne, Jefferson Healthcare’s director off emergency services.

On arrival at Jefferson Healthcare’s Emergency Room in Port Townsend, Annie is re-assessed by ER physician Dr. Guenther Muens who, in this case, agrees with the earlier diagnosis of stroke. Photos by Sam Neville

Patients who have been diagnosed as having had an embolic ischemic stroke, in which a blood clot obstructs blood flow, have been treated successfully with tissue plasminogen activator or tPA, also referred to as a clot buster. Not all patients are good candidates for tPA and not all strokes can be treated effectively with tPA. However, for those who are appropriate candidates, tPA can reverse the effects of the stroke almost entirely when treated within the three-hour window of time. Beyond that time period, tPA has not proved to be effective. Had the stroke team and consulting neurologist determined that Annie’s condition warranted her being transported immediately after being treated with tPA, she might have been airlifted to Swedish Hospital (weather permitting) or, in extreme cases, a nurse from the assessment team could have accompanied the patient and EJFR medics as she was transported by ground to Swedish. For Annie, time was critical and thankfully, the timelines were met. Today, after appropriate therapy, Annie is functioning normally, with no residual side effects from her stroke. Her garden looks lovely.

Nationwide, more than 700,000 people le in all age groups suffer strokes each year. Strokes okes are the third-highest cause of death in America rica and the No. 1 cause of disabilities. The highest hest risk factors for strokes are high blood pressure, ure, diabetes and smoking. For more information visit www.american an heart.org.

Signs, symptoms of a cerebrovascular accident or stroke Essentially, any sudden changes in thinking, feeling, moving, speaking, understanding or seeing could be the sign of a stroke. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, can be indicative of a stroke. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble seeing in one or both eyes, difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination or the sudden onset of a severe headache with no known cause all can be stroke warning signs. Not all the warning signs occur in every stroke. But don’t ignore any of the aforementioned signs even if they go away. Jefferson Healthcare Hospital in Port Townsend sees about 80 stroke/cerebrovascular (CVA) patients a year and a similar number of transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients.

Above: It was determined that Annie was a good candidate for tPA. The treatment was administered at Jefferson Healthcare Hospital and Annie was transported by EJFR to Swedish Hospital in Seattle for further care and observation.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Strokes are rarely painful so people don’t seek medical attention for symptoms such as dizziness or numbness in an arm that easily can be blamed on sleeping in an odd position.

Contributing to this story were Sam Neville, EJFR firefighter/ EMT/paramedic, and Jim DeCianne, Jefferson Healthcare director of emergency services.

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LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Health&FITNESS

The connection between nutrition

and winter

By Samaya Jones there is any doubt about winter being here, the storms and flood warnings have cleared them. Taken together with going to and from work in the dark, we are face to face with depression season. Now my dog looks out the window longingly and I look for places to walk her under tree cover. Is it time to get out the full spectrum lighting and the old standbys, St. John’s Wort and vitamin D? Well, I would like to suggest that there are other things to try in putting together your personalized winter mental health program. There is a great deal of research supporting nutritional approaches, but before going there, let’s give ourselves the exercise pep talk. Yes, we all know that we need more exercise. But in winter, it is even more critical to jump start all your systems. If you like to swim or do water aerobics, you know where to go for that. There are some other interesting classes too, such as yoga, Pilates and belly dancing! Do you hop on your bicycle whenever the sun peeks out? Getting outside, even for 10 minutes, resets your outlook. How about a rebounder (mini-tramp) in your home? Ten minutes of bouncing does miracles for the circulatory and lymphatic systems, as well as sore muscles and stiff bones. Do you have a positive morning routine? You could start with meditation, stretching and something other than a caffeinated drink. I recommend what I call my “morning gulp.” It consists of a couple of ounces of a low-sugar juice such as pomegranate, blueberry or cranberry, with an ounce of aloe vera juice (heals and cleans the digestive system), a liquid multivitamin and a dose of “green powder” (a powder of finely ground greens and other superfoods). This actually is not unpalatable and is a great start to the day, especially if you don’t like breakfast. OK. On to the nutritional stuff. People inclined toward SAD (seasonal affective disorder) tend to overeat in winter, especially starchy foods, and gain weight. There is some evidence that people with SAD process sugar differently than other people, which adds to the feeling of low

depression

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

energy. Cravings for sugar and carbohydrates can be fueled by hypoglycemia, candida (overgrowth of a naturally occurring yeast in the intestinal tract) or parasites, and all exacerbate swings in mood. Have these possibilities checked out by your health care provider — all can be tested with simple lab work. This brings me, as always, to gut health, because, no matter how well we eat, if we do not assimilate nutrients, we will not be healthy. Seratonin, one of the nutrients essential to mental health, is made primarily in the gut — a healthy gut. So, how is yours? If you have underlying issues of candida or parasites, it might be a good time to do a little cleanse and restore the intestinal environment. Along with a short, restricted diet, herbs and probiotic supplementation (the naturally occurring friendly bacteria found in the gut) can help. Now is a great time to try some new foods and experiment with diet. Diet does not have to be a bad word. It’s wildly fascinating to try foods from other cultures and create new ways to make old favorites without some of the offending foods (usually those high on the glycemic index, a ranking of carbohydrate foods). Think vital, energetic superfoods. Think plant-based, whole foods. Cultures with the lowest cancer and heart disease rates eat primarily plant foods, with minimal animal protein. Other considerations: Elevated levels of homocysteine

(an amino acid) have been associated with depression disorders and vitamin B complex contains nutrients that can lower homocysteine levels. Lack of essential fatty acids can contribute to depression — eat your salmon, take an omega supplement or lecithin. Studies indicate that levels of vitamins C and E are lower in people with depression. Note that these are two of the most powerful antioxidants as well. Can’t get enough vitamin C — it is water soluble and any excess will flush out of your system. When considering antidepressants, remember that drugs can take a toll on the liver. Any time you can get a nutrient from food rather than a supplement, it is more directly assimilated by the body. Real food is our primary sustenance. Enjoy it. Discover a new food a week: things like quinoa, a seed from South America that is a complete protein, cream soups from all sorts of vegetables, fava beans, agave syrup and xylitol for sweeteners. There are so many locally grown, whole foods in our area, from fish to fruit and veggies, to whole grain bakery goods, to raw milk with real cream on top! Visit the farmers market and support our local farmers while optimizing your winter health.

Samaya Jones is a personal chef offering natural foods education, shopping and preparation. She can be reached at samayaj@yahoo.com.

Walkin’ the walk with Bob Boekelheide, director of the Dungeness River Audubon Center By Kelly McKillip the din and whir of modern life we sometimes turn a deaf ear to the sotto voce of the natural world. Wednesday mornings at Railroad Bridge Park outside Sequim offers a splendid way to attune ourselves to nature’s song. The avian chorus takes center stage during this weekly event that has been a constant since Bob Boekelheide, the Dungeness River Audubon Center director and ornithology expert, started the first bird walk and count on Sept. 19, 2001. He made that opening hike alone, but since then a cast of 20 or so experienced birders and fledglings of all ages arrive to join in the fun and learning. Locals and visitors from distant lands, both human and avian, are likely to be present. The easy paced, half-mile amble begins at the Audubon Center building as Boekelheide teaches us the art of hearing and seeing the fauna and flora throughout Railroad Bridge Park. The park is maintained by a partnership of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, which owns the land, the River Center Foundation, the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society. Trains traversed the bridge that was built in 1915 until the last engine passed through in 1985. The first instruction we receive is: “Use those high powered optics that cost so much.” We then spot violet-green swallows zooming and swooping from the cleared area in front of the center. These highly adaptable birds chirp and twitter above us as Boekelheide tallies the bird count in his notebook and asks for a volunteer to help him keep track. Song sparrows serenade us with short notes

and trills. We are told that songs and staccato calls are the way birds communicate with each other to attract a mate, defend their territory or relay other information. In some species the complexity of the song is in direct proportion to their avian attractiveness. Perhaps birds also sing the praises of a joyful heart or lament a broken one, or like humans, sing simply because they can. We then traverse stage left into bushy terrain and hear the spotted towhee (no longer called rufoussided towhee), as he noisily hops to and fro stirring up tasty seeds and grubs, giving us an occasional glimpse of his dark orange flank. As we move toward the bridge, the accented high pitched notes of the warbling vireo announce his presence, although catching sight of the drab visitor is much more difficult. Our amiable host is ever ready with his field guide to show us an image of the elusive creature. The “fitz-bew” of a willow flycatcher is remarkable as it is an innate song, rather than learned like most bird melodies. This individualist arrives the latest and leaves the earliest of all the neo-tropical songbirds. Other songsters from the south include the chattering, bright yellow Wilson’s warbler that winters in Central America, the black headed grosbeak that spends the cold months in sunny Mexico, the pewee hailing from as far as Brazil Top left: Bald eagle and the Swainson’s thrush from the Amazon Rain Middle left: Sequim Mayor Laura Forest. Dubois sights birds As we cross the bridge, with director we’re instructed to peer over Bob Boekelheide. the rail hopefully to spy a Photo by Kelly McKillip dipper wading on the rocks, Bottom left: his clear, ringing song hard Red-tailed hawk

LIVING L VING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008 LI

Above: Swainson’s thrush Top middle: American Goldfinch Right: Birders enjoy a bird’seye view from Railroad Bridge. Far right: The Dungeness River provides an ideal habitat for the area’s birds.

to hear over the rush of the Dungeness River. As the only truly aquatic songbird in North America, the dipper catches most of his food while walking under water. In the deeper riparian woods lurks an inconspicuous brown creeper, propping himself up by the tail as his curved beak works the tree trunk. As we move beyond the conifers and alders to more open fields, we hear the “po-ta-to chip” call of the Washington state bird, the bright yellow American goldfinch. Meanwhile, Boekelheide positions his standing scope to give us a bird’s-eye view of an elegant cedar waxwing dining on favored serviceberry and Indian plum. Aggression and predation also are constants in nature. A rufous hummingbird tears after a bushtit with more vitriol than a soap opera diva. An ascending red-tailed hawk clutches a small animal in his talons as a cawing crow hotly pursues the buteo’s flashy rump. A distant eagle, recognized through the binoculars by his flattened wing profile, circles over

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

the waterways ways ready to dispatch an unsuspecting salmon. An ungainly turkey vulture scavenges for predators’ scraps. As we reach the turn-around point at Runnion Road, one of the birders points out a sundog, the rainbow reflected around the sun that predicts inclement weather. The low moan of a distant foghorn confirms the report. Scanning the sky, we find band-tailed pigeons on the fly saying, “coo coo.” En route back to the center we catch a crow and raven conveniently flying together to demonstrate size difference. “Wheezy, wheezy, wheezy,” suggests that a black-throated grey warbler, seen once every 10 walks, is near. Boekelheide demonstrates to a visitor from Lynden the black-capped chickadee song “fee bee” to attract the less common chestnut-backed variety. The Lower Dungeness is one of 60 Important Bird Areas (IBA) in Washington state. Dungeness Bay

quim Bay are the two other and Seq Sequim nearb IIBA. BA. One hundred and ttwenty BA ent species nearby en identified on the Wednesday bird walks, have been ore than half being seen fewer than 10 times. with more est sighting The rarest sighting, so far far, is the white pelican pelican, spot spotted only once. Song sparrows win perfect attendance, as they are present 100 percent of the time. The first migratory arrivals take up residence in late March or early April, with savannah and white crown sparrows being the common heralds of spring. Neo-tropical migratory songbirds settle in from May to August to breed. May and June have the highest species counts and the most singing. Once the summer solstice passes, bird sightings and songs decline. The bird counts serve as a weekly survey of the riparian forest. The statistics aid scientists in determining the effect of environmental changes such as rain forest deforestation on local bird populations

land, la and nd,, th then hen to to the Ross Sea to survey whales, seals and bbirds bi rdss off tthe rd he Antarctic Peninsula, and then returned too Argentina. Arg A rggen nti t n During the five-month voyage, the ssccie ienti ient nttiisstss were we at the mercy of the 200-man crew and scientists the th he cl cclimate, im mate sometimes waiting for days while the the sh ship hip ccutt tth h through blocks of ice in McMurdo Sound. I iiss a te It test st testimony to his diplomatic nature that he d de esccri ribe bes the living environment as “interesting.” describes

cruises to Protection Island, summer day camp plus bird walks and counts. The major annual event is the popular Dungeness River Festival, which will be held on Sept. 25-26, 2009. Amazingly, the bird walks remain free of charge. The center is maintained by donations from the public plus sought-after grants from the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Superintendent of Pub Public Instruction and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The main building at the park is a natural history h museum and information center with an impressive collection of preserved and mounted birds on view. Some of the best taxi taxidermy is by the late Claude Ritz and his wife wife, Edna. On loan from the state, an imposing bald eagle, talons ready to snatch its prey, peer peers down on wary visitors. Books about birds and other wildlife are available for purchase. Har Harlequin Happenings, the Olympic Audubon Soci Society newsletter and Dungeness River Current rent, the River Center Foundation newsletter are available. Boekelheide and his education coor coordinator, Powell Jones, are reliable sources of in information and assistance. The center is help helped by a troupe of 60 active volunteers and mor more than 100 not so active. B Boekelheide remains fairly staid when he talk talks of his achievements and work at the center. B But his feathers puff a bit when the topic of his ffamily arises. He met his wife, Barbara, in Wap Wapato when she was custodian of a butterfly The staff of Dungeness River Audubon Center: Education Coordinator Powell Jones, left, and Director Bob refuge and they have been married 21 years. BarBoekelheide. Photos by Kelly McKillip bara teaches yoga on Monday nights at the center, through Peninsula College and at the Gardiner Community Center. Their son Eric is in college H Hi more ree rroutine academic work was completed at Western Washington University and son Isaac is a Hiss mo in fi fittss and and nd bursts b bu around his travels, culminating in senior at Sequim High School. a m a s st er’s deg d master’s degree in ecology from the University of Reflecting on the importance of Railroad Bridge a d migratory an migratory patterns. p tterns. Boekelheide pa Boek ekkellhe heid idee iss uniquely uni u niiqu quely quel ely and California-Davis. His specialty is wildlife ecology Park, Boekelheide says: “A measure of a community qualified to interpret this ecological data. His love of arctic tern ns in is its parks. and he wrote his thesis on terns Alaska. In ” The park is a treasure for the Olympic the natural world began when he was an adolescent Penin Peninsula and all its hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The birds 1986, Boekelheide movedd creatu creatures. What is his called to him and as an undergraduate in the 1970s, to Washington and earnedd Black headed favorit favorite bird? He doesn’t he began working at The Point Reyes Bird Observa- a teaching certificate. Hee grosbeak n have a favorite, but if he tory in Stinson Beach, Calif., the first center of its taught high school science in were to return as a bird, kind in the country. Under the guidance of David Wapato for eight years beforee h he wo transferring to Sequim High would like to be a Ainley and other seabird biologists, he spent the r shearw School, where he taught for shearwater gliding over better part of seven years in and around the Faralthe op open ocean. lon Islands studying the wildlife there. During those two years, followed by fourr h The Dungeness River years, Ainley, a leading expert on penguins, invited years at Port Angeles High Audub Audubon Center staff Boekelheide to join him on a scientific trek to Cape School. In 2001 he took thee may bbe contacted by job as director of the AuduCrozier on Ross Island in Antarctica. e-mail bon Center. at rivercenter@ A century earlier, another intrepid explorer dee olymp As director, Boekelheide olympus.net or by phone scribed this trip as the worst journey in the world. oat 360 360-681-4076. Visit Evidently, Boekelheide did not find it so as he made oversees the education prowww.dungene two more tours to the far southern region and three grams, maintenance, staff and volunteer facilities the center online at www.dungenessrivercenter.org. he community yet experience the sights sigh and sounds of community. In 2008 2008, Or better yet, to the Arctic. One notable adventure was in 1977 and acts as a liaison to the when he boarded a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker that more than 600 events have been conducted including the park in person to hear how the song of nature sailed through the Panama Canal, on to New Zea- school field trips, numerous classes, meetings, boat resonates in your own heart.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

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The firefigh practice fig ters structural fihting so they are res at all times ready . Submitted phot o Left: The “ja life” are a p ws of hydraulic w owerful that pries b edge twisted me ack the wrecked catal of a r.

NOT JUST Story and photos by Jerry Kraft

We’ve

all heard the sirens and seen the red fire engine or emergency medical unit pull away from the station. Most likely, we assume they’re on their way to put out a fire in someone’s kitchen, a grass fire or maybe a burning garage. Our image of firefighters in bulky clothes pouring water from big hoses onto roaring flames is actually quite removed from the variety of emergencies modern fire departments deal with on a daily basis. The Port Angeles Fire

PORT ANG ELES to the community. According to Fire Chief Dan McKeen, “I think the most common misperception about the fire department is that we primarily put out fires, but we provide far more responses for emergency medical services. As many as 80 percent of our calls are for medical services.” As a result, the firefighters all are required to be medically trained. “The lowest level of medical training we require is as an emergency medical technician, but more than half of our career firefighters are also

FIRE DEPAR TMENT

cardiac defibrillation and pacing the heart or even inserting an invasive airway, something an anesthesiologist normally would do in a hospital setting. Paramedic training requires between 1,600-1,800 hours of training. That knowledge is put into action on a daily basis, responding to everything from auto accidents to someone falling on the sidewalk, from skateboarders with scraped knees to a heart attack in a restaurant. Because they have so much daily practice in their medical skills, the department also must

In 2007 the for service, department responded of which 3,0 00 plus werto more than 3,700 ca Department is an lls e for medica essential community organization involved in l assistance. much more than the traditional task of putting out fires paramedics.” EMTs in burning buildings. can provide basic lifesaving care, such things as The department has four primary divisions: fire prevention and education, fire suppression, continual training in the highly technical skills needed for firefighting and rescues and the Medic One program, the emergency medical response that is now a key element of their service

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

splinting a broken bone or performing CPR. That training requires about 110 hours of classwork as well as hospital experience. A paramedic can provide more advanced medical interventions, including administering pain medications,

focus on keeping their firefighting skills equally well-honed. “Fires, which are very high risk to the public in terms of property loss and loss of life, are also extremely hazardous to the firefighters,” McKeen said. “Fires are

dangerous because of the instability of the structure when it’s on fire, because of the toxic fumes that can be released in even a standard residential fire and because of other environmental hazards we may not be aware of when we arrive at the scene.” That’s part of the reason the department has its prevention division to focus on new construction plans, fire prevention inspections, fire investigations and public education. Not only do those things help prevent fires, but they also give the firefighters first-hand knowledge of the structures they may have to respond to. “It helps a lot to know the inside of a building before you have to go into it when it’s filled with smoke and flames,” McKeen said.

“A lieutenant, our firstlevel supervisor, requires completion of training as a Fire Officer One, an internationally recognized certification, in addition to a college degree. For a captain, they would need to be certified as a Fire Officer Two. For a Chief Fire Officer (a chief or assistant chief) they must complete Executive Fire Officer certification, a competitive process that can only be done in Maryland. It’s a four-year program that many do not successfully complete.” All that on top of the medical education and practical firefighting training. The 24 current career firefighters in the Port Angeles department are highly trained, committed professionals. On one afternoon I was allowed to ride along with a crew and observe

Above: Chief Dan McKeen has nearly 30 years experience as a firefighter and has been chief of the Port Angeles Fire Department for nine years. His commitment to service and professionalism sets the standard for the entire department.

utes n i m e v fi n a re th o m n o i t a t s in. o the e t m k c a c a l b l a n c e e y We hadn’t ben a medical emergenc them going through wh a rope-rescue exercise and a vehicle extraction, the Finding the

Top: Port Angeles Fire Department firefighters are highly trained, competent professionals with the greatest respect for one another and a complete commitment to serving the community. From left are Firefighter/EMT Brian Wheeler (retired), Lt. Mike Sanders and Firefighter/EMT Bryant Kroh. Submitted photo

right sort of man or woman to do this kind of dangerous, demanding work is a key element in maintaining a first-rate department. “The most important thing that we do within the department,” said McKeen, “is to hire and promote the right people. If we do that, we maintain a positive organization that meets the needs of the citizens and is also one that citizens enjoy interfacing with. It’s very positive, so the first thing we look for is attitude. There are a lot of people who are technically qualified, but they also have to have the right attitude to fit into the community and into the organization. That means selflessness. They have to be team-players. They have to want to do the job primarily to help others. Most of our new hires are college graduates and although we don’t require a college degree for an entry-level position, it is required for any promotion within the department.” Beyond that, the training and continuing education is endless.

technique of using the “jaws of life” and powerful saws to pull an injured person out of a smashed car. The rope rescue involved lowering a man and a rescue stretcher over the side of a high metal tower on the waterfront, where an old pulp mill operated. “We have to stay current on rope techniques because we have to use ropes for many kinds of rescues, whether high in the air, inside structures or underground,” said Lt. Michael Sanders. When firefighter Jeremy Church went over the rail, you could see the complete confidence he had in his support crew and the competence of those men in their task. Behind the autobody shop at Peninsula College they were given a ruined car to practice their extraction techniques. Familiarity with the equipment and the construction of the vehicle made their “demolition” deliberate and methodical, constantly balancing the force of the tools and the stress of the metal. “With different kinds of cars we have to evaluate the structure before we start ripping into it,” Sanders

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

explained. “If it has airbags on the side, for example, the cylinders can be explosive if they’re cut into.” In a short time they had broken out the windows, wedged open the doors, peeled the roof back like a sardine tin and pushed the dash far away from the front seats. Then they swept up the broken glass, put away their tools and we drove back to the station. It was just another training session fitted into a busy day. We hadn’t been back to the station more than five minutes when a medical emergency call came in. In 2007, the department responded to more than 3,700 calls for service, of which 3,000 plus were for medical assistance. In addition, the department did more than 1,200 building inspections, reviewed 340 building applications and plan sets, provided public education to nearly 800 people and investigated 14 fires. Such an expansive program requires support on many levels. In addition to the career firefighters, there is an equal number of volunteers who make an enormous commitment to the department and the community. “Our volunteers respond to fires just as our career firefighters do, so they have to have significant basic training. Our volunteers go through a fire academy that we put on in cooperation with Clallam County Fire District 3. They also have to train once a week, be certified as EMTs and complete more than 300 hours of basic training. And, of course, they have to respond to fires when they’re called,” McKeen said. “It isn’t easy to get unpaid volunteers to make that kind of commitment, but they do. We never shed requirements; we are always requiring more of them. We have an ongoing recruitment and retention program, but we can always use more volunteers.” That collaboration between the career firefighters

Above: The firefighters also use powerful metal saws to cut through structural elements of the car’s body. Left: A powerful ram is used to push back the dash so a driver or passenger can be freed. The firefighters must make an assessment of how each car is constructed so they know the safest and most effective way of gaining access.

and volunteers is even more emphatic between the Port Angeles department and neighboring fire districts. “We have mutual aid agreements and we all know that if there is any sort of substantial fire, we’ll all be there. For example, the Elks (Naval Elks Lodge) fire, which is probably one of the biggest fires we’ve had in the past few decades, about a third of the resources came from the Port Angeles Fire Department, a third from Clallam County Fire District 2 (rural Port Angeles)

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

and a third from Clallam Fire District 3 (Sequim). We work very well together and we know that we can depend on each other for personnel and resources. It’s that teamwork spirit I spoke of.” Every element of the service provided by the department becomes more specialized and technical. They fight fires, but they must understand the technical differences in fighting structure fires, vehicle fires, shipboard fires, hazardous material incidents or toxic fumes. When called on for a rescue, firefighters have to be trained for trench rescues, rope rescues, confined space rescues or rescues from areas with hazardous materials. Their medical training must adapt constantly and remain current with emergency interventions and life-support. The interaction with the community involves both the budget considerations of a public agency and the personal relationships with government officials and the ordinary citizens they serve. McKeen enjoys all those relationships. “There’s

a lot of satisfaction in knowing that we are trying to meet the needs of the citizens and trying to move the department in a positive direction. I also feel that the firefighters I work with, the union that I work with, is also very progressive and very positive. One part of my job is meeting the needs of the public and another part is meeting the needs of the employees because they’re the ones who are out on the street doing the job. And they’re doing a great job.” In a position that entails so many serious responsibilities for service, training and commitment, the chief ’s positive attitude and energetic engagement is impressive. McKeen

When Firefig hter Jeremy Chur ch went over the rail , you could see th e complete co nfidence he had in hi s support crew . has been a professional firefighter for nearly 30 years and his commitment to the department’s professionalism and connection to the community is as evident as his enthusiasm. “I enjoy my work,” he said. “I enjoy the people I work with — elected officials, firefighters and the citizens. I can’t imagine another job that would give me the same kind of satisfaction.” Port Angeles is very fortunate to have such a modern, well-functioning fire department and to have a chief so committed to meeting the demands and challenges of the area. At a time when it’s so easy to look at government and fret at how poorly it seems to be working, it’s gratifying to find an agency that works so well, serves so willingly and accomplishes so much. Firefighter Jeremy Church accompanies the stretcher that would lower a rescued citizen from a perilous height. Lt. Michael Sanders supervised the training exercise, one component of a continuous process for all the firefighters of the Port Angeles Fire Department.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

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The art of pairing food & wine By Samaya Jones

veryone loves food and many of us love wine. But how do we know what to serve together? In the end, it is a matter of personal taste and there is no right answer. But there are some things we can take into account when pairing wine with food. There are some time-honored examples: cabernet sauvignon with beef, chardonnay with cream-sauced dishes, syrah with lamb. Wines from a particular region usually go with foods from that region. Chianti generally goes well with vibrant Italian food. The yeasty effervescence of champagne balances rich, creamy brie. It is easier to pair food to wine than the other way around. Consider cooking to the wine rather than finding a wine for the food being served. This involves knowing the wine and could be as easy as buying an extra bottle that you taste before starting to cook. Adjust the recipe to suit the wine. An example of this is: You have a favorite sauvignon blanc. The wine is on the acidic side so you want to make it seem less tart by keeping the food from being sweet or creamy. A simple seafood and salad meal might be good. The objective is to pair to the dominant flavor of the food, which might not be the most obvious ingredient. If you are serving chicken, but the recipe calls for a strong sauce or spices, think about the latter. Herbs in particular vary when fresh, dried, raw or cooked. Heat releases the oils. Herbs and spices bring out the tannins in wine. Is that what you want? If you start with a very tannic wine (e.g., cabernet sauvignon), you may not be showing it off to its best advantage if you serve a very spicy dish. Which brings us to the spiciness of the food. Some Asian cuisine has characteristic flavors that can overwhelm wine, such as ginger, hot oil, basil, cilantro and garlic. Often Riesling and Gewurztraminer are served with this food. Both stand up nicely to the intense flavors. Gewurztraminer tends to be a little spicy on the palate, which balances the spicy food, while Rieslings with a little sweetness have body, which coats the tongue and ameliorates spicy heat. Elements such as salt, fat, acidity and sugar in foods all interact with wine. Why, for instance, is chardonnay often

chosen for rich, creamy food? Because typically, chardonnay goes through a process called malolactic fermentation, which converts malic acid in grapes to softer lactic acid, as is found in dairy foods. So a buttery, creamy characteristic emerges. Additionally, chardonnay generally is aged in toasted oak barrels, which enhances body or mouth-feel. So it is fuller, rounder and complements the rich food.

Fats coat the tongue and decrease the perception of tannins. So, after eating cheese, almost any wine will taste good. Perhaps this pairing originally was used for wines that were out of balance — too tannic. If you want to highlight the wine, ixnay on the cheese. Here comes the bad news for many of you: the cardi-

nal rule in pairing wine with dessert is for the wine to be sweeter. Otherwise, the wine tastes tart by comparison. So, in the case of chocolate, unless the confection is less sweet than the wine, the wine will not be optimally presented. Alcohol brings out the heat and spice in foods. So you know those big Zins of summer (alcohol content of 16 percent!)? They go nicely with barbecue sauces. The following foods are considered the most difficult to pair with wine: asparagus, artichokes, spinach, eggs, vinegar, lemon. As always, it’s a matter of personal preference, but, except for the eggs, I would lean toward crisp sauvignon blanc, with natural acids that blend with most of the foods mentioned. Any sauce or herbs used would influence that decision; eggs usually fall in this category. As the wine and food writer Gerald Asher says, food can affect the appreciation of wine more than the other way round. The attempt to match by flavor is difficult. He suggests compatibility of texture, intensity and scale. Some examples are: • Texture — smooth and heavy sauces; fresh and light fruit and vegetables • Intensity — subtle flavors of a soufflé; strong and spicy barbecue • Scale — large and hardy roast; pieces of Japanese sushi Each of these examples would suggest a different wine selection. In any case there rarely is only one correct choice. However, there is one back-pocket secret most cooks know: Bacon fixes everything! Some fallback pairings are sparkling wines for hors d’oeuvres because they clean the palate in the midst of so many flavors; pinot noir and Riesling because they are light and versatile; merlot and chardonnay, though somewhat pedestrian, are good for large gatherings because they are neutral and generally inoffensive to most palates. You could get a little wild and go with an Italian pinot grigio and an Australian shiraz for a more adventurous crowd. Finally, the importance of the occasion and the participants cannot be overlooked. The mélange of people, place and time are your creation. The food and wine support it. Samaya Jones is a natural foods personal chef with a degree in viticulture and winemaking. She can be reached at samayaj@yahoo.com.

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“WE SET THE PENINSULA STANDARD FOR QUALITY WORK & CUSTOMER SATISFACTION” 26

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LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

locaL HanGoUt

PENINSULA Pathways

Public beach access a favorite with dog owners Story and photos by Fred Obee

the end of Kuhn Street in Port Townsend is an off-the-beaten-track public park popular with locals but almost never seen by tourists. It is North Beach Park, and although it is only one acre in size, it seems much larger because it abuts the more than 400 acres that is Fort Worden State Park and it is an access point to many miles of shoreline. One caution: Consult tide charts before setting out on lengthy beach walks as the tide can come up quite high along this beach and cut off your path back to the parking lot. At low tides, however, this stretch of unspoiled Northwest beach is one of the finest around. Head south and ultimately you will encounter Point Wilson and the public campground at Fort Worden. Head north and there’s virtually no end to journey, just miles and miles of rocks and sand and driftwood with views across the sound. You don’t have to go anywhere, however, to enjoy the attributes at North Beach. There’s a covered picnic shelter and several picnic tables where you can enjoy an outdoor lunch and graying logs set in sand provide nice places to rest and enjoy the view of Northern Admiralty Inlet and Whidbey Island. On clear days, there is a spectacular view of Mount Baker from here. Dog lovers in particular seem to love North Beach and it is not unusual to see dog owners introducing each other’s pets and sharing stories. It’s pretty common to see families piling out of their cars followed by excited pets ready to fetch sticks. For birders, the hundreds of acres of coniferous forest next door at Fort Worden and the nearby Chinese Gardens wetland provide prime habitat for grebes, raptors, woodpeckers, brants, ducks and herons. This also is the unofficial back door to Fort Worden. Trails take off across open grassy fields and climb gently into the forested uplands of the fort, where old concrete bunkers that once housed artillery to protect Puget Sound from enemy ships still stand. North Beach Park is precisely the kind of place Olympic Peninsula residents like. It is unassuming and basic, a perfect balance of form and function and an ideal spot to get outside and stretch your legs. To get there, turn on Kuhn Street across from the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Port Townsend and follow it a half mile to its end.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Top left: An old boat ramp, currently unusable, provides a good platform to throw sticks for fetching or rocks for splashing. Top right: Well-worn trails take off from the North Beach parking area across grassy fields to the woods of Fort Worden. Middle left: Follow the curve of the beach from the North Beach parking lot in Port Townsend and within 100 yards you round the corner and, on most days, you’ll find yourself alone with miles of beachcombing ahead of you. Be sure to plan your trip when the tide is low so you can return safely to the parking lot. Right: A picnic shelter at North Beach provides a welcome place to break out something to eat.

GOOD Gardening

B Y B E V E R LY H O F F M A N PH OTOS BY DAVI D G O D FREY

Colorful fall leaves umbrella over the rounded shape of the Acer griseum.

Wintertime makes us think of conifers — spruces, firs, pines, hemlocks, etc. They’re highlighted on Christmas cards with birds sitting on evergreen branches. In our homes, we decorate conifers as Christmas trees. They are feted as the royalty of winter. There is one tree, however, that isn’t a conifer and is a different sort of aristocrat. It’s a tree one never sees on Christmas cards, yet it has a distinction unto itself. The beauty of the Acer griseum (paperbark maple) changes from its brilliant autumn foliage of red and orange to its winter knock-out bark. At a time when winter textures are sharp, needled and stark, the paperbark maple has a soft texture with its exfoliating bark that looks as soft as a lion’s mane. When it’s backlit by the low winter sun, patches of rich red-orange bark are translucent. Its color reminds us of the pungent cinnamon we use in our festive cookies and coffee cakes. The paperbark maple is a small tree, ranging from oval to round, and is a slow grower. In 10 years, it reaches about 15-20 feet and wide. At maturity, it is about 25-30 feet high and wide. It’s not until the third or fourth year that the winter bark exfoliates. It does well in most soils, as long as it’s well drained. It tolerates both full sun or part shade. A slow-release fertilizer aids growth until the plant is in leaf. fertiliz Its leaves, that usually don’t leaf out until late spring, are atypical for its genus since they are trispring foliate foliate, divided into three distinct coarsely toothed leaflets, rather than the typical five-leaflets. The un underside of the dark green leaves is a grayish wh white. In spring, inconspicuous red fruits turn int into showy winged samaras, two small nuts. Ace Acer griseum is not easily found in nurseries

LIVING LIVIING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

GOOD Gardening

Right: The paperbark maple has a fairly short trunk and branches out below eye level, which heightens the ability to see lots of the exfoliating bark.

Far right: The color of the bark is reminiscent of the cinnamon used in Christmas baking. Below: The paperbark maple hangs on to its few remaining autumn leaves.

Their criterion for choosing plants:

because it’s not easily propagated with its poor seed quality and its difficulty to root. It was introduced to North America 100 years ago from central China. The tree now is threatened in its native area. Acer griseum is one of the choice trees listed in Great Plant Picks (www.greatplantpicks.org), an organization sponsored by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Gardens in Seattle. The committee of about 25 well-respected horticulturists (Dan Hinkley of Heronswood fame is a member-at-large) has selected and highlighted more than 600 plants since 2001.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

• Hardiness in USDA Zones 7 and 8 • Long-lived • Vigorous and easy to grow by the average gardener • Reasonably pest and disease resistant • Adaptable to variety of soil and fertility conditions • Well-behaved in the garden, not needing too much attention or water Numerous times I’ve used this Web site as a reference. Each plant mentioned has a photo and growing conditions. The paperbark maple is lovely in small gardens and is a specimen tree that should be placed near a front door or in a spot where people can admire, close up, the cinnamon red bark. When backlit, it feels as though one is looking through amber church windows and one’s mind stills for a moment to experience a sacred sight.

F SEQUIM

IRE RESCUE

on duty 24/7

Clockwise from top left: Sequim Fire Rescue firefighters and emergency medical personnel work to assist a man inside a Department of Veteran Affairs van from Port Angeles that veered off the U.S. Highway 101 near Louella Road on the afternoon of April 27, 2007. File photo

A piercing signal tone slices through the air, suspending conversations mid-sentence or severing the stillness of sleep. Emergency services personnel live and breathe by their signal tone — each one a shot of adrenalin and a shout for help. Within the few seconds that it takes to dispatch Sequim Fire Rescue, its paramedics and emer-

Firefighter/paramedics gather around a pedestrian, who was struck by a pickup truck in the intersection of Washington Street and Sunnyside Avenue on March 29, 2007. File photo

Above: Teamwork is an essential part of the job as Sequim Fire Rescue and Olympic Ambulance professionals carefully move a car crash victim to a gurney. Photo courtesy of Sequim Fire Rescue

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Ryan Tillman’s 17 years as a volunteer EMT with the Chimacum department and the self-satisfaction he derived from it led him to become a paramedic in 2006. Photo by Patricia Morrison Coate

gency medical technicians are trotting toward their rig, armed with their skills and knowledge, an address and oftentimes sketchy patient signs and symptoms. Sequim Fire Rescue technically is Station No. 4 of Clallam County Fire District 3. It is equipped with a structural engine, a water tender, a rescue truck, two advanced life support medic units, a wildland engine and a mass casualty incident vehicle. Other stations are at Blyn, Carlsborg, Diamond Point, Dungeness, Lost Mountain and R-Corner, located just east of Blue Mountain Road on U.S. Highway 101.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

by Patricia Morrison Coate

The 1970s and 1980s were burgeoning times for the field of emergency medical services (EMS), with television programs such as “Emergency” (1972-1979) depicting fictional paramedics administering trauma and nontrauma care in the field. Firefighter/paramedic Matt Newell, a 20-year veteran, notes he grew up with “Emergency” and the realistic show inspired his career. But it’s not the trauma incidents that test his skills — it’s the medical emergencies. “Medical patients can have many complex medical problems,” Newell observes. “It’s a challenge to work through them so we can really help them. For example, shortness of breath is a symptom of myriad disease processes and once I identify the cause, I can treat — versus trauma where I plug the holes and try to replace volume. There’s not a lot of challenge in that. The exciting calls are when I’ve really made a difference in a medical call’s outcome,” such as with heart attacks, asthma, strokes and severely low blood sugar. “I like the variety of my work environment, the fact that each call is different and that I’m called upon to use all my faculties to contribute to a successful outcome,” says firefighter/paramedic John Harpe, a 28-year veteran of the fire service. By his own admission, Harpe, 48, says he “wandered aimlessly for a fulfilling vocation” after college. Because he liked helping people, “I decided to become a paramedic and I was advised for good pay, I should become affiliated with a fire department,” Harpe explains. He earned his firefighter

F SEQUIM

IRE RESCUE

on duty 24/7

Firefighter/paramedics gather around a pedestrian, who was struck by a pickup truck in the intersection of Washington Street and Sunnyside Avenue on March 29, 2007. File photo

Above: Teamwork is an essential part of the job as Sequim Fire Rescue and Olympic Ambulance professionals carefully move a car crash victim to a gurney. Photo courtesy of Sequim Fire Rescue

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Ryan Tillman’s 17 years as a volunteer EMT with the Chimacum department and the self-satisfaction he derived from it led him to become a paramedic in 2006. Photo by Patricia Morrison Coate

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

by Patricia Morrison Coate

Left: Firefighter/ paramedic John Harpe starts an IV to stabilize a patient having arm and leg weakness. “Our goal is to try to point the ER staff in the right direction,” Harpe explained. Below: Firefighter/EMT Ian Brueckner and Firefighter/paramedic Matt Newell relish the challenges of medical calls. Photos by Patricia Morrison Coate

certification in 1980 and became a paramedic in 1983, working on both sides of the state. He joined Clallam County Fire District 3 in 1996. Capt. Dennis Kettel, 56, a firefighter/paramedic, grew up with the fire service in his blood. His father was a volunteer with Sequim and his uncle, Lawrence Kettel, was a longtime Sequim chief who inspired his nephew to give back to the community as well. At age 21, the younger Kettel became a volunteer firefighter, serving for 15 years. He was hired as one of the first career firefighters by the department in 1988 and achieved the rank of captain in 1994. As the scope of practice for EMTs and paramedics expanded, their patients benefited from their broadened authority under the medical control of a licensed physician. Eventually, citizens began to expect EMS services that were above and beyond “run and gun” — immediately loading and transporting. (See EMS training sidebar.) Firefighter training also became more comprehensive through state fire academies and certification requirements. “We have a lot of freedom to practice our craft,” Newell notes, “and it really makes a difference being able to use all our skills to improve patients’ lives.” “The fire service has evolved so much — in 1988, we ran 1,200 calls with one (paid) firefighter and a paramedic,” plus volunteers, Kettel recalls. This year he expects the district to top 5,000 calls, averaging 14 a day, with nine paid staff per shift districtwide and about 70 volunteers available. “Eighty-five percent of our calls are EMS-related, but we still have the duty to respond even though it can tax our resources. It’s not uncommon to have four to six calls going at one time. Part of the captain’s job is to prioritize types of calls. Things can get pretty hectic, but that’s what we do. It doesn’t matter what the problem is — people call and expect us to respond.”

Help’s on the way Although the field attracts folks who do thrive on an adrenalin-fueled rush, the core truth about firefighters, EMTs and paramedics is that they have a soul-deep desire to help people. Several years ago, Ryan Tillman, 48, realized something was missing in his life, despite a successful engineering consulting business. His 17 years as a volunteer EMT with the Chimacum department and the self-satisfaction he derived from it led him to become a paramedic in 2006. “I like going to calls because of the ability to help people, neighbors and friends who need my help,” Tillman says. “I think the people who come in contact with us, because we’re helping with their emergency, know what we’re about, but for those who don’t, we’re always here and we won’t hesitate to help anybody who needs our assistance. We all like what we do — to a person — and find the job extraordinarily rewarding. All the people here are folks who are really dedicated to their community.” “As a young man, it was my desire to be helpful, but now that I’m older, I feel the experience I’ve gained has put me at the top level of what I’ve been trying to achieve,” Harpe explains. “I receive a great deal of satisfaction knowing I’ve become a proficient and trusted paramedic. The best feeling is when all my training and experience is used to successfully mitigate

an emergency.” After high school, Ian Brueckner worked for the Department of Natural Resources and became exposed to the fire service on wildlands fires. He completed training to be a volunteer firefighter with Clallam County District 3 in 2003. Now a 24-year-old professional firefighter/ EMT, Brueckner is grateful for Harpe and his colleagues’ training and experience — four years ago Brueckner was on the receiving end of their services after an automobile accident in which he was partially ejected and sustained facial trauma. Just hired by Sequim Fire Rescue in August, Brueckner says its squads saved his life literally and figuratively. “Because of that, it caused me to change a lot of things in my life. In the spring of 2007, I attended the firefighters academy and got my degree in fire science. It is the greatest job in the world.”

Character counts “It’s hard work and not for the lazy,” Tillman says of his chosen second career. “You have to be able to self-motivate and stay focused and most importantly, you have to have real compassion for the people you’re working for (patients and their families).” Teasingly called “Chewy,” as in “Star Wars” Chewbacca, by his longtime friend and colleague

Harpe, it’s no surprise when Tillman says, “You have to get along with everybody — it’s a teamwork approach. You have to have a positive attitude but not wear rose-colored glasses because people become sick, houses burn down. You have to be realistic in helping someone.”

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

The job, Kettel explains, suits his character because he likes the military-type operational structure of the fire service, often drilling his mantra of “No free thinking” into his crews. “We try to operate in a manner so things are done in a certain way,” from shift to shift, station to station. Protocols and procedures protect patients and staff. Kettel says neither he nor others in the business differentiate between when they’re on the job or off. “There’s a sense of duty to respond. We’re the type of people who step up to the plate. Somebody’s got to step forward and say, ‘I’m going to try to save this person’s life.’ We will take action because there’s pride and ownership. People who do this job have a lot of pride in what they do.”

The best of times, the worst of times The hours are demanding — at the Sequim station, it’s four rotations of 24 hours on, 24 off followed by a four- or six-day break. Sleep often is interrupted by runs, as are meals. Yet, over and over, to a man, the one word that kept cropping up was “fun.” “I don’t find the challenges to be overwhelming,” Tillman says. “It’s really a lot of fun because I’m involved

in learning and becoming better at what I do. It’s a true pleasure to come to work. You get truly appreciated for doing a good job by the people that matter, those whom we serve.” “The camaraderie and bantering with my colleagues done in good taste, the jokes that we play on each other — it’s fun!” Harpe laughs. “And I really enjoy the community support. Sequim is outstanding in letting us know how important we are to them — that’s fun, too,” he grins. What’s fun for the newbie? Brueckner hesitates nary a nanosecond: “Every bit of it! I never know what the call will be, so I’m looking forward to what happens next — it’s the element of surprise. These are great people to work with and I like being a contributing member of my community. Plus I’ve always wanted to drive a big red truck with a light on it!” However, sometimes the surprises can be personally and professionally devastating. Dealing with the death of small children categorically is the worst. “When we see a needless or senseless

thing, it hits home — when it’s kids or a drunk driver, it’s harder to accept,” Tillman acknowledges. “It’s very traumatic to us as well because we put (the incident) in context to our own families. We all put ourselves into that mental position and those are the hardest.” Harpe wrinkles his brow and nods in agreement. “Anybody starting out in EMS will experience great losses despite maximal efforts. Through experience and the help of my peers, I’ve grown to accept negative consequences better — but I still don’t like them.” To deal with emotional and mental stressors, Harpe admits, “When I’ve had a bad call, I have a tendency to play that memory tape over and over and over again in hopes of finding out what went wrong so I can do my job better next time. What I’ve found out is sometimes, when I do everything I’m supposed to, the results are still bad and I have to learn to accept that from time to time.”

MERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES LEVELS OF TRAINING

Washington certifies eight levels of prehospital patient care providers for both volunteers and paid professionals. To become an emergency medical services provider is an arduous task, not only in education and training but also in paperwork. The field is highly regulated, ensuring that the public receives care from competency-tested first responders, emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Among the EMS requirements are to be 18 years of age, successfully complete a state-approved EMS training course, pass a written certification examination and complete annual continuing medical education. EMS practitioners treat patients under the auspices of their county medical program director and are limited to providing care under their particular level of training or “scope of practice.” Following is an overview of levels of care, training hours, medical control and skills capabilities.

Basic life support or BLS Basic life support consists of essential noninvasive life-saving procedures including CPR,

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

bleeding control, splinting broken bones, artificial ventilation and basic airway management. • First Responder — 54 hours plus five patient contacts. Certified to administer patient assessment, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillation, oxygen therapy by nasal cannula and bag valve mask, bandaging, splinting, medical, pediatric and trauma care and triage. Basic life support knowledge and skills. • Emergency Medical Technician – Basic — 100 hours plus 10 hours of hospital observation. Certified in all of the above plus immobilization and obstetrics/gynecology. May administer aspirin, epinephrine via an auto injector and nitroglycerin. • EMT – Intravenous technician — 50 additional hours plus a clinical and field internship. Certified in all of the above plus skills and knowledge in intravenous therapy. • EMT – Airway technician — 50 additional hours plus a clinical and field internship. Certified in all of the above plus skills and knowledge in endotracheal intubation and multi-lumen airway skills. The above two levels can be combined in a 70-

hour course plus a clinical and field internship.

Advanced life support or ALS Advanced life support consists of invasive lifesaving procedures including the placement of advanced airway devices, intravenous infusions, manual defibrillation, electrocardiogram interpretation, and much more. • EMT – Intermediate — 100 hours plus a clinical and field internship. Certified in all of the above. May administer six specific drugs/solutions. • Paramedic — 1,200 to 2,000 hours plus a clinical and field internship. Certified in all of the above. May administer a wide variety of IV and intramuscular medications per the medical program director’s protocol. Advanced patient assessment, trauma and medical skills.

Information courtesy of the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System. For more information, contact 800-458-5281 or www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/ emstrauma/ and http://firstaid.about.com/.

A boy ; s y o t and his s i h d n a a man es n i h c a m photos by Story and on Coate ia Morris Patriccia

is not . Knowing o.” g in o d f o y d t e urgenc t enough; we must sed with th ss o e ci n re s p in is i V m g im i n a n l li d l e ardo ng wil n i in e o e B L . “I have be y l ly p — p e musstt a enough; w build burned to p o o L t a i eer, P go. he engin i ci tth in decades a r toys, so V t h a d i ig f e o n it a i ir money fo y, more th indred sp kin e was a bo iioon and we had no ace cars that I’d h e c in s s thing Depress y block r elf. Usuall hild of the s c y a m s a r w fo I “ ade it d. s meold recalle cility for all thing d a toy, I m fa if I neede slope,” the 88-yeard n tion. By a on with a and avoca Loop n o ti a race down uity and fascinati c o his v lasses, n That inge ally would give him hool metal shop c and c s tu igh om scrap ven chanical e s, inspired in his h barrel shotguns fr ducation he 930 ouble s-on e the mid-1 rent iniature d teful for the hand m g in s that cur in n a h r a c g o a ’s m m e e s b H a . w es terand etal engin via compu achining building m e rudiments of m uilding machines” th n “b received in urricula focuses o ing your c l o h as know tool,” c u s y high scho r a s s ign. ings nece d deep to advance a aided des eal life th r y n a m w fast an m the com e “There ar peed of the tool, ho ow they can progra eration? ents h tool op y, the s machiner teach stud fter school to learn n a c y e . “Th ze that a Loop said l they utili il w w o h t puter, bu

er inline ur-cylindeering at fo a , 1 y in s land Gip odel eng De Havil n example of m l museums. ’s p o o L hoto Top: Pat engine, is such aplayed in severa Submitted p aircraft that it’s been dis s its best hine as it ling mac il m is h ly adjusts . p delicatealuminum block o o L t a P n : a e ometer, v s o e b h A roac raft tach ld. It is p c p ir a a r e re tt tu u flycu say he co this minia oop built, just so he could teer. L t a P t: h e Above rig up to 7,000 rpms 1 1/8 inch diam /8 in accurate at 100 percent — pictured

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008 PE

Above: The spinning flycutter of Pat Loop’s milling machine perfectly squares up one side of an aluminum block. Right: The only part of this miniature working steam tractor not machined by Pat Loop is the wheel chain, formerly a necklace. It was Loop’s first project in the hobby of model engineering and measures 16 inches long.

Once On ce yyou ou kno kknow now no w the the rudiments, rudi ru d meent di nts, s, from fro rom m there ther th her eree on, on, it’s it’ss just it jus ustt experience. expe ex peri pe rien ri en nce ce.. The failure faillure of the h schools sch c oools iss they ey don’t don o ’t teach teach h thee rudiments. rud dimen e ts” ts.” In 1937,, Loo Loop’s op’s br bbright, ight h , in inquisitive nquis i itivve mi m mind nd aand nd his ppractical ract c icall ski skills, along l with i h a goodd wordd from f his hi bbrother h at L Lockheed, kh d h helped l d hhim get a job with Pacific Airmotive, a company in Burbank, Calif., that repaired aircraft instruments. After serving two years in World War II as a C-47 flight engineer in the European Theater, he returned to Pacific Airmotive for five years. Since his fascination with aviation was skyrocketing, Loop talked himself into a job with the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. He stayed 32 years. “They kept promoting me and in the last few years I was doing design work, so they said we can call you an engineer even if you don’t have a college degree,” Loop smiled. Two of his proudest career achievements are building the first Mars rover prototype for NASA in the 1960s and designing a submersible with a lateral radar system. Loop’s last professional achievement was to work on the Galileo unmanned spacecraft project that when launched in 1989 probed Jupiter and its moons. He retired in 1982 and moved to Sequim with his wife, Mitzi, the following year. An illuminated curio cabinet just inside the Loops’ door displays a dozen testaments to his talents as a mechanical engineer. The palm-size engines are interesting in their diminuity, amazing in their construction and astounding in that they all work, just like their full size counterparts — but that was the point. “I enjoy making and running them — it’s a thrill taking raw material and making something that actually runs. I just worked on them when I felt like it,” Loop said, acknowledging that sometimes the projects required months or even years of devotion. Loop’s labor of love has quite a following and is called model

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

eengineering. en ngi gine neer ne errin i g. g Every Eve very ry single sin ngl glee minute minu mi nute nu te ccomponent, o po om pone neent nt, fr ffrom rom om ggears, eaars ears rs, ca camm msshaft sh aftss and n valves valvees too screws andd nuts nu uts and even n spark plugs, plugs he he designed and hand-machined with tools in his workshop. Big machines make miniscule pieces and he’s eager to show how each one works. Although arthritis forced him to leave his last model — a five-cylinder radial engine — unfinished three years ago at age 85, Loop’s mind is as sharp as the metal shavings sheared from an aluminum cylinder on his lathe. “The first thing is to get an idea of what to build. I ask myself, ‘What can I make of it?’ Most of the time I work from my head but I also have a drawer full of sketches and drawings,” Loop explained. “Most have been my own design and one of the reasons I draw the parts to scale is to make sure they fit — I measure to thousandths of an inch. Sometimes it takes a lot of concentration and I do make mistakes,” he laughed. “I have built parts that I realized were going to interfere with another. But it’s a very satisfying feeling knowing I can overcome and learn from my mistakes. It’s a ‘By golly, I did it!’ feeling.” Aluminum is a favorite metal because it’s inexpensive, light, easy to machine and won’t rust. He prefers small scrap bars and blocks from Boeing surplus and cuts them into workable sizes on the band saw. With agility and precision, Loop places a solid cylinder on the lathe, finely adjusts the cutter’s depth with a wheel crank and shaves off mere flakes of metal so thin that a fingernail can’t differentiate between the cut and uncut sides. “The lathe makes things round and varies the speed with belts. With the cutting tool, I can make a bolt and I’ve done many, some extremely fine,” he said. From miniscule pieces of hexagonal stock and a drawer full of threadmaking dies, Loop can create

his lathe. The ecks the rpms of Above: Pat Loop chs thumb was rotating at 500 rpms. cylinder behind hi adjusts a ed touch, Pat Loopecision cut. tic ac pr a ith W p: To his lathe for a pr wheel and crank on the end a circular groove on ts cu e th la e Th : Top right of a cylinder.

lts and nuts, custom-sized bo that pepper such as the ones a working his first project, steam tractor. is pat“The boiler part ty steam te rn ed on pret and in the tractors in Engl American early 1900s and Loop be functional,” tractors built to He was om a rear fr ne ta ns on bu lishing the story. ru re r d, to te ac la tr re e Th ne . War cannon said engi miniature Civil underneath the s er hi rn g bu in e ow th sh ith w se wanted to from tank, ter, who of cour . Loop also built gs nk ta un yo er e at w th e to th d and it did. to heat al, quarter-size Grandpa obliged on . ti nc om fu bo e lly th fu ar pa barely d he scratch its d so fast, Grand te ing on it works an ea th tr ry re ve n “E so e. nd ug Gra pressure ga ! at 45 PSI.” own saw his backside ed et ac it’s made to run tif ul m models aren’t kn e th re at tu th ia s in te m ra ’s st op on Lo , his Loop dem e lathe canause of its quality th ec t B ha . w ily m es fa do s hi inder inline move to just milling machine Gipsy I, four-cyl fferent axes that d di an e ill re av th s H ha de it r that the Champlin not — en exhibited at es and a flycutte be an s pl ha te ra ne pa gi se en e Mesa, Ariz., t his in thre a block’s face. A aft Museum in cr ir up A s r re te ua gh sq Fi r Airport, ke perfectly rt and Sky Harbo s how he can ta po ow ir A sh y le op al V Lo r e, ee D ational rotary tabl der in forming d Denver Intern lin an cy x, a ni of oe t Ph ou ts in both crafted arced segmen y 1990s, he hand rl ea e th In . rt engine parts. right down to ves that Airpo ask if Loop belie nch-long engine -i .5 10 e th ll e’ You don’t have to aircraft engine ”H her of invention. gs. The 1/4-scale ot lu m kp e ar th sp is e th ty si al ci nition and a “neces allest of commer e with a spark ig lin sm e so th ga n on he W ns ru u. system and , he show yo sump lubrication rge for his craft la et w o d to ze as ri w su s es se pr drill pres drill press, 2 ounces. ilt his own micro eighs 9 pounds, w it ed in the an of 3 designed and bu 01 s Gipsy was plac tiny as 0. hi , as 08 ts bi 20 g il pr lin A nd In if. Also capable of ha of an inch. Loop eum in Vista, Cal 1 us 00 M 0. ip is sh ir an ha an sm lest raft inch — a hum s the world’s smal r 1997 issue of C ap be rh pe em is ec m D e eu th us proudly displays er, also by Loop 10-page at the m agazine and his aircraft tachomet l m na al et tio M nc in fu ts n ec extensive testProj ers ca is 1/4-scale and w model engine so ho al It ng . bi 5) ri 99 sc (1 de on rate readings article drill press based uld display accu co ro it ic m ed n ov pr ow g r ei in build th 0 rpm. the online saw to up to 7,00 his design. er w po i in Paul Knapp, of m a to d te ng uc di tr or ns cc A co (w w w. He also r several model ring Museum fo ee s in rt ng pa E n de re oo tu w ia have Min delicately cut ), “ … few people op’s ceiling and sh om e .c th m eu om us fr g -m in Pat gine airplanes hang d workmanship paddle wheel en an s 00 ity al 18 qu tic e is th al ddle, equaled nes. The Minan incredibly re s miniature engi gh its paddles pa hi ou in th al ts , bi at hi th ex at ry proud to ristowbo ing Museum is ve sinking. Not surp er sk ri ne gi to En us io re ec tu ia pr talent. He piece was too ity to display his un s wife’s favorite rt hi po is ” op i, e itz th M ve e ha miniature ingly, “Th r all of us in the ng room table. fo ni n di io e at th ir sp on in ed an and is dock orks, a is ndpa makes w ing community.” Ever ything Gra Loop engineer t, ou d un fo en.com. on once at pmloop@olyp op stunned grands Lo t Pa ct ta Con

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Forests for the greatest

good The difficult balances of ecological management STORY AN D PHOTOS BY J E RRY KRAFT

THERE ARE MORE THAN 633,000 ACRES of land in the national forests of the Olympic Peninsula and the use, health and management of that land is the responsibility of the National Forest Service. With a variety of environments and ecologies ranging from temperate rain forest to ocean beaches to high alpine mountains with rivers and lakes, the Forest Service is charged to manage that land to provide â&#x20AC;&#x153;the greatest good for the greatest number over the longest period of time.â&#x20AC;? That has been the mission of the Forest Service since its creation. The National Forest Service began in the late 19th century as a special agency in the USDA assigned to assess the health of the forests. In 1891, the Forest Reserve Act authorized withdrawing land from the public domain to be managed by the Department of the Interior. Then, in 1905, the management of forest reserves by the Bureau of Forestry was transferred from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture and became known as the U.S. Forest Service. Gifford Pinchot was the first chief

The vast forests of the Olympic Peninsula are managed to balance the needs of the commercial timber industry and the health of a sustainable resource. It is a controversial and difficult challenge.

forester of the USFS. Pinchot was a remarkable man, both a dedicated naturalist and a canny politician. He knew that the natural resources of the forest were a prime asset, especially in the wood-dependent early years of the 20th century. He also knew that the forests were being destroyed at a terrible rate and that unless they were rigorously managed and protected, they would be annihilated. In order to accommodate the market demands for the resources and the public desire for unspoiled nature, he created an agency that integrated extensive scientific research with practical timber husbandry, educational and recreational access for the public and control over the commercial use of the forest. Those elements continue to characterize the many functions of the National Forest Service. Many people confuse the National Forest Service with the National Park Service, especially because both manage very large areas of protected federal land. The difference between the two agencies is primarily a philosophical one. The National Park Service is focused on preservation and protection of the national lands in their untouched, undeveloped state for the recreational use and appreciation of the public. The National Forest Service is focused on conservation, the creation of healthy, ecologically viable lands. They believe that these vast areas can be managed so that their commercial use is sustainable, that the enormous natural resources can be marketed without damaging the health and wellbeing of the environment. That has been controversial. In part the controversy stems from the variety of resources that have to be managed. Because the Forest Service protects so many different kinds of land, the resources can include grazing, timber, mining, recreation and wildlife habitat. Certainly on the Olympic Peninsula most of the controversy has focused on the timber industry. Because of very heavy

The Forest Service is dedicated to the scientific management of complex ecological systems. The vegetation and wildlife, forests and waterways are all part of this interrelated environment.

LIVING ON THE PENIN PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

timber harvesting in the past few decades, much of the Forest Service emphasis is now on restoration, especially of areas that were “clear cut,” where every tree in an area was harvested and nothing was left standing. They also are concerned with restoring areas damaged by forest fire. The debate over fire suppression and “let burn” approach for managing naturally occurring fires continues to be a vigorous point of contention. It is only one of many topics being studied in the 10 laboratories of the Pacific Northwest Research Station, itself one of six research units operated by the Forest Service. That scientific emphasis on understanding the forest and its ecosystems is another legacy of Pinchot. “We currently have large stands of young trees and a pretty extensive road system,” said Donna Nemeth, public affairs officer for the Forest Service. “We also have some fish passage concerns. The restoration strategy looks at thinning some of the tree stands, road decommissioning and transforming them into trails, and restoring fish habitat.” Part of the duty of managing the forests is to enforce laws protecting them, to find and prosecute illegal logging or other abuses of the public lands. It was during one such encounter this fall that Forest Service agent Kristine Fairbanks was murdered. Her life was celebrated in a memorial service in Port Angeles that was attended by thousands of ordinary citizens and hundreds of members of fellow government agencies. It was a rare occasion for the public to see some members of the Forest Service who are more often out working in the woods, often monitoring huge areas of land with minimal staff. The Forest Service has an enormous and vital task, to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands. Its goal of sustainable, multiple-use management of the land is complex and constantly evolving. The scientists, agents, employees and volunteers of the Forest Service are making the careful decisions today that will ensure beautiful, healthy and productive forests for generations to come.

Rhonda Carrell is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years of local nursing experience and the owner/manager of Caregivers Home Health, Inc.

The memorial service for Forest Service agent Kristine Fairbanks was an opportunity for hundreds of fellow members of service agencies to be seen by the public. Fairbanks was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 20.

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HEART Soul BY KAREN FRANK

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience (perseverance, endurance). Romans 8:25-26.

hen I was a child, we had periodic drills to prepare for a possible nuclear war. We got under our ddesks for protection. I learned not to look out the window if I heard a big explosion because an atomic bomb would imm immediately blind me. I dreamed about nuclear apocalypse and tthe bleak landscapes that would remain and imagined helping to save any survivors. For a long time, the ex-Soviet Union and the Unite United States engaged in a competition to ensure Mutually Assured D Destruction (MAD), which supposedly allowed us to remain on o a ridge edge of stalemate. The symbol of our division was the Iron Curtain, and even more so, the Berlin Wall. Then the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, but not because we went to war. Without a shot being fired, the people peopl of East and West Berlin began dismantling the wall in November Novemb 1989, chipping away at the reinforced concrete structure during du the weeks that followed. I watched on television as the ppeople of East and West Berlin celebrated on Nov. 9 (the day the wall was abandoned by East Germany) like it was New Year Year’s Eve in Times Square. Europeans and American travelers abro abroad broke off pieces of the wall as souvenirs of renewed freedom. freedom That’s the hope that no one glimpsed beforehand. In college, I belonged to an organization working for f racial equality. I attended Grinnell College in Iowa where bblack students felt alienated from both town and gown. One you young black man leapt for his life when a pickup truck aimed directly at di him as he walked into town. Most of the black student students I knew came from inner-city schools with aging or absent tex textbooks. They became the first affirmative action generation; my m “high yellow” freshman roommate attended law school and became an assistant attorney general in Texas. In 1968, I had visited her in Memphis just two weeks before Martin Luther King Jr. was killed there. We went out with two of our friends from LeMoyne College, accidentally driving through the corner of Mississippi. She was scared. You have to hide she told me, scrunch down so that no one sees you. When I stupidly asked her why, she said that my presence in the car with two black men could get us all killed. Now Barack Obama is president-elect. Jesse Jackson wept. John Lewis, veteran of Selma and other civil rights battles, said that he could not have imagined a black president in his lifetime, and he was grateful to be alive to witness the event. Two years ago would you have imagined that a black man could be elected president? Only if you had hope in the unseen — the upending of

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

The hope that we don’t see

HEART Soul what we expect and its replacement by what we’ve failed to conceive or believe. On March 3, 2004, the attorney for Multnomah County in Oregon determined that the Oregon constitution’s equal rights sections meant that lesbians and gay men had the right to obtain marriage licenses and marry in Portland. I had not believed that opportunity would be available to me in my lifetime, nor had I known how I longed for it. For two weeks I dithered, not believing in the new reality, but on March 18, I called Dana away from work and we rushed down I-5 to take advantage of the window that had opened, we didn’t know for how long. As it turned out, Oregon nullified our marriage, along with more than 3,000 others, as the voters in California in November ripped legal marriage away from lesbian and gay couples in that state. Yet, Massachusetts and Connecticut hold strong in providing equal rights to all of their citizens. Equal opportunity to marry was not a dream envisioned by many of us 25 years ago or even five years ago. Hope has been transformed into a dream deferred for mil-

lions of people; the dream deferred requires our patience and perseverance. Now I watch day after day as the stock market plunges, as the auto industry, the retail industry, the banking industry all falter and threaten us with an uncertain future. Yet almost 70 percent of Americans believe that things will turn out all right — maybe not in the short term, but certainly within the first few years of the new administration. Emily Dickinson wrote that “hope is the thing with feathers” which makes it sound very fragile, light as a wren, downy from the egg. But she didn’t stop with that image. Instead, she wrote that hope perches in the soul, forever

safe and not rock the boat. It’s a thread running through all religions — symbolized by the Morning Star in paganism, by Ashura in Islam, by Passover in Judaism — and through all of our lives — the reason we get out of bed in the morning. It’s our vote of confidence in the unknown. Ever since the demolishing of the Berlin Wall, I’ve thought, “Well, if that could happen, anything can happen.” What exists now does not predict the future. History is not a straight line — not even our personal history. It’s interrupted by miracles, by leaps and bounds. During this holiday season, we focus on the symbols and stories that remind us that at the darkest time, the light is poised to return. It is, in fact, only hidden, not lost nor overcome. The light returns and life renews. We only are called on to wait patiently, persistently while we prepare the ground in which new life takes root. Hope keeps on singing the dream in our hearts that one day we wake up to fulfill. Karen Frank is a Port Townsend writer and a spiritual director available for both individual and group spiritual direction. If you have comments or want to contact her, e-mail kdf1404@olypen.com or go to her Web site (which has archives and additional material) at www.yourlife assacredstory.org.

Ever since the demolishing of the Berlin Wall, I’ve thought “Well, if that could happen, anything can happen.” singing its wordless song. Hope remains wordless until we give it the shape of reality by our actions. Yet hope begins with a dream, like Barack Obama’s dream, “the dream of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.” President-elect Obama wrote a book titled “The Audacity of Hope.” What a wonderful phrase that is! — the brave, bold, dauntless refusal to accept a destiny of doom and limitation. Hope flies in the face of all warnings to stay

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Jefferson County Emergency Operations Center plans, trains and drills with an exceptional team By Keppie Keplinger Public information officer East Jefferson Fire Rescue

hould a major disaster strike Jefferson County, how would we fare? Visions of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and most recently, Hurricane Gustav come to mind, accompanied by the many related challenges that need attention long after the storms or any disaster-related incident have dissipated. While this part of the country is not known for hurricanes or tornadoes, it is prone to earthquakes, wildfires, floods, landslides, major winter storms, oil spills, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, not to mention the increasing potential for terrorism throughout the country. How well prepared can we be for any one of those incidents? The Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management has come a long way since the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001, and the devastating Hurricane Katrina of 2005. From its humble beginnings back when civil defense was the catch phrase of the day, the department is equipped with up-to-date electronic features well-suited to a rural county — especially a county that can be cut off from the large metropolitan areas of Seattle and Tacoma. The Emergency Operations Center is fully operational with a complement of more than 30 volunteer staff, trained to implement the incident command system. This system is best described as a management system of procedures for coordinating personnel, facilities,

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

equipment and communications from different agencies to work together toward a common goal in an effective and efficient manner. It is an “all hazards — all

risk” approach to managing crisis response operations for emergencies of all sizes, as well as non-crisis events.

Group effort Volunteer team members include representatives from local government and nongovernmental agencies and trained community members. The team, known as the EOC Incident Management Team, has assignments that range from the command staff level beginning with the incident commander and deputy incident commander; safety officer and public information officer to section chiefs of plans, logistics, finance, and operations, as well as liaisons for special needs populations, neighborhood preparedness groups and external resources. Mutual aid agreements are in place with local and regional emergency response agencies that provide for additional resource sharing should the need arise. “We are so lucky to have such a skilled group of individuals, willing to give their time, talent and experience for the good of the community,” said Bob Hamlin, program manager of the Department of Emergency Management and the emergency operations center incident commander. “Should a disaster befall us, I am confident we could respond quickly and appropriately. Our responsibility is to make sure the response and recovery In January 2008 a landslide took out a 100-foot by 100-foot section of a riverside cliff section of Dowans Creek Road, which is just south of the Clallam County line in Jefferson County. Crews sent by Jefferson County did an incredible job of repairing the road section. Photo by Chris Cook

elements at all levels are working together to meet emergency needs.” Many of the individuals who volunteer their time to this purpose have first-hand disaster response and recovery experience. All of the volunteers are dedicated to their community and have myriad skills, experience and knowledge to contribute, which results in an exceptionally well-rounded team. “One of the important key words I would use to describe individuals associated with this type of endeavor has to be flexibility,” said Hamlin. “It goes without saying that we never know what will hit us or when. Given the fact that anything from storms to earthquakes or wildfires could cut us off from the rest of the world, the level of commitment that seems to be inherent in our team members is a plus for everyone in Jefferson County.” Section leaders meet weekly and government and nongovernmental partners meet monthly, Hamlin explained. “This provides us with opportunities to become involved in tabletop exercises or discuss training or educational opportunities. The ongoing networking aspect of the meetings is one of the positive side effects we all benefit from.”

and the city of Port Townsend emergency control centers, and other regional agencies. Amateur radio operators are set up with local American Radio Emergency System/Radio Amateur Civil Engineering System volunteers to communicate with more than 100 members of the county’s neighborhood preparedness

Prepare yourself Considering the frequency of winter storms that leave Jefferson County residents without electricity and other necessities, Hamlin emphasized the importance of every individual and household getting their own “go-kit” together in preparation for any eventuality.

At right are just some of the items to put in your emergency kit. Note the hand-cranked flashlight and the flint/magnesium fire-starter, CB and AM radios, notebook, map, money (small bills are best), a book to read, “space blanket,” can opener, spare eyeglasses, toothbrush, mirror and other personal items. Not shown are plastic sheeting for weather protection, duct tape, barbecue equipment, more food, water and extra plastic bags for sanitation. Photo by Barney Burke, Port Townsend Leader

groups. Jefferson County Communications Center is a major communications focus through the 9-1-1 dispatch center. During a disaster, the emergency management department and its incident management team act as the hub of the wheel comprised of the many and varied communities within Jefferson County. The department coordinates

Minimal supplies should include enough water, food, first aid supplies, essential medicines, personal ID, clothing and bedding for each family member for at least a 72-hour period of time. Additional supplies should include such things as flashlights, extra batteries, nonelectric can opener, battery operated radio, toilet paper and liquid soap. A complete list of appropriate items to include in a go-kit can be found on the emergency management

“Given the fact that anything from storms to earthquakes or wildfires could cut us off from the rest of the world, the level of commitment that seems to be inherent in our team members is a plus for everyone in Jefferson County.” – Bob Hamlin, program manager Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management Backup power Through grants from the Department of Homeland Security, Jefferson County has implemented redundancies in communications systems, backed up with generators in case of power failures as well as alternate communications in the event of phone outages. Video teleconferencing systems further ensure communication between the county

the recovery efforts for the impacted areas in conjunction with local agencies as well as state and federal agencies, should the event be widespread. “Our role in meeting emergency needs is to help identify, coordinate and locate those support and relief services and get that information out to the public,” Hamlin noted.

department’s Web site at www.jeffcoeoc.org. Go to the library, scroll down to Individual & Family Preparedness Kits & Information. Individuals or groups who want to develop preparedness tactics for their specific neighborhoods should contact Dennis Crawford at the Department of Emergency Management at 360-385-9368.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

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YOUR NEW Life By Ruth Marcus

Choosing

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ave you been on the holiday emotional roller coaster ride? The one where your feelings soar to great heights and then, just as quickly, plunge down into sadness, disappointment and depression? Are you riding the holiday blues coaster? Or maybe the credit card blues? Or the how-do-Ilive-with-uncertainty blues? Many of us end up feeling wrung out by the end of the year — emotionally so exhausted that the very thought of ringing in the new year brings on more emotional turmoil. For those who have experienced the breakup of a marriage or the death of a loved one this past year, going through the holidays alone for the first time while experiencing that absence is quite a journey. Holiday memories grow fresh and vivid with the season. I remember my paternal grandmother, a humble and gentle woman, whose holiday gifts included sugar cookies wrapped in hand-stitched flour sack baggies tied with special red string she had purchased at the hardware store. Just these words evoke warmth in my heart and a memory as vivid as when I was 9 years old and her life came to an end. Her skin — translucent, veined and furrowed from 80 years of life — smelled like the inexpensive lilac talcum powder that she poofed on her arms and neck every morning. Invariably she would playfully dab my nose with

her powder puff, leaving a dot of white talc and the scent that remains fresh in my memory to this day. We love, and when those whom we love leave us, our memories of them remain indelibly imprinted in a special spot in our hearts. A space where, when mindfully visited, we become nostalgic — cherishing the sweetness of something from the past that still, today, nurtures us in a meaningful way. The flip side of venturing down memory lane is the potential for becoming overwhelmed with emotion by focusing on the past. Much of our holiday blues stem from longing for times past or longing for things to be different than they are. Lifting ourselves off the emotional roller coaster and finding a more stable middle ground affords us a more peaceful life. The ups and downs are the extremes. Yes, we love the “ups” but struggle with the “downs,” so let’s take a look at life without the roller coaster ride. We naturally respond to life experiences with emotion.

What’s helpful is to recognize that our emotions are activated by our thoughts. For example, if you think, “I don’t know how I can live without my partner,” that thought may trigger fear and anxiety that almost instantly produces physical symptoms such as nervousness, an upset stomach and an increased heart rate. Understanding this sequence — thought, emotion and physical response — can be exceedingly useful. It’s self-awareness — the act of being present to and with ourselves. As we learn to be aware and pay attention to the connections between our thoughts, emotions and physical responses, we also can learn to care for ourselves by practicing patience and presence. Most of us resist our emotions. Conditioned by childhood experiences, we stuff down sadness and keep a stiff upper lip. We deny feeling angry and gloss over the pain of experiencing the fear, anxiety and sadness that lie beneath our anger. We rationalize and “make nice” while our inner resentment remains buried deep inside. In contrast, some of us are emoters. We strike out with our emotions. We vent profusely and life gets messy because we can’t manage the emotional upheavals we create. Unfortunately, we rarely ask, “What was I thinking before I descended into this mire of emotions?” For example, if my thoughts dwell on a departed loved one, the emotions that follow probably will be sadness and loneliness.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Or, if my thoughts focus on my decreasing retirement account, the emotions that follow most likely will be fear and anxiety. If my thoughts are focused on the person who thoughtlessly dinged my new car, the emotions that follow probably will be resentment and disappointment. We can learn by connecting the dots. Notice the connection between thought and emotion. This is what I call awareness training and emotional freedom. Be present. Notice your thoughts. Observe your emotions. In any given moment you can redirect your thoughts — and redirecting your thoughts will change your emotional response to the situation.

down, you can make a choice. Notice your condition. Shift your thoughts from uncertainty to thoughts of new experiences and possibilities. This shift will produce emotional feelings of strength, resilience and curiosity. Instead of entertaining depression, you are inviting yourself to be patient, present and interested in the coming changes. The challenge, of course, is that we are all too familiar with our own suffering. Although we don’t like it, it’s a habitual response; it’s what we know how to do without giving it a moment’s thought. Shifting into realizing that we have a choice of what to think and how to respond to

YOUR NEW Life Notice what you are experiencing. Explore what thoughts preceded the emotion. This process brings self-awareness and freedom from riding the emotional roller coaster. Whenever you take the time to observe what’s going on inside of you, you are encouraging and developing an inner awareness that will help you manage life in a less

Much of our holiday blues stem from longing for times past or longing for things to be different than they are. If your boss tells you that you are getting laid off, your first thought might be, “What am I going to do? I will never find a job in this market.” You might feel the fear and anxiety press heavily in your chest and throat. Here’s the practice: First, pause. Take a long, slow, deep breath. Notice that your thoughts are centered around uncertainty based on what you heard from your boss. Thoughts of uncertainty commonly produce fear and anxiety. To shift your emotional elevator from taking you

everything that occurs in our lives is a radical change. For some, it’s a quantum leap. Descending into emotional pits may be your lifelong pattern, but reaching for higher ground is as simple as developing a willingness to take responsibility for what you think and what you feel. It’s normal to feel sad, angry, anxious, fearful, helpless and lonely when our lives seem to turn upside down. Instead of pushing emotions aside, be patient — be present.

reactive, more fulfilling manner. Your ah-ha moments will occur more often as you observe the connections between thought and emotion. Practice patience. Practice presence. Be still and observe. Getting off the emotional roller coaster is the journey to self-realization. Ruth Marcus has a private counseling practice in Sequim. She offers workshops and inspirational speaking. Visit www. DrRuthMarcus.com for more information.

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Multitasking is the name of the game

by Patricia Morrison Coate

ack’s just witnessed the sickening screech of tires and the heartstopping explosion of a head-on collision. Kathy’s spouse is turning an awful shade of blue. Becky hears her neighbor’s shrieks and crashing furniture. It only takes seconds for each of them to realize what they must do, even though they’re shaking to the core. They punch in 9-1-1. Suddenly the library-like tranquility of Peninsula Communications, the dispatch heart of Clallam County, is shattered as Jack’s, Kathy’s and Becky’s calls, plus more reporting the collision, hit the telecommunications center and are answered swiftly by the three dispatchers on duty. Supervisor Steve Romberg, a two-decade dispatcher, notices the upsurge and takes command of a fourth emergency dispatch console. “9-1-1 Communications. What’s your emergency?” An anonymous calming voice reassures: Answer a few quick

handle a full spectrum of emergencies like these 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. “We have a tremendous group of kind, caring, compassionate people and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Romberg said. Multitasking is the name of the game. Dispatchers Cindy Johnson, Tony Wright and Kert Barber scan the five computer screens on their desks, ask and answer questions from the reporting party and bounce their cursors from field to field, typing in vital information as fast and accu-

plays the caller’s Enhanced 9-1-1 address, name, phone number, law enforcement jurisdiction and closest fire and emergency medical services department. While fingers dance over the keyboard, each dispatcher works hard at culling the distraught caller’s responses into usable information for the responders. Literally, within a minute or two, the dispatcher has keyed in pertinent data, including the caller’s abbreviated narrative, the closest appropriate public safety provider, the type of incident and time and

“Our job is all about customer service. It’s doing as much as you can for the customer calling you. People call 9-1-1 because they need help, not because they’re having a good day.” – Steve Romberg, Pen Com manager

questions and help will be on its way for the accident victims, for the cyanotic spouse, for the friend embroiled in domestic violence. The scenarios above did not occur but the 15 professional telecommunicators and three supervisors at Pen Com

rately as they can. The touch screens they’re responsible for monitoring minute by minute are a telephone system, three computer-aided dispatch system programs, including unit status and mapping, and a radio console. Their tools are a sophisticated CAD system that dis-

date. The system automatically sends out a specific signal tone for a specific apparatus — a paramedic unit, fire engine or patrol car — and the dispatcher gives a brief synopsis of where and what the emergency is over the radio to the responding unit.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Right: Steve Romberg, manager of Peninsula Communications, standing, shares a caller’s information with dispatcher Tony Wright. Below: When Pen Com’s dispatchers get a flurry of calls, their manager, Steve Romberg, immediately picks up a receiver, pen and paper. The center’s manager for the past 20 months, Romberg, a 20-year dispatch veteran, admits he misses being in the thick of the action. Photos by Patricia Morrison Coate

Even if you’ve dialed 9-1-1 accidently and hung up or left the phone off the hook, you’ll be contacted to assure you’re all right. “Our policy is with a hang up or hook left off to automatically dispatch law enforcement (if there’s no callback answer),” said Romberg, the center’s supervisor for the past 20 months. “We call back to listen to the caller and background noises as well because sometimes people can’t talk freely.” Another protocol is always to ask the caller’s name, location and phone number to match them with the screen. Accuracy is job No. 1 in the center. Pen Com is a division of the Port Angeles Police Department and contracts with the following public safety agencies for communications services: PAPD, Sequim Police Department, Clallam County Sheriff ’s Office,

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Forks Police Department, Jamestown Tribal Fish & Game, La Push Tribal Police, Lower Elwha Tribal Police, Olympic National Park, Port Angeles Fire Department and Clallam County Fire Districts No. 2, rural Port Angeles; No. 3, Sequim; No. 4, Joyce; and No. 5, Clallam Bay. Romberg anticipates adding District No. 1, Forks, into the fold soon. Its budget is $2.5 million, $750,000 from revenue through the one-tenth of 1 percent emergency communications sales tax. About $500,000 of the agency’s funding comes from the 50-cent emergency communications tax included in commercial, residential and cellular telephone bills. The contracting agencies’ fees are calculated based on their percentage of the total calls for service. For 2009, that’s expected to bring in about $655,000, Romberg said. Between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, the center tallied 47,476 calls for service. Of those, 36,974 were law enforcement incidents, 8,992 were medical incidents and 1,509 were fire incidents. Dispatchers, who also handle all business calls for the 13 contracting agencies, received and

placed a total of 181,293 administrative calls. Additionally, dispatchers ask for radio status checks from law enforcement officers every 10 minutes, or every five if they’re in a volatile situation. “I remember working when (Deputy) Wally Davis was shot and killed,” Romberg said, recalling the chill of the officer’s unanswered status check. “I remember thinking I hope we never have one of those calls again.” Davis was killed on Aug. 5, 2000, in a Port Angeles domestic violence incident as he went to the door. “You really develop a bond with those folks out in the field. You want to do everything you can to keep them alive and safe, so when this tragedy happened, it was hard on us as well,” Romberg said. “We take the responsibility of having their backs very seriously. Dispatchers are their eyes and ears until they can use their own. We’re the first point of contact but we’re also the first person on the scene and we try to convey from the caller what’s happening so we have a pretty clear idea of what’s going on before they get there.” A 28-year dispatch veteran, Johnson has perfected her vigilance over the decades as she scans five computer screens and monitors her assigned agencies on the radio simultaneously. “I like the fact that there are never two days the same and I like keeping balls up in the air at the same time. It makes me feel efficient,” the soft-spoken Johnson interjects between calls. “I think people have an affinity for it — a multitasking gene.” Patience and

Right: Dispatcher Cindy Johnson, in emergency telecommunications for 28 years, simultaneously manages her console’s traffic by asking question over the phone and via radio, listening to callers, keying in information and watching for incoming calls on a computer screen.

fast-paced judgment, seeing the “big picture” and the ability to prioritize are other key characteristics dispatchers need, Johnson said, demonstrating cool, calm and collected customer service. Unfortunately, the 9-1-1 system is abused by those who do not have “an immediate threat to property or life” and dispatchers have to deal with rambling ranters and ravers from time to time — and Johnson has one on the line. “Nothing I can say is going to be the right thing, but it’s really important to be polite because it just snowballs if I’m not polite,” she said, after giving the person fact after fact calmly but firmly. “You’re just way ahead if you can manage getting through the phone call,” she advised. Johnson and her colleagues probably have answered hundreds of thousands of 9-1-1 calls, many of them medical emergencies. In the precious minutes between EMS rolling and arriving on scene, the dispatchers rely on their bible, a flip flow-chart guide called the PowerPhone Emergency Medical Dispatch Desk Reference Manual, to walk callers through any of 40 different medical incidents. “We provide pre-arrival medical information to the caller up to (and including) CPR,” Romberg explained. “The tabs are based on symptoms and we read the instructions exactly as written. You have to stay calm yourself, reassure you’re here to help them, keep them updated and update the units. Our job is all about customer service. It’s doing as much as you can for the customer calling you.

months before “going live.” “Now, it’s not only us but there are nationwide staffing shortages in getting qualified people. The job is high stress and high demand and certainly not for everybody. Most of us have chosen to be here to help people and feel like we’re giving back to the community, but it doesn’t come without sacrifices to family.”

are delays at times. If that’s not to their liking, we catch the flack, but overall I think the rewards outweigh the demands and stress of the job. I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Homan said. “I’m all about coming into work and taking care of each other and the people in the field. I try to have fun doing my job because there are so many negatives and downers

“Dispatching is a very high stress job but along with that, it’s very, very rewarding because … you’re able to send help and help while you’re on the phone.” – Steve Romberg, Pen Com manager People call 9-1-1 because they need help, not because they’re having a good day.” Deb Homan, a 10-year veteran, relieves Johnson at 3:30 p.m. and gears up for a 12-hour shift. Three recent trainees failed to make the grade, so she and others are working overtime. Training takes a minimum of four

For many in the emergency services field, the job overwhelms their life, especially when they’ve given their all to no avail. “Negative outcomes” are the worst while teamwork and camaraderie are the best, the dispatchers said. “People don’t understand what 9-1-1 is for. They think we’re the ones responding. Officers get tied up and there

to it. You never know when the floodgates are going to open and we’ve all experienced that — feast or famine. So I try not to ever take for granted the job itself because it’s always full of surprises.” Homan pauses mid-thought. The 9-1-1 line is ringing again.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

9-1-1 etiquette • Call 9-1-1 only if there is an immediate threat to life or property. Emergencies constitute any serious medical condition, any type of fire and any life-threatening situations involving assaults and/or firearms. • For all other concerns, call the appropriate department’s business number. • Pay attention to your location on roadways. Don’t use informal address descriptions, such as “Smitty’s Corner.” Between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, the Peninsula Communications center tallied 47,476 calls for service. Of those, 36,974 were law enforcement incidents, 8,992 were medical incidents and 1,509 were fire incidents.

• Take some deep breaths and calmly try to give a to-the-point description of the emergency’s who, what, where, when and how. • Be patient and absolutely stay on the line until a dispatcher answers; follow the dispatcher’s instructions while waiting for help to arrive. • A special plea to cell phone callers: If you witness unsafe driving or an accident, stay on the line until a 9-1-1 operator answers and be prepared to describe your location specifically by noting mile markers and/or intersections.

JeffCom 9-1-1 by Patricia Morrison Coate

effCom 9-1-1 is the public safety communications authority for Jefferson County. Its employees are responsible for answering 9-1-1 and nonemergency calls for police, fire and emergency medical units for these contracting agencies: Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office, Port Townsend Police, Jefferson County Fire Protection Districts No. 2, Quilcene; No. 3, Port Ludlow Fire Rescue; No. 4, Brinnon; No. 5, Discovery Bay/ Gardiner; No. 7, Clearwater; and East Jefferson Fire Rescue, which covers all of the Quimper Peninsula, including the city of Port Townsend, and Jefferson County Animal Services. In 2007, the center handled 56,110 incoming calls with 18,944 being 9-1-1 calls and more than 37,000 being administrative calls. JeffCom 9-1-1 was organized as a county government agency separate from the sheriff ’s department in 2004. The telecommunications center moved into the newly remodeled building at 81

Elkins Road in Port Hadlock in November 2004 after the sheriff ’s office moved out. There are 11 dispatchers and supervisors combined plus five administrative employees, said Donna Hamlin, the center’s director for the past three years. Hamlin spent 25 years as a dispatcher with Peninsula Communications in Port Angeles before becoming the director of JeffCom. For 2008, the center had an annual budget of approximately $1.4 million. JeffCom’s revenue comes from users’ fees, a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax to support infrastructure, 9-1-1 telephone taxes and state 9-1-1 grants.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

Events CALENDAR EC

Jan. 2

•First Friday Art Walk — 5-8 p.m. in downtown Sequim. Fun and free self-guided tour of local art galleries, artists’ studios, the Museum and Arts Center and alternative art venues on the first Friday of every month from 5-8 p.m., 360-460-3023 or www.sequimartwalk.com.

Jan. 3 •Port Townsend Shorts — 7:30 p.m. at Pope Marine Building on Water Street, Key City Public Theatre presents dramatic readings of literary works in conjunction with Port Townsend’s monthly Gallery Walk. Free admission; www.keycitypublic theatre.org. Contact Catherine McNabb, 360-379-5089; cmcnabb@cityofpt.us.org.

Jan. 10 •Second Saturday Art Walk — 11 a.m. at the kiosk on Railroad Avenue and Laurel Street, Port Angeles, the second Saturday of every month. Guided tour discusses the techniques and artistry of the various pieces. Some of the artists with work on display will be available to answer questions about their work as the tour progresses through downtown. 360-457-9614 or www.port angelesdowntown.com.

Jan. 16-17 •Port Angeles Chamber Orchestra — 7:30 p.m., Friday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Angeles; Saturday at Sequim Community Church, Sequim. 360-4575579.

the Port Angeles First Step Family Support Center programs. 360-4577183.

Feb. 7 •Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra Concert —7:30 p.m. concert, Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles. 360-457-5579; •Port Townsend Shorts — 7:30 p.m. at Pope Marine Building on Water Street, Key City Public Theatre presents dramatic readings of literary works in conjunction with Port Townsend’s monthly Gallery Walk. Free admission; www.keycitypublic theatre.org. 360-379-5089; cmcnabb@ cityofpt.us.org; •Centrum’s Bottleneck Slide Concert — 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Wheeler Theater, Fort Worden State Park. •18th annual Shipwrights’ Regatta — All day at Port Townsend Bay, sponsored by Wooden Boat Foundation, 360-385-3628, www. woodenboat.org.

Feb. 6-8

Jan. 24 • August, a female vocal quartet at the Bay Club, sponsored by Port Ludlow Arts Council, 360-437-2208, www.plvc.org.

Jan. 31 •Snowgrass seventh annual Bluegrass Concert — 7 p.m. at Port Angeles High School, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles. High-energy toe-tapping, good-for-whatails-you entertainment for the whole family! A bluegrass gala, midwinter evening of American string band music to benefit

March 8-13

• Blues Intensive at Fort Worden State Park, sponsored by Centrum, 360-385-3102, ext. 127, www.centrum.org.

• Young Artists Project: Junior High School Arts Intensive at Fort Worden State Park, sponsored by Centrum, 360-385-3102, ext. 120, www.centrum.org.

Feb. 20-March 8 •Story Theatre — 7:30 Tuesday, Friday and Saturday performances; 2 p.m. Sunday matinees at 1235 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles, www.pacommunityplayers.com; •13th annual Playwrights’ Festival. Key City Public Theatre presents premiere productions of the winning plays of the 2008 One Act Play Competition sponsored by the Port Townsend Arts Commission. Featuring three Jefferson County playwrights: six-time winner Flip Wingrove, five-time winner Jack O’Connor and twotime winner James Daly. Festival schedule also includes Summer Sampler (staged readings of honorable mention winners). At Key City Playhouse, 419 Washington St., Port Townsend. 360-385-7396, www. key citypublictheatre.org.

•“You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” 7:30 p.m. at Peninsula College auditorium. Produced by the Port Angeles Light Opera Association, a delightful musical for the whole family. Experience the fun exploits of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy and the whole gang as they sing and dance across the stage. 360-457-5630 or paloa@olypen. com. Also Feb. 13-15.

Feb. 28-March 1

Feb. 13-16

Feb. 28

• Young Artists Project: High School Arts Intensive at Fort Worden State Park, sponsored by Centrum, 360-385-3102, ext. 120, www.centrum.org.

•Port Townsend Shorts — 7:30 p.m. at Pope Marine Building on Water Street, Key City Public Theatre presents dramatic readings of literary works in conjunction with Port Townsend’s monthly Gallery Walk. Free admission; www.keycitypublictheatre.org or 360-379-5089.

Jan. 16-19 • Young Artists Project: High School Arts Intensive at Fort Worden State Park, sponsored by Centrum, 360-385-3102, ext. 120, www.centrum.org.

Feb. 19-22

Feb. 14-16 •Discovery Bay Salmon Derby — Daylight to 3 p.m. (noon on Monday) in Gardiner, Port Townsend and Sequim. The salmon derby benefits Discovery Bay Volunteer Fire District No. 5. Cash and other prizes, with a top prize of $5,000. Additional pickup stations, plus expanded boundaries and hours introduced last year, promise a great weekend of fishing. Sponsored by Jefferson County Volunteer Fire Department District No. 5. Call 360-797-7711 or e-mail derby@DiscoBaySalmonDerby.com.

Feb. 19 • John Jorgenson Quintet, gypsy jazz at the Bay Club sponsored by Port Ludlow Arts Council, 360-437-2208, www.plvc.org.

•KONP Home Show — 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Port Angeles High School, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles. 360-457-1450, office@konp.com or www.konp.com. • Port Townsend Community Orchestra winter concert at Chimacum High School auditorium, www. olympus.net/community/ptorchestra.

March 9 •Lincoln Park Run 10K/5K — 10 a.m., Loomis Building, Lincoln Park, Lauridsen Boulevard east of Fairchild International Airport, Port Angeles. Participants will enjoy the scenic return to the finish line past duck ponds on wooded trails. All participants receive a long sleeve cotton T-shirt and post race refreshments. 360461-2966, carolclayton@olypen.com or www.athleteschoice.info. • 23rd Annual Stars of Tomorrow youth talent show at Port Townsend High School auditorium, pmsullivan@olympus.net.

March 14 •Port Angeles Symphony Concert — 7:30 p.m. concert, Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles. 360-457-5579 or pasymphony@olypen. com.

March 21-22 •11th annual Soroptimist Gala Garden Show — 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Boys & Girls Club, 400 W. Fir St., Sequim. The two-day show brings together products and professional services of horticultural and gardenrelated businesses. The event offers diverse venders, a speaker’s series providing educational and inspirational information for gardeners of all levels, garden displays, hands-on classes, two raffles plus a cafe serving homemade soups, sandwiches and other delicacies. 360-681-8811 or www. sequimgardenshow.com.

March 6 •Port Ludlow Performing Arts Series — •Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem string band celebrates tradition and improvisation at Bay Club sponsored by Port Ludlow Arts Council, 360-437-2206, www.plvc. org.

March 8-9 •North Peninsula Building Association’s Building, Remodeling and Energy Expo — 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at Sequim High School, Sequim, sponsored by the North Peninsula Building Association.

April 3-5 • Olympic BirdFest 2009 celebration at the Dungeness River Audubon Center, 2151 Hendrickson Road, Sequim. Enjoy guided birding trips, boat tours and a traditional salmon bake at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center. Follow your BirdFest weekend with a three-day, two-night birding cruise of the spectacular San Juan Islands on April 5-7. Get program information and registration forms online at: www. olympicbirdfest.org. 360-681-4076.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

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LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

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THE Living END by Cathy Shoaf

The

night after Thanksgiving in 2005, a house burned to the ground southwest of Carlsborg. My husband and I owned and lived in that house. My children had lived there, too, and it held memories and momentos of all of our lives. A little after midnight I awoke to the smell of smoke. The power was out, but fortunately the telephone still worked and I was able to call 9-1-1 before going outside to wait for the firefighters to arrive. I remember standing, watching, but being numb to what was happening. I didn’t think about what I wanted to save or wonder if they’d be able to save the house or anything in it. I just watched. There was a breeze and although it was dark, I could see the black smoke blowing to the northeast. It turned gray with steam whenever a hose was turned on it. Two American Red Cross volunteers came, in the middle of the night, in the cold, from somewhere west of Port Angeles, with blankets, comfort and vouchers for essentials, food and shelter for a few days. They stayed with me until the morning. I know they introduced themselves, but I never knew their names. I’ll never forget them. One of the firefighters, Kevin Van De Wege, who now is a state representative, seemed to have been assigned as liason. He asked questions, explained what was happening and checked in often to make sure I was doing OK. His presence was reassuring and calming. The firefighters weren’t able to save the house, but they did rescue a few pictures and other personal items. Sometimes I imagine them, in their firefighting gear, going into a

burning room with a basement below it, wondering if the floor will hold, and grabbing photographs off a burning dresser and taking from a closet a cardboard box with my grandfather’s watch and some other items of no value to anyone but me.

Someone worked hard to save the things that survived. I don’t know who it was, but I’ll always be grateful. They all worked hard to save the house and I know they wished they could have. After the fire was out and had cooled down, another

team came in, Explorer Scouts. They went through the house to find items that were salvagable and put them together in a bag. Later, I stood in what had been the basement — now with debris one to two feet thick — and raked through the ashes to see if there was anything else to be saved. I found many recognizable things, and it helped me to see and touch them, but there was nothing more that could be saved. It was dirty, smelly, horrible work and a group of school-age kids had volunteered to do it. I never saw or met them. If you are still around, thank you. I really appreciate what you did. Friends and strangers rallied to help with the challenges that followed. The house was replaced and since then I’ve moved and live somewhere else, but that time and location always will be a part of me. The fire changed my life, in fact I often place events in time as before the fire or after the fire. I continue to think of things that were special to me and now are gone. I have a different relationship with “things.” But, more than anything else, I’m grateful to all those people who risked their lives and gave their time to help, who got out of warm beds to fight the fire or bring comfort or to sift priceless trinkets from the ashes. The ground floor rooms that were to the left in this photo burned completely and fell through to the basement in the lower left corner.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2008

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