Cooling Centers in the Metro Area

by | Jul 7, 2010 | advocacy, clackamas county, emergency preparedness, multnomah county, washington county

KATU’s current list of cooling centers in the metro area:

Multnomah County:

  • Portland Rescue Mission is opening its Burnside Shelter at 111 W. Burnside as a cooling center.  Movies and beverages in an air-conditioned environment will be provided 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday.
  • Loaves and Fishes has air-conditioned spaces throughout Multnomah County, and beyond. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday.
  • Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 N.E. 40th Ave., will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. Movie, beverages and snacks at 5:30 p.m. Free transportation through Ride Connection. Call (503) 288-8303 or (503) 988-3646 to schedule a ride.
  • The Salvation Army Rose Center for Seniors will be extending its hours through Thursday, opening at 8 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m. at 211 N.E. 18th Ave. near downtown Portland. It’s offering “fun activities, light snacks and lots of water” and can be reached at (503) 239-1221.
  • The City of Fairview will open up Fairview City Hall as a cooling center from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Children must be accompanied by an adult; animals are prohibited. Fairview City Hall is at 1300 N.E. Village Street in downtown Fairview, about 2 miles west of Troutdale off Interstate 84. Call (503) 674-6224 with questions.
  • Greater Gresham Baptist Church is opening its sanctuary up as a Gresham Area Cooling Center. The church is at 3848 N.E. Division Street in Gresham and will stay open until 9 p.m. and possibly later. Call (503) 667-1515 for further details.
  • The Oregon Human Society’s Animal Medical Learning Center will host a pet-friendly cooling center through Sunday, Aug 2, during normal shelter hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Pets must be accompanied by their owners at all times. Pet drop offs are not allowed; pet crates are encouraged. The address is 1067 N.E. Columbia Blvd., just inside the Oregon Humane Society’s main shelter entrance. Call (503) 285-7722 or visit www.OregonHumane.org for further details.

Clark County:

  • New extended hours: Clark County Fire District 6 will open the Felida Fire Station as a cooling center from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The station is at 11600 N.W. Lakeshore Ave. in Vancouver. C-TRAN will transport people there; riders need to board Route 9/Felida and ask the driver to drop them at the fire station on Lakeshore Avenue – as it is not a regular stop on the route.
  • The Human Services Council of Southwest Washington will provide door-to-door service to the Clark County Fire District 6 Cooling Center.  The home pickup service is for low-income people and those with disabilities who need assistance in finding transportation. Rides are limited, so if you know you’ll need one you should call as soon as possible. Ride reservation lines are (360) 258-2103 or (360) 735-5746.
  • Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main Street in Fairgrounds Park, will be open for books, magazines, board games and children’s activities from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Contact Battle Ground Parks & Recreation Department at (360) 342-5380 for more information on this center.
  • East County Fire and Rescue will open their firehouse as a cooling center on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Station 91 is located at 600 N.E. 267th Avenue, Fern Prairie, next to Grove Airfield.

Clackamas County:

Portable, electric fans may be available for loan to families through the Wilsonville Community Center. The Clackamas County Energy Assistance Program also has fans available for low-income households free of charge.  People in need of a fan can call its energy assistance line at (503) 650-5640; Spanish speakers can call (503) 650-5766. Additionally,

  • Wilsonville Public Library at 8200 S.W. Wilsonville Road will remain open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday for cooling, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. thereafter.  The library will be closed Thursday.  Water is available, no pets allowed, handicapped accessible.
  • Water features in Town Center Park at the Visitors Center and Murase Plaza will be left on until 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.
  • The Wilsonville Community Center at 7965 S.W. Wilsonville Road is “remaining cool and always a place for folks to spend the day,” reports Dan Knoll, spokesman for the City of Wilsonville. Coffee, tea and water are “always available,” he said. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Lake Grove Presbyterian Church at 4040 Sunset Drive in Lake Grove has water and ice tea available. Pets are allowed but restricted to shady area outside. Operating hours are 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
  • Damascus Community Church at 14251 S.E. Rust Way in Damascus will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Water is available and pets are allowed in carriers. This facility is handicap accessible.
  • Lower Highland Bible Church at 24333 S. Ridge Road in Beavercreek will be open 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday.
  • Eagle Creek Fire Station at 32200 S.E. Judd Road in Eagle Creek will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday.
  • Lake Oswego Adult Community Center at 505 “G” Ave. in Lake Oswego will serve as a cooling center from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on week days, and after hours and on the weekend by calling (503) 635-3758. Staff will open the Center for as long as needed.
  • Sandy Community/Senior Center at 38348 Pioneer Blvd. in Sandy will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Handicapped accessible.
  • Oswego Place Assisted Living, 17450 Pilkington Road, Lake Oswego; open Wednesday through Sunday as cooling center.

Washington County:

In the City of Hillsboro there are several cooling centers open for residents, including:

  • Tyson Recreation Center, 1880 N.E. Griffin Oaks St. in Hillsboro will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Monday through Friday.
  • Hillsboro Senior Center,   750 S.E. Eighth Ave., will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • Hillsboro Main Library, 2850 Brookwood Parkway, will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
  • Shute Park Branch Library, 775 S.E. 10th Ave., will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
  • West Police Precinct, 250 S.E. 10th Ave., will serve as a cooling station from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday

The following Hillsboro churches also will be open this week for those needing a respite from the heat:

  • Sonrise Church, 6701 N.E. Campus Drive, open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
  • Westport Church, 20085 N.W. Tanasbourne Drive, open from 10 a.m.  to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Children must be accompanied by an adult at the Hillsboro cooling centers specifically. For recorded location and hour information for Hillsboro cooling stations call (503) 681-5295.

Assisted living center opens its doors as cooling center through Sunday:

  • Beaverton Hills Assisted Living, 4425 S.W. 99th Ave., Beaverton
  • Riverwood Assisted Living, 18321 S.W. Pacific Highway, Tualatin

Columbia County:

  • Warren Community Fellowship Church at 56253 Columbia River Highway, open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Call Columbia River Fire and Rescue at (503) 397-2990 for more information.

Marion County:

  • Silverton Hospital has set up two cooling center sites: one at the Silver Falls Library, 410 S. Water Street, and one at Silver Creek Fellowship, 822 Industry Way. Both are open 10 a.m. to dusk starting Thursday.

Project Employ Starts in Washington County

by | Jul 7, 2010 | aging into adult services, employment, washington county

The Arc of Oregon has received grant funding to implement a new project to assure the successful transition for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities from school to competitive community employment. PROJECT EMPLOY targets youth (16-21 years) with intellectual and developmental disabilities that have been typically labeled as “unemployable” and referred to community inclusion programs rather than being considered for competitive employment.  PROJECT EMPLOY will provide training for these students’ families, school personnel, and community professionals to bridge transition from school to community employment.  Support teams will receive training and technical assistance in the following areas:

  • Person-Centered Planning and how to apply this to Individual Education Plans (schools), Individual Support Plans (DD services), and Individual Plans for Employment (OVRS).
  • Developing and implementing effective school and community supports that lead to post high school employment.
  • Peer mentoring of effective advocacy strategies that support self-determination.

As a region with a mix of urban and rural that provides opportunities for learning, Washington County has been selected for the initial year of this 3-year project.  In subsequent years, PROJECT EMPLOY will expand to two other regions of the state.  We are currently seeking interested Washington County school districts that wish to learn with us and are willing to commit staff resources. Participating school personnel would be expected to attend an initial meeting (late August / early September), a one-day training with other professionals on Statewide In-service Day (October), six hours of training with participating students/families (November), and monthly Project meetings (December-June). In lieu of an April meeting, Project Employ will sponsor an Employment Resource Fair where students can learn about summer internships and schools will have the opportunity to share information about their programs. Teams will have access to additional technical assistance as needed and will be expected to provide data on students’ progress.

By supporting and mentoring all members of the students’ teams, the expectation is that by age 21, students will be employed in community jobs. For ages 16-20, it is expected that students will participate in appropriate vocational activities and work experiences during the school year and in jobs or paid internships during the summers.

Please join us in supporting students’ transitions to work.  If interested, please contact Tara Asai, The Arc of Oregon: tara.asai@arcoregon.org or at (503) 706-3273.

Metro Area Brokerages to Add Capacity through Summer

by | Jul 6, 2010 | aging into adult services, data

There are currently five support services brokerages supporting individuals with developmental disabilities in the Portland metro area. In the last year, capacity in brokerages has become an issue as we all reached our contracted limits with the Department of Human Services.

After discussions with stakeholders, the Department of Human Services has announced initial expansion plans to create capacity for those who have been waiting. During the months of August and September, four of the five metro brokerages will add staff to allow for an additional 90 individuals to begin receiving services. The expansion of services was announced prior to the recent across-the-board budgetary cuts. Due to the current climate, plans beyond October are not yet clear.

This expansion is a statewide effort and capacity is being added to counties and brokerages statewide.

Independence Northwest grew by leaps and bounds in its first two years (opening 450 customers in a record 18 months) and for this and other reasons, we have chosen not to increase our contracted capacity at this time. We applaud the efforts of the Department of Human Services and our fellow brokerages statewide.

Tips for Dealing with this Week’s Hot Weather

by | Jul 6, 2010 | advocacy

From Clackamas County’s website:

The National Weather Service is predicting a possible heat wave for much of this week with temperatures hovering into the mid to high 90s. During hot summer weather the Clackamas County Social Services and Public Health caution people and their pets of an increased risk for heat-related problems such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and sun stroke.

Seniors, people with disabilities and children are especially susceptible to these conditions. Children and people with disabilities may not be able to express discomfort or communicate symptoms. Here is what you should look for:

  • Red irritated skin
  • Excessive sweating
  • Headaches, muscle aches and nausea

If someone demonstrates one or more of those symptoms it is important to get them hydrated and out of the sun immediately. If the symptoms persist or they lose consciousness or have trouble breathing, summon medical assistance as soon as possible.

Hot weather can also cause strain on the heart, exacerbate respiratory impairments such as asthma, emphysema and a range of other conditions. It can also affect the ability to manage diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

Here are some tips for combating the heat:

  • Keep air circulating with fans; take cool sponge baths
  • Go to an air-conditioned building if possible. Consider visiting a local senior
  • center, youth center library or mall. Air-conditioning has been found to be the single most important factor in reducing heat-related risks.
  • Wear loose-fitting and light-colored clothing. If going out wear a hat.
  • Drink lots of water and don’t wait to get “thirsty”
  • Avoid, coffee, tea or alcohol
  • Limit physical activity and direct exposure to the sun
  • Check with your health provider about how the hot weather affects your prescription drugs
  • Contact your health provider if you experience prolonged heat-related symptoms, or if those symptoms significantly affect the ability to care for yourself.

For more about caring for the elderly or persons with disabilities visit the Social Services Web page at www.clackamas.us/socialservices/ and more about Public Health visit www.clackamas.us/community_health/ph/

Keeping your pets cool during hot weather

Clackamas County Dog Services reminds pet owners to be especially careful to keep their pets cool and safe during hot weather.

Dogs and cats can’t perspire as humans do and can only eliminate heat by panting and through the pads of their feet. That means they heat up very quickly and have limited resources to cool themselves.

Dog Services Manager Diana Hallmark notes that the temperature in a parked car, even in the shade or with windows partly open, can increase rapidly. Within as few as 10 minutes, a dog or cat can be seriously harmed or killed. Leaving a pet in a parked car may also subject the owner to criminal neglect or abuse charges.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, even with outside temperatures as low as 72 degrees a car’s interior temperature can increase an average of 40 degrees within an hour. While some people leave windows slightly open, that doesn’t provide enough relief to protect your pet. Visit their website at http://www.hsus.org/

Hallmark suggests people keep pets from overheating by:

  • Leaving them at home during warm or hot weather;
  • Being sure they have constant access to shade or a cool room, and to cool, potable drinking water, and
  • Being mindful of overexertion which can cause overheating. Take walks early in the morning or late in the evening and at a relaxed pace.
  • Watching out for heatstroke –heavy panting, staring, high fever, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, collapse and disobedience. If heatstroke is suspected, call a veterinarian immediately and apply water-soaked towels to hairless areas of the animal’s body to lower its temperature.
  • Never leaving pets in an unattended parked car or truck, with or without open windows.

For more information about pet safety or related issues visit www.clackamas.us/dogs/