Emergency management panel takes it slow

Better safe than sorry.

That’s the mantra embraced by members of the La Conner Emergency Management Commission, which oversaw flood barrier placement along the downtown waterfront and in low-lying areas the past two king tide seasons and recently reviewed La Conner’s emergency operations center at Town Hall.

“King tides are not a problem themselves,” Chairman Doug Asbe reminded commissioners during their Dec. 3 meeting at Maple Hall, “but in combination with low atmospheric pressure, winds and the inflow of fresh water from the Skagit River, they can be a problem.”

“It’s going to happen every ‘x’ number of years,” Asbe said, “where we’ll see these conditions again.”

The commission’s initial task addressed flood mitigation. In 2023 the town invested in durable sandbags and Ecology Blocks, placing them to provide ample flood protection.

Town crews in late October re-installed orange sandbags, visible in the heart of the business district.

“What you see out there cost us $100,000 when you add up the costs of the sandbags and Ecology Blocks and then deploying everything,” said Commissioner Jerry George.

Forecasts of lower king tides this year make this a case of staying the course with the “better safe than sorry” approach.

“Some of the First Street businesses have not been totally supportive of renewing the flood mitigation,” George conceded., noting the main criticism is the barriers can impede foot traffic around stores.

Yet a higher than anticipated king tide occurred on the La Conner waterfront a couple weeks ago.

“It was a higher tide than expected,” Asbe said. “Everyone was surprised that it was a few inches higher than the projected 10-feet, eight inches.”

Asbe discussed a review of the Town’s Emergency Operations Center at Town Hall. He said the space includes an eight-chair conference table, white board, radios programmed to fire, police and American Red Cross frequencies.

“It’s a great location,” Asbe said. “It’s not so small that you’ll be overcrowded if you have a bunch of people rolling in there.”

Asbe said that Fire District 13 Capt. Gary Ladd, on the EOC tour, suggested it be equipped with HAM radio capability. The fire district is encouraging its officers to obtain HAM radio licenses.

“It’s a fairly robust communications format,” Asbe said.

Ladd and former Swinomish Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Geer, now staffing a similar post with Skagit County, are being sought as guest speakers for town emergency preparedness forums early next year, said Asbe.

George said that Geer “has a good sense of how mobilization in an emergency takes place.”

Another commission focus will be neighborhood mapping, which George said inventories human resources and needs in residential areas ahead of an emergency.

“There’s such a thing as psychology of disaster management,” George pointed out. “If you’re prepared, you’re less apt to be intimidated in an ­emergency.”

Mapping thus far has been undertaken in the Tillinghast Drive and Center and North Third streets neighborhoods. George said that Channel Cove residents have also expressed interest.

A commission vacancy remains.