Donations re: livestock rescue/recovery -- Washington fires

[Kathie in Thorp]

FOR DONATIONS FOR WA CARLTON COMPLEX FIRE , I would recommend two:

Chelan FFA Alumni, P.O. Box 1530, Chelan, WA 98816. Rod Cool set that one up; he is FFA advisor in Chelan and a Chelan Rodeo grounds director. We've been coordinating hay deliveries to Chelan through him, for either hay or hay transport $$. His no., if you have ??s, is 509 470-0360. This is not a 501(3)(c) outfit, but I trust him.

Nourishing Hand, P.O. Box 2106, Oroville, WA 98841. Janice Andrew heads this and is working with rescue/recovery out of Okanogan Fairgrounds, about 3 hrs. N. of Chelan. On your check, write "Fire Livestock" or "Fire Pets" or "Fire Animals." This is a 501(3)(c) charity. Phone service is still out up there.

I have been dealing with both Rod and Janice -- they are sharing resources as they get them.

Thx.

 

[Dave]

I received an email from the manager of the Okanogan Conservation District. With the fire now about 50% contained the clean up is beginning. There is about 150 homes wiped out. Most of those people escaped with the cloths on their back. His mother and step dad were in that group. He said the fire topped a ridge over a mile away and they went inside to pack a few things. A couple of minutes later they came outside and the fire was on them. They drove out the driveway with the fire on their heels. One of the things he said they were going to start dealing with was the 1,000 (+) dead cows and horses. And that would not be counting the ones back up in the hills.
There are clothing drives going on here to supply the people who have lost everything.
I heard a rumor that there is a guy taking 150 pairs to the sale in Toppenish today. They managed to save the cows but all of his pasture is gone. With hay running at $250 a ton he just can't afford to feed the cows.
With the weather warming back up that fire will probably grow some more. But it looks like it is controlled to prevent going toward any populated areas. And we still have two more months of fire season left to go.......

 

[Hook]

Damn shame. Kathie, is either one set up to take paypal

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

be nice shame. Kathie, is either one set up to take paypal

Hook: I haven't been able to reach Rod w/ Chelan FFA this evening; imagine he's pretty busy, but I'd bet that will be old-fashioned check and writing tool. Here's other information off the sites tonight.

"DONATIONS- Cash donations to The Nourishing Hand who are set up at the Okanogan County Fairgrounds, are available for immediate use. The Nourishing Hand also has a paypal account set up at [email protected]. Funds donated there are available immediately also.

CHECKS- For out of town donations (that are not available for immediate use), checks can be mailed to the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office, 123 N. 5th Ave, Room 200, Okanogan, WA 98840. Please memo WILDFIRE ANIMAL CARE."


Okanogan County Sheriff is designated EOC for at least Okanogan County -- I'm trying to find out if that is EOC for the entire Carlton Complex Fire, or only that county -- Chelan County was also ablaze. He's a blurb out tonight re: Okanogan EOC:

"PLEASE, please read this. Any questions can be directed to Animal Control Officer for the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Dave Yarnell 509-846-6026.

We need to track donations in order to provide long term (6-9 month) availability of hay to the fire victims of the Carlton Complex Wildfires who have animals (of any type) affected by the fire. If donations are routed outside of the EOC (Emergency Operations Command- the big wigs) designated intake location, which is the Emergency Animal Shelter at the Okanogan County Fairgrounds, those predictions for future needs cannot be determined.

In a nutshell- if hay needs are being met outside of the Emergency Animal Shelter, long terms needs will need to continue to be met privately. If hay is routed through the Emergency Animal Shelter, those donations are tracked, and the NEED of the animal owners tracked, those specific numbers will go to the EOC and long term assistance will be provided BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF HAY THAT IS BEING REQUESTED FROM THE EMERGENCY ANIMAL SHELTER. Hay that does not go through the shelter is not tracked, and as far as the EOC, doesn't exist. So all the hay that has gone out through private channels, while fantastic and I KNOW meets an urgent need, it unfortunately DOES NOT HELP IN THE LONG TERM AS FAR AS ASSISTANCE TO RANCHERS.

THE HIGHER THE NUMBERS WE CAN GIVE THE EOC FOR CURRENT NEED, THE HIGHER THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE WILL BE IN THE FUTURE!!!"

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

SOOOO, I think I finally got this sorted out . . . each county must have an EOC donation center set up to take in livestock feed, etc., if the county wants help from the Feds. It is inventoried, tracked as to how it is sent out, and future needs calculated. This is a county-by-county thing, and does not cover the entire Carlton Complex area. I was not able to reach anyone in charge w/ Chelan County Sheriff's Dept. this weekend (their EOC guy is gone for the weekend, and no back-up person). I will continue to seek hay donations, but at this point, will refer donors to EOC/Yarnell in Okanogan County. It's just frustrating sometimes just trying to get the right information.

 

[PLTannery]

Nourishing Hand has moved/will move to the Okanogan Livestock Market. That is where they will be handling operations from.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Nourishing Hand has moved/will move to the Okanogan Livestock Market. That is where they will be handling operations from.

Yeah, they announced that yesterday, Shelby. Bigger facility there, and I think they will be trying to get ready for fair in Aug.

 

[PLTannery]

Yep. Between fair in Sept and the Omak Stampede in Aug, both fire camp and the donation center have to move. Better pens for larger groups of critters at the stock yards.