Student Trip to Tillamook Forest Center & Disaster Prep Episode
Let's Talk! Podcast Collective - Student Trip to Tillamook Forest Center/Disaster Preparation with Taryn Oakley
Student Trip To Tillamook Forest Center
On November 18, PCC students and faculty gathered in PCC’s campus parking lot 5 off of Mississippi Avenue in North East Portland. The weather was bright and cool, and the morning air promised adventure for the day.
Led by Student Life and Leadership of ASPCC and the Oregon Department of Forestry at Tillamook State Forest, the gathering was registered to undertake the 45-mile journey to Tillamook State Forest to participate in the seasonal salmon fry release into Jones Creek.
A working forest, Tillamook State Forest is a publicly owned and managed resource encompassing Washington, Tillamook, Yamhill, and Clatsop counties. Every year, contracted loggers cut thousands of trees, and the revenue from this harvest contributes to Oregon’s schools and other public services. To maintain the population of salmon, a keystone species in watershed ecology, the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife supplement the streams with releases of salmon hatchlings twice a year. The forestry center hosts outreach and involvement events open to the public to educate and engage them in shared resources.
It is one such event that the PCC students are attending today. After about an hour’s drive outside of the city into Tillamook State Forest, they are greeted by a Welcome Center Employee named Alejandro Arellano, who explains the safety protocols for exploring the area and gives a brief overview of the forest’s history and importance—economically and ecologically—to Oregonians across the state.
The PCC cohort has a chance to explore the grounds and exhibits on their own before gathering in Tillamook Forest Center’s main Community Hall, where the Forest Center Director (Denise Berkshire) guides them as well as a group of other forest visitors on an in-depth lesson on the life cycle of salmon, their significance throughout history, and their essential place in the forest eco-system. Denise passes around preserved salmon eggs and fry specimens in various life stages. She utilizes volunteers to demonstrate the salmon life cycle from hatching, migrating to the ocean, and finally returning to their hatching grounds to spawn. The talk is accessible to all ages and abilities, as it incorporates both visual, auditory, and demonstrative teaching methods and shies away from scientific jargon (except Denise’s Word of The Day–Anadromous, meaning a species of fish that migrates between salt and fresh water).
After the presentation, the entire room of students, youth, middle-aged and elderly Oregonians trek down a short and easy hike to the banks of Jones Creek, where Forest Center employees pass out small plastic cups, each containing two or three salmon fry, to be released into the nearby trickling water system to supplement the wild stock of fish.
The reactions and expressions of nature-goers were of excitement, joy, and pride as they helped their fishy friends find their way to their new homes. The fish eagerly took to the stream water after having been hatched inside a cozy 50-gallon tank inside the forest center months previously. Families, couples, and singles of all ages could participate in this opportunity to learn about and participate in nature’s cycles.
Disaster Prep
On the third of May in 2023 Carrie Cantrell attended an event at PCC Cascade Campus called Go Bag! The purpose of the event was to distribute small pre-packed emergency kits, or “go-bags” to attendees at the event in the event of a sudden natural disaster such as earthquake or fire. Carrie interviewed the host of the event, Taryn Oakley, as well as many students and other attendees to gather their thoughts and perspectives on this topic.
Student Trip to Tillamook Forest Center - Transcript
Transcript edited by Carrie Cantrell
Introduction
Carrie Cantrell: Thank you for listening to Let's Talk. Let's Talk is a digital space for students at PCC experiencing disabilities to share their perspectives, ideas, and worldviews in an inclusive and accessible environment. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Portland Community College, PCC Foundation, or X Ray FM. We broadcast biweekly on our home website, pcc.edu/dca, on Spotify, and XRay.FM, 91. 1 FM, 107. 1 FM, and online.
In the Tillamook State Forest, salmon live in the cool, clear waters that run through the coast range. On November 18th, we joined a group of PCC students as they traveled to Tillamook State Forest to explore the life cycles, habitat requirements, and underwater ecosystem that supports one of Oregon's top industries.
The Tillamook State Forest is a 364, 000 acre publicly owned forest in the U. S. state of Oregon. Managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry. It is located 40 miles west of Portland in the northern Oregon coast range and spans Washington, Tillamook, Yamhill, and Clatsop counties. Listen now to the Tillamook Forest Center Director, Denise Berkshire, as she explains some history of the Tillamook State Forest and the salmon's important role in Oregonian history.
Salmon Lifecycle Presentation
Denise Berkshire: My name is Denise Berkshire, and I am the director of the Tillamook Forest Center. It is my lucky day because I'm not sitting at my desk, and I'm here with you, and I get to actually have a little bit of fun doing a fish release. We are often confused with the United States Forest Service. Before I started working for ODF, I didn't know we had a state agency.
And you're going to notice there's something in both of those logos. What do you notice? The trees, right? So we take care of forests. The Oregon Department of Forestry takes care of state forests right here in Oregon. Before I started working for ODEF, I didn't know we had state forests—the U. S.
Forest Service takes care of national forests all across the United States. So, you are in the largest state forest, the Tillamook State Forest. You often might hear folks say Tillamook National Forest. We are State Forest and we manage these State Forests right here. Does anybody know what happened out here a long time ago?
We had a series of forest fires. So Oregonians decided they wanted to do something to help bring the forest back. They planted trees. We had Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Volunteers, Foresters, Adults in Custody, all sorts of people came out, collected cones, planted 72 million tree seedlings. No one had ever planted an entire forest before.
And from all their hard work, we have what we like to call the Sea of Green. And so this is the forest that we're managing. This is the Tillamook State Forest. Once those trees got to a place where they were large enough, we do cut some trees. And we manage this forest for a balance of values. We manage it for social value, for y'all to come out and have fun like you are today.
Education programs, recreating, riding your motorcycles, go hiking. We also manage this forest for environmental value. We want to make sure that we have fish habitat, that we have all sorts of clean water and making sure that our environment is there. And then we also manage this forest for economic value.
Two thirds of the revenue that comes from this state, the forest here, from timber harvest, goes to the counties to support schools and other public services. Salmon have symbolized and continue to symbolize the Pacific Northwest. foR tribes like the Killamook, salmon have symbolized nature's bounty.
And they have been fishing from time immemorial out here. And they have a lot of lessons associated with salmon. So today, salmon symbolizing all sorts of things for us. Our heritage. Jobs. Recreation. Fun. Right? That's that recreation piece. And so what about the future? Well that all depends on making sure that we have enough salmon habitat.
Salmon have symbolized the Pacific Northwest for quite a while and continue to do so. You can remember the salmon life cycle by thinking about taking a trip to the beach. So salmon begin and end their lives in the forest. It doesn't matter where you're at in Oregon. If you're driving from the valley to the coast, what are you going to drive through?
The forest. Well, the salmon and a lot of our highways are following those creeks to get down to the ocean. And they're getting ready for that big journey. And they're going to go from fresh water in the river to salt water in the ocean. And there's a really big word for that. Anadromous. Can you all say that with me?
Anadromous. This is just a big scientific word that means migrating from freshwater to saltwater. They go down to the estuary where the freshwater and the saltwater are mixing and they're going to hang out down there for a little bit. And when they're down there, they change. They become smolt. They start to get scales, their tails fork, and this is going to provide them camouflage when they're in the ocean.
When they actually go out into the full open ocean. Now, how long they spend out in the ocean depends on what kind of salmon they are. They spend their adult lives out in the ocean, and then you've been at the beach. What do you do a lot when you're at the beach, when you're at the ocean? So you eat a lot when you're out at the beach or on vacation.
And that's what the salmon are doing as adults. They're growing, they're eating a lot. They're becoming adults, you know, and we've had a vacation. We're at the beach, we're getting ready to go back home. And the salmon, excuse me, are triggered that they need to go back to their home where they were born, where they hatched as eggs.
The salmon are gonna go the same stream. That they came down, and they're going to use that by smelling the chemicals in the river, or their stream. That's how they know which stream to get back to. So they spawn. They die. Which might seem sad, however, that is their life cycle. They begin and end their lives in the forest in the same place they were born.
When they die, they start decomposing in the river. And along the stream banks. And I mentioned to you early on that the forest can actually be ocean, forest, and people. Well, the salmon are bringing the nutrients from the ocean into the forest. So when they start decomposing, they are providing food for bears, fox, 22 different birds.
And believe it or not, they're actually feeding the trees. Research recently shows that the salmon decompose into the soil, and scientists have found salmon in the trees. We work with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and we put trees in the streams. We make sure that there's hiding places for the salmon, because it's a hard journey, and there's a lot of predators out there.
We also have to say that we're taking the right road. So after the fires, there were a bunch of legacy roads out here where they just kind of built over a road, put some dirt on it. We have been going back and putting these giant culverts in so the fish have a passage back to their native streams. We also have what's called the riparian area.
Has anybody ever heard that word, riparian area? It's just the green ribbons of land that is bordering—and especially fish bearing streams. And in Oregon here, we have what's called the Oregon Forest Practices Act that says that every landowner that owns forest land has to follow a set of rules for riparian areas.
So here in state forest land, we make sure that we have trees to keep the water cool, clear and minimize erosion. Remember when she was looking, she was looking for the three C's. Clean, clear, and cool water. Trees help with that. So we ask folks, if you see a place that's got a sign that says please stay out, we're trying to add vegetation.
We also ask that you stay on the trails and the bridges. Because if we cut trails, we can create erosion and sediment in the soil is good for fish. And then we also ask that when you're out having fun So, you're not building campfires right next to the screen, or in the screen. And they are only burning wood and paper.
And that's because whatever is up in the air comes back down, and that can actually impact the salmon habitat in the stream. It kinda takes all of us to make sure of that future perspective for our salmon. So, salmon connect the ocean, forest, and people. They have and continue to symbolize the Pacific Northwest.
You can remember their life cycle by thinking about a trip to the beach and the Oregon Department of Forestry's planting trees for the fish.
Interview with Alejandra Arellano
Carrie Cantrell: We caught up with Alejandra Arellano, one of the Forest Center's employees inside the visitor center where the salmon fry lived in a 50-gallon tank before their release into Jones Creek.
Are these the fry that are going to get released?
Alejandra Arellano: Yes.
Carrie Cantrell: Oh, how many are in this tank?
Alejandra Arellano: So we started off with about 500. Unfortunately we have had some casualties. So we have about 450 I would say in the tank right now that we're going to release between today and tomorrow.
Carrie Cantrell: Okay, cool. Why do you release them in stages?
Alejandra Arellano: Just to have, get more people out here. Right now it's our slow season just so people come and enjoy releasing the fish back into the creek. It's not something that everybody gets to do. So in the spring we release steelhead and then in the fall we release the chinook salmon. Okay. We just give this information over to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. you know, how many survived, how many have hatched as they are going through the stage from egg to fry. Yeah. So we give that information over to the ODFW and then they collect that information from a whole bunch of different
Unknown Speaker (Tillamook Forest Employee): We're just gonna move you guys over just so we can start collecting.
Carrie Cantrell: And they're going to start collecting those. Have those fries been in the tank the entire time?
Alejandra Arellano: Yeah, so we got them, when was it? At the beginning of October, I believe. So we got them as eggs and then they hatched and now they're ready to be released.
Carrie Cantrell: Where do you source salmon eggs from?
Alejandra Arellano: So we get them from them from ODFW, from the, I believe, the Trask Hatchery. So on the Trask River.
Carrie Cantrell: Okay, on the Trask hatchery.
Alejandra Arellano: Yes.
Carrie Cantrell: They're being released into what body of water again?
Alejandra Arellano: Jones Creek, that feeds into the Wilson River.
Carrie Cantrell: Okay, very cool. Thank you so much.
Alejandra Arellano: Yeah, no problem.
Unknown Speaker (Tillamook Forest Employee): Unfortunately, because these things aren't fin-clipped, there's really no way to track them.
Carrie Cantrell: Okay. Fin clipping is one method of tracking them, though?
Unknown Speaker (Tillamook Forest Employee): They are running a brood stock program now for ODF& W that local guides are actually bringing live fish in and they're putting them in live tanks. So ODF& W comes and counts those fish that aren't fin clipped. So we do have somewhat of an idea of what does come down to Tillamook.
Interview with Cay Dillard
Carrie Cantrell: Cay Dillard, a student at PCC, works for the Basic Needs, Sustainability, and Leadership Program at Portland Community College as an Eco Social Justice Ambassador. This program aims to address issues related to basic needs. including food and housing security, transportation access, legal aid, and the looming climate crisis.
This program offers resources such as emergency funds to students, food pantries, transportation solutions, and volunteer opportunities in order to advance an equitable and sustainable community for our students. You can find more information on this program by going to pcc.edu and searching for student leadership programs.
Cay Dillard: I'm Cay Dillard. I'm just getting an Associates of Science transfer degree so I can major in Marine Biology and Environmental Science when I transfer to a four-year year.
Carrie Cantrell: Oh, cool! Do you have any intentions on where you want to transfer to yet?
Cay Dillard: I'm thinking OSU, but I'm trying to keep some options open. I'm hoping to apply to some UCs and maybe to UW. I actually organized the trip. So I am an Eco Social Justice Ambassador with Basic Needs and Sustainability Leadership. And we run the Panther Pantries and stuff and we're just trying to also increase opportunities for people to get involved with sustainability and learn more about the environment and how we affect it and how we can help.
You know, I think everyone just enjoys being out in nature. It's such a, you know, calming and connecting kind of experience most of the time. So I feel like people really enjoy that aspect of things. No, I was a little bit worried about the hike, but I'm really glad that it's just this small, short little hike that's easy to access.
Carrie Cantrell: Yeah. Did you think about accessibility when you were planning this trip?
Cay Dillard: I did. I knew there were going to be some barriers and physical accessibility just because of the location.
Carrie Cantrell: Yeah.
Cay Dillard: I was bummed about that. But I did work to try to make everything, like, as accessible as I can.
Especially, I know there are a lot of financial barriers in a lot of these experiences.
Carrie Cantrell: Right.
Cay Dillard: And also just a lot of accommodation barriers, you know, like fatigue and stuff like that, so. It's a really big deal to me for that stuff to be thought about.
Carrie Cantrell: That's so wonderful. And it's great to know there are other departments out there involved in that effort, making things accessible, especially events like this.
Cay Dillard: Yeah.
Interview with Haley Swain
Carrie Cantrell: We spoke with a handful of students who were present for the Salmon release and asked them about their experiences.
[to Haley] Haley, how's your day going so far?
Haley Swain: Great. I just got my little Alvins. Yeah, little Alvins that I'm gonna release. There's three of them. There's Cooper, Freddie, and Booger.
My name is Haley Swain, and my major is Environmental Landscape Management Technology. I learned that when the salmon die, they're called spawn. They're spawned, which is cool, because it makes me think of, like, them kind of coming back, like, almost like a rebirth.
Carrie Cantrell: Right, right, right, right. Yeah, it's like a whole process, like life and death put together.
Haley Swain: And they do, like, rebirth four trees and four animals, and like, provide life, even when they're gone. Like, that's just so fascinating to me.
Interview with Cassidy Campbell
Cassidy Campbell: My name is Cassidy Campbell and my major is communications. I was invited to drive the van, but also I really wanted to see the salmons get released. But I thought they were going to be really big, but I also enjoy my cup of salmon.
Carrie Cantrell: You have two salmon in your cup. Do you have names for them yet?
Cassidy Campbell: One is called Finn, but I don't know what the other one is called yet. Maybe Robert.
Carrie Cantrell: That's a good name. What do they look like? Can you describe them?
Cassidy Campbell: One is jumping and it makes me panic a little bit. But, um, but I can't even describe the color. They look really cool. I like when they look through the cup at you. But I'm anxious to release them into the wild.
Carrie Cantrell: Did you learn anything from the presentation?
Cassidy Campbell: Yes, I didn't know that this existed at all. I didn't know why how can I say, why the little salmons are being released. But I think what I learned most is I think what will stick with me is the, what is it, the yolk pouch.Yeah. It's a little gross.
Carrie Cantrell: But I like it. They're a little
Chubby. But they're cute.
Interview with Reo Moore
[to Reo] Do you mind if I ask you some questions for the Let's Talk podcast?
Reanne Moore: Sure. My name is Reanne, or Reo. I'm in PCC and majoring in multimedia certificates.
Carrie Cantrell: What made you interested in coming out to the Tillamook State Forest today?
Reanne Moore: Just see what it's like there. I've never been to Tillamook before. And I just want to see everything around Tillamook and want to see it and go from there.
Carrie Cantrell: What's your impression so far?
Reanne Moore: Pretty fun.
Carrie Cantrell: Yeah? It's beautiful out here.
Reanne Moore: It is.
Carrie Cantrell: Did you learn anything new in the presentation we just listened to?
Reanne Moore: Like the history of it. Like the fires before are really bad. And not good for the salmon.
Carrie Cantrell: That's true, yeah. What do you want to do with your multimedia degree? Do you have any passions that you're interested in pursuing?
Reanne Moore: I want to be a video editor.
Carrie Cantrell: Okay, excellent. Are you catching any cool video on your phone?
Reanne Moore: Yes.
Carrie Cantrell: Ooh, maybe you want to share some and we can put it on the
website when we're ready for the podcast.
Reanne Moore: Awesome.
Carrie Cantrell: Great.
Interview with Kwanjai Welch-Lucier
Kwanjai Welch-Lucier: I'm really excited about the release. I learned about the different life stages of salmon. I didn't know about the alevin or the button-up stage. So that was really exciting. I'm really into salmon, so I already know quite a bit about them.
Carrie Cantrell: Really?
Kwanjai Welch-Lucier: Yeah. But I thought that it was a really great and clear presentation that explained the salmon life cycle very well. I've never seen salmon up close like this. You can see they have these little darker spots. A lighter coloration on their belly where you can still kind of see their yolk sac which makes me think they must be in their button up stage.
And the tips of their tails are a little orange. I'm a little afraid to name them since they're probably gonna be gobbled up by something. And that would be a little sad.
Carrie Cantrell: Alright, we're at the river. Where do you think is the best spot?
Kwanjai Welch-Lucier: Well, probably somewhere where I won't have too much height over the water so that they won't be too stressed.
Carrie Cantrell: Okay.
Kwanjai Welch-Lucier: So, maybe that bit of the bank right there would be good. With their coloration, they just disappear along the riverbed. I saw the guy for a couple seconds and then he was gone.
Interview with Denise Berkshire
Carrie Cantrell: We were able to speak with Denise Berkshire one one-on-one and asked her about her own personal opinions about diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially when it comes to accessibility at the Tillamook Forest Center.
Denise Berkshire: We were just talking this morning on the way over here about how this isn't accessible because of our stairs, and I was thinking about folks, if they were coming, what we could offer and how we could accommodate them.
We had that conversation this morning when we walked over here, and so this is really incredible that they'll at least be able to experience it digitally, and then we're thinking ahead about how do we make, you know, things more accessible when we're going down to the creek or, the kind of those other places.
Carrie Cantrell: So can you talk about what kind of accommodations you have on site now for visitors?
Denise Berkshire: I can. So for our fire lookout tower, we made sure that we had our exhibits at the base of the tower were similar that were at the top because it is a replica. So we don't have an elevator to get up to the top. We do have a number of accessible items throughout the exhibit hall. Your standard building codes and things like that. But also, when we designed and built the facility, we wanted to make sure that it was very sensory. So, you know, if folks have particular limitations, like if you have a sight limitation, we have a lot of things that you can listen to.
If you have a hearing limitation, you have lots of things that you can see or touch or feel. And then we also are in process. Our recreation, education, and interpretation program has a strategic plan with diversity equity and inclusion incorporated into that, and so we'll be working on planning and incorporating other components. So we're kind of in the planning stages of enhancing that, but we have thought of things like our website and videos for the digital arena. But then also thinking about opportunities for sensory quiet spaces to be able to accommodate those that are on the autistic spectrum, or checking out, or having different kinds of needs that are met.
So there's a whole gamut, as I'm sure you're aware, to think about. And we are in the planning stages of that, and we are always thinking about that. From when we have a program and we set up our chairs, will a wheelchair be able to come through this aisle? And when we're setting up our exhibits, are there any other accommodations that we need to be considering?
Carrie Cantrell: I'm already very impressed with the exhibits. I especially love the tactile map, the topo-map where the fires have been affecting, and this and this. That is such a crucial thing, especially for nonsighted people to be able to have a tactile experience. And like you said, there's a lot of audio exhibits as well. Where do you get those types of media from?
Denise Berkshire: All of those exhibits were part of the initial design of the facility. That was all in the planning stages of the initial building. [to another person] Okay. Thank you. One more. [to Carrie] We, and so, as I mentioned, we wanted to make sure that things were very sensory. And so that, that is part of that. You know, we are working to do an exhibit refresh. Those exhibits were from 2006 and so as we're moving into the future and we're working with fundraising and looking at an exhibit refresh, that will be a pillar that we will be focusing on, in updating and modifying our exhibit tree for, the D.E.I. element that's in there to making sure that we are, inclusive and accommodating to as many visitors as we possibly can be and thinking that through and then working with the communities to get their perspective and get their input as well.
Conclusion and Closing Statement
Carrie Cantrell: Thank you for listening to this episode of Let's Talk. We learned that a lot of activities that we might take for granted, including the outdoors, simply aren't accessible to everyone. Accessibility to natural spaces can have many benefits, including health, economy, society, exercise, and psychological.
Accessibility to green spaces is important for mental well-being, which has community implications for policymaking, urban planning, and health services. People with disabilities make up a large proportion of users of natural environments, and for this reason, we must make outdoor spaces in public lands more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
This short list from wilderness.org explains what steps we can take to make a jaunt to the woods more accessible for folks with disabilities.
Remove physical barriers and build spaces that serve everyone. Uneven terrain, steep inclines, and a lack of ramps or handrails are just a few of the obstacles that people with disabilities often encounter in outdoor environments like national parks and trails.
Let people know what's waiting for them before they arrive. Providing accurate and comprehensive information about accessibility features, services, and programs available in outdoor spaces is vital. That means telling visitors what they will find before they arrive.
Make sure people with disabilities are at the center of planning efforts. Enhancing accessibility in public lands requires collaboration among many stakeholders, government agencies, park officials, policymakers, disability advocacy organizations, and people with disabilities.
Raise awareness and promote inclusion for everyone. It's not just about developing ramps and better park maps. We also need to transform outdoor culture and combat more subtle forms of ableism. For instance, media about sports and outdoor recreation should reflect a fuller array of bodies and abilities.
Tell the stories of the disability community. Public lands should depict a more holistic and truthful U. S. history by incorporating more stories from and about the disability community. Increasing national parks, monuments, and historic sites dedicated to preserving and interpreting these stories is crucial. These spaces should highlight the struggles, successes, and contributions of people with disabilities, not only honoring them, but also educating visitors about their challenges and progress.
So, by amplifying the voices of the disability community in these public spaces, we are working towards a more inclusive society that values empathy, understanding, and the importance of diversity.
Disaster Prep: Transcript
Introduction
Carrie: Thank you for listening to "Let's Talk," the podcast produced by and for students at PCC, exploring the world and the college experience through our perspectives. Today's episode captures the onsite reactions and real-time thoughts of attendees to this May's Go Bag Ready Event hosted by PCC science teacher, Taryn Oakley. Have you heard of the big one? What would you do in the event of a disaster? I'm Carrie Cantrell. I'm a student advocate in the accessible education and resource department, and I sat down with Taryn, along with many students, and one scheduled speaker at the event. Here's what they each had to say.
Interview with Taryn Oakley
Carrie: So, on the microphone, we have Taryn Oakley. Hello, big fan. I took Taryn's class last term.
Taryn: Environmental Science: Geological Perspectives.
Carrie: Cool. And we were part of the go bag design project and getting that ready, so it's super fun to be here. Tell us a little bit about the experience and the process of getting this grant project off the ground and getting it started and implemented.
Taryn: Sure. So this has been for many years kind of a dream of mine, because as I was teaching students about the Cascadia Subduction Zone, I started to realize that many of them didn't know about it, and were not at all prepared for, you know, when it happens. And so I started telling one of my coworkers about how I wished I could, you know, prepare more students and give them basic supply kits. And she was like, let's do it, just get an Eco Social Justice Grant, and let's just try. And I was like, I don't know, I'm kind of busy. So we did it, and we got it. And it was a lot of work, but really fun because, like Carrie mentioned, we involved my students last term in designing the bags, and putting together the resources for the bags. And then my students this term are here at this event where they're learning about the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and everyone's getting to leave with a ready bag starter kit. And we have all sorts of amazing folks here tabling to share resources on how to make more resilient communities. So I'm really excited.
Carrie: So, I have here one of the go-bag ready bags. And would you be able to talk about some of the items in here? Like what's this item here?
Taryn: Sure. So, these are the resources that my class last term created: there's an emergency checklist, there is some background on the history, there's another family plan, and Carrie's team made this amazing brochure with additional resources.
Carrie: It came out well.
Taryn: Yeah, it looks fantastic. I wish y'all could see it. But if you're a student, you can come grab a ready bag if there's any leftover and you too can see it.
Carrie: So, we have info and then we've actually got some gear in here.
Taryn: Yeah, we've got an emergency blanket.
Carrie: Yeah, and this?
Taryn: A water filtration straw so you can drink out of non-potable water.
Carrie: And this?
Taryn: We've got a hand-operated crank flashlight and you don't need batteries for it, some first aid supplies, we've got some Band-Aids, an emergency whistle, a lighter so you can get your stove started, a mirror that we can use for signaling, some gauze, some nitrile gloves, a map of the city because your internet's not going to work, so you can still get around. And then it all comes in this nice little reflective bag that can kind of dual-purpose as a safety vest.
Carrie: Safety vest, water catchment system, food gathering, put it over your head, everything's nice and rosy because it's pink inside there now.
Taryn: There is a Ziploc bag for you to put your documents in later.
Carrie: Oh yeah.
Taryn: Like copies of your ID, maybe some cash, medicines that you might need in a pinch.
Carrie: Well, I learned a lot from your class last term and from doing this project, and I bet a lot of students today are gonna be super enlightened about the impending disaster. [laughter]
Taryn: Well thank you Carrie for being here and for doing this podcast.
Carrie: Absolutely. Thank you, Taryn.
Interviews with two students from ESOL Classes
Speaker 1: So, what are you doing? You're just talking to students?
Carrie: Yeah, well, we've got a bunch of episodes just exploring student culture, campus culture on the website.
Speaker 1: Ok.
Carrie: And so, we're here to just get people's take on the whole disaster incoming and what's in the bag.
Speaker 2: You have questions?
Carrie: Yeah, were you prepared for a disaster before this event?
Speaker 2: No, no. [laughter]
Speaker 1: Will you buy water now? Yes?
Speaker 1: Did you know there was going to be an earthquake here?
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 2: I don't know.
Speaker 1: Had you heard? Yeah?
Carrie: Would you like to be on the podcast? Yeah? Have a seat. So do you think about disasters like earthquakes all the time? Yes?
Speaker 3: Yes.
Carrie: What makes you think, are you ready now? Are you prepared?
Speaker 3: Uh-huh. For a disaster?
Carrie: For a disaster, yeah.
Speaker 3: In my home I have water, food, medicine, money, for two weeks.
Carrie: Yeah.
Speaker 3: For two weeks.
Carrie: Yeah.
Speaker 3: One water per person.
Carrie: Ok. Oh, bottle?
Speaker 3: Water. Uh-huh.
Carrie: Yeah, those are all important, yeah. So, thank you for sharing what you've learned. Hopefully we don't have to use any of the supplies that are in the bag, right? Pray to God.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Carrie: Yeah. [laughter] What is your name?
Speaker 3: My name is Ericka.
Carrie: Nice to meet you, I'm Carrie.
Speaker 3: Nice to meet you too.
Carrie: Thank you so much for talking with us today.
Speaker 3: Thank you.
Interview with Jonathon
Carrie: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you so much. Would you like to be on the podcast today? Okay, come sit down and tell us what you know. So first, thank you for being on the Let's Talk podcast. We're here to explore student's perspectives. What's your name?
Jonathan: Jonathan.
Carrie: Johnathan, good to meet you. My name is Carrie.
Jonathan: Good to meet you too.
Carrie: What brings you to the event here today?
Jonathan: One of our classes, we're just coming to learn more about the earthquake.
Carrie: Okay. What did you learn about being prepared?
Jonathan: It could happen at any moment.
Carrie: It could happen at any moment, it's scary [laughter] Did you think about being prepared for disasters before coming to this event?
Jonathan: Yeah, with our families we've talked about it before.
Carrie: Really? That's good. So, you were raised on the West Coast and like thinking about these things?
Jonathan: Yeah, born here yeah.
Carrie: Okay, well, very cool, very cool. Did you learn anything new that you like hadn't heard before, like something new?
Jonathan: Just more information added to what I already knew.
Carrie: Okay.
Jonathan: Before we knew how high the tsunami limits were.
Carrie: Yeah.
Jonathan: Now we learned that it's a lot more.
Carrie: Yeah, so I think that's the biggest impact that I learned from Taryn is that there's gonna be a lot of people from the coast coming in.
Jonathan: Yeah.
Carrie: And it's gonna be basically a big community effort to make sure everybody's needs are taken care of. So, yeah. Well thank you so much for talking with us today.
Jonathan: Thank you.
Carrie: It's been a real pleasure. Nice to meet you, Jonathan.
Interview with Anna
Anna: Hi, Carrie. I'm Anna.
Carrie: Nice to meet you.
Anna: Nice to meet you too.
Carrie: Welcome to the Let's Talk podcast.
Anna: Cool. I think like, I have a background in geology, so like not a lot of it was new information.
Carrie: Okay.
Anna: But I think what was important for me was, just like the statistics, and the actual geological like proximity of where we are, because a lot of classes are more generalized, whereas this was very specific of like, this is how it will affect you.
Carrie: Yeah.
Anna: Yeah, that's one of my big takeaways.
Carrie: Okay, cool. Did you get a chance to check out the stuff inside the goodie bag here?
Anna: I'm part of the class that helped pack them. So it's been surprising me that everyone's been talking about it.
Carrie: I was super proud we were part of the class that helped design this.
Anna: Nice!
Carrie: But my group mate Jordan made this map here, and very conveniently categorized things according to what geographic disasters might occur there in the city.
Anna: Nice, yeah, okay cool!
Carrie: Shout-out to Jordan. [laughter]
Anna: Nice.
Carrie: So if you're concerned about where things specifically might happen and like where to avoid what hazards check out that map on the back of that brochure.
Anna: Yeah, awesome.
Carrie: Thanks so much for talking with us.
Anna: Yes, totally. Have a good day.
Carrie: Thank you, you too.
Interlude
Carrie: You want to be on the Let's Talk podcast?
Speaker 4: Do I have to talk to [inaudible]?
Carrie: You don't have to. No one has to do anything. Come have a seat [laughter]
Speaker 4: I'm gonna pass today.
Carrie: Okay, no problem, no problem, no problem. [laughter] So I am here to record a podcast about education and student's reactions to this event, and to the news that Taryn is teaching in her class about disaster preparedness. And we've been focusing a lot, AEDR is at the next table over here, regarding disability access and disaster preparedness, impact and strategies. And we'll be here to sort of like process, have a conversation. Yes, thank you so much.
Interview with Megan Faust
Carrie: Hi. I saw you presenting, would you like to sit down for a podcast, maybe a little soundbite?
Megan Faust: Oh sure. A soundbite?
Carrie: I produce the Let's Talk podcast. I'm a PCC Disability Student Advocate. So we explore student culture and events happening on campus, you know. So we're just here to talk about it. We're produced through the Accessible Education & Disability Resources department. Yeah, come on! We're just curious. So I saw you presenting in the Terrell Hall auditorium. Where's your expert level? And what's your name by the way? I'm Carrie.
Megan Faust: I'm Megan Faust.
Carrie: Nice to meet you, Megan. Thank you for being on our podcast. What's your area of expertise when it comes to earthquakes and disasters?
Megan Faust: So I teach geology and general science and environmental studies here at PCC.
Carrie: Okay.
Megan Faust: And my background is more in geology.
Carrie: Oh very cool, very cool. And how'd the presentation go? This is like the first event I can remember hearing about on college campus at Cascade at PCC about disaster prep and things like that. Were you excited to be part of this?
Megan Faust: Yeah, I think it was a really great event. And I was excited to talk a lot about the science behind earthquakes, and specifically the Cascadia subduction zone as it pertains to us here in Portland.
Carrie: Yeah.
Megan Faust: And so we talked about subduction zones, and kind of the how we know what we know in terms of the history of the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Carrie: Which is a very active history of being subducted and active volcanically and seismically as I understand.
Megan Faust: We have experienced several, well, many, dozens of large earthquakes along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Carrie: The key takeaway from that statement being that we will experience more large earthquakes along this subduction zone in the future. This is a trending pattern.
Megan Faust: We certainly will, yeah. And I guess the burning question is when.
Megan Faust: And we don't yet have a very accurate way of predicting exactly when, what day and time. So it's important for us to look at the historical record and understand what the recurrence interval is, so that we have an estimate of when one might go off.
Carrie: Okay. What is the current estimate? Within how many decades or years?
Megan Faust: So the recurrence interval that I've heard is kind of around 300 to 500 years, depending on what size earthquakes. And given that the last earthquake was in the year 1700, we are starting to enter that recurrence interval.
Carrie: Okay.
Megan Faust: So that's not to say that we will certainly see one in our lifetime. It could happen. It could be in the future.
Carrie: Yeah.
Carrie: Okay. Well, just another reason to appreciate bringing this conversation into our cultural dialogue. That's how we create ripples into the next generation, by embracing it. Thank you so much for talking with us today, Megan. We appreciate your knowledge that you shared in the auditorium as well.
Megan Faust: You're welcome. Thank you.
Carrie: Have a good one.
Carrie: So you can check out our podcast episodes at pcc.edu/DCA, it stands for Disability Cultural Alliance. But yeah, this is kind of a new cultural place for disabled students, and disabled advocates where we're putting our projects up and stuff like that. It was nice to meet you.
Interview with Suwali
Carrie: Hi, there. I'm Carrie.
Suwali: Nice to meet you, Carrie, I'm Suwali.
Carrie: Nice to meet you. Thank you for being on the Let's Talk podcast. We explore student culture and perspectives from the viewpoint and lens of students experiencing disabilities. And we cover several topics basically. We've got a bunch of series that have to do with disabilities. But we also have many, many episodes about healthcare access, finding out information, and getting things from a student perspective. So what is your experience with disaster prep? What's your knowledge about subduction zones and earthquakes?
Suwali: I don't really have that much experience or knowledge with what were to happen in a disaster in the area, or what else would happen. But there's just just not too much information for I guess people of color in the state. I live in an area where most of the people that attend the schools are all POC, and we don't get much resource or help with things like this. So we don't really talk about what would happen if a disaster were to occur in Oregon or in Portland. So it's just kind of a scary situation where it's just like, oh, we'll figure out once the time comes then. I guess the only knowledge you'll know about it is hearing about maybe your children or maybe faculty or relatives that know about this sort of thing. Unfortunately, that's as much as I would know. And so I think it's really helpful when the school does things like this where they can help provide resources to talk about it with you. Especially without anxiety, because I feel like it's such an anxious topic to talk about what would happen if a disaster would occur, and we wouldn't even know what to do. Like where would we get our water supply from, where would we go to get the resources from, if we've never been taught or trained, what to do in case of these emergencies.
Carrie: What would you like to see as far as bringing more information into a circle of discussion?
Suwali: I would like to see more resources and reach out into neighborhoods they would normally not go into, because I feel like where I live specifically in the Gresham area, I went into a middle school [inaudible], if there was even a chance that we got like field trips or people coming down there to talk to students and tell them or inform them about things we could do as of now to be proactive in cases where this happens. I feel like students would at least have a little more information than not having anything at all.
Carrie: Yeah.
Suwali: Like starting really young, or just, I don't know, involving more of the other cities that are not just in the North Portland area because feel like I've been in the area for a while. There is a lot of the community talking about things and ways that can help you, but they don't think about Portland as a whole. I think just looking at certain parts of where they could help, but I don't think they branch out as much as they tried to.
Carrie: Yeah. You know what the other thing too about talking to kids about these things is that kids are always so confident, always. Like, they light up when they have like a little bit of empowerment.
Suwali: Yeah, they do.
Carrie: When you give someone, an adult, a flashlight, they're like, what do you want me to do with this? And you give a kid a flashlight, they're like great, now I'm ready. [laughter]
Suwali: They're really passionate about it. I love their enthusiasm, they're so cool.
Carrie: Yeah.
Suwali: But that's precisely what I mean. I feel like if we take some initiative towards like, you know, learning about these things earlier on, you know, it wouldn't be as hard as when we're older and trying to like reflect on all of this, especially with like, mental issues. I feel like once you're an adult, like there's so many things affecting your wellbeing and then you're learning how to like, solely survive. And now you have to be ready for the worst of the worst situation. You're not even prepared for life. Yeah, I don't know how to explain, that's the best I can do. I'm a full-time student and a full-time worker, and I'm slowly just trying to get my life together. And now I'm just like opening up this conversation again since like the last time I talked about it in seventh grade; it's really hard. And I'm just like, wow, now I have to think about what would I do in a case where like I have a little chance of survival, and I'm trying to take care of my family, and then all of my other family that lives out here. It's a really hard topic.
Carrie: Yeah, that definitely makes you think about your priorities. And I think what I'm hearing from you is that you want to see more events like this, more widespread, so that it's accessible and available to everyone to just talk about. And have that instinctual confidence, like can you be confident talking about it and performing it if you ever need to, because one of the barriers is that you've got so many other things going on in your life. That's like, okay, it's not instinctual, I have to like literally train my brain about it.
Carrie: Yeah, well I can definitely support that endeavor. And I mean Taryn did a really good job getting this grant funded and like it seems like an experiment.
Suwali: Yeah, I'm super happy to be here.
Carrie: I would love to see you doing some more events and passing out go bags and stuff like that, you can do it. [laughter]
Suwali: I would like to be a part of it too because I try to be really focused and engaging with the community and trying to do what I can. Because I understand we all have our own lives, but you know, coming together as a community is important.
Carrie: Cool. Thank you so much for sitting down
Suwali: Thank you for having me.
Carrie: Absolutely!
Suwali: I appreciate talking to you.
Carrie: Yeah, have a great week.
Interview with Jay:
Carrie: Hey, how's it going?
Jay: It's good, how are you?
Carrie: Good! Do you want to sit down and join the podcast? [laughter]
Jay: I mean, [inaudible].
Carrie: So what is your name, please?
Jay: I'm Jay.
Carrie: Jay, good to meet you. I'm Carrie.
Jay: Hi Carrie.
Carrie: Thank you for sitting down with the Let's Talk podcast. What did you know about disaster preparedness before today, before this event?
Jay: It's something that I've thought a little bit about, for sure.
Carrie: Okay.
Jay: Just kind of growing up on the West Coast, California, and just down there also a high earthquake risk.
Carrie: Yeah.
Jay: So yeah, always just trying to stay prepared. I'm taking some wilderness first responder courses.
Carrie: Right, yeah.
Jay: And just kind of keeping stuff on hand lightly. Not like, you know, heavily prepared or anything like that.
Carrie: Yeah. Oregon is a state with a lot of wilderness and wildlands in it, so knowing how to sustain yourself off of the wilderness definitely an important survival skill.
Jay: Also yeah, just with having that medical training, that community, I think is so necessary. I mean I've run into circumstances a few times where somebody has been laying on the ground, and I had to come up and be that first responder. Or like there's been car accidents. So it's actually paid off a couple times.
Carrie: Wow.
Jay: To have that comfortability in a really high-stress situation just with a list of things to check off to make sure that like people are okay I think is a super good skill to have.
Carrie: Yeah. So how do you plan on getting supplies? Or are you just gonna head to the woods when the earthquake hits? [laughter]
Jay: I gotta make sure that my people are okay.
Carrie: Yeah.
Jay: I know like my brother, he knows [inaudible]. And I think the best mode is walking, personally.
Carrie: Walking, yeah.
Jay: Yeah. Slow and steady.
Carrie: Yeah, absolutely. More stable as well in case like another aftershock comes, and what if you're carrying a huge load and then you lose a bunch of very important supplies or something because you are relying on your [inaudible]. There you go, yeah.
Jay: Yeah. I think that like staying light and just like communicating with your neighbors, really coming together and figuring out what can be done; I think that's like how life persists is by networking, you know?
Carrie: Yeah, definitely.
Jay: So I think that's like number one.
Carrie: Okay. Well thank you so much for sitting down and talking with us today.
Jay: Yeah, thank you, Carrie.
Carrie: You can check out Let's Talk podcast at pcc.edu/DCA
Jay: Cool. I'll definitely look into it.
Carrie: Okay.
Jay: Thank you so much.
Carrie: Have a nice day.
Jay: Yeah, you too.
Interview with Kevin:
Carrie: Hi! How are you doing?
Kevin: I'm good.
Carrie: Would you like to sit down and be part of our podcast for a short conversation? Ok. Scooch on in, get close to the microphone. What's your name?
Kevin: Kevin.
Carrie: Kevin? Good to meet you. I'm Carrie.
Kevin: Good to meet you too.
Carrie: What did you know about disaster preparedness before this event today? Had you thought about it before?
Kevin: Yeah. I mean I guess just like survive, you know, in the best way you can.
Kevin: Not really. I mean I've just seen a bunch of movies on it.
Carrie: Yeah [laughter] Yeah, they have a lot of disaster movies out there.
Carrie: That's right, yeah. Do you have kind of an idea of what your strategies are going to be now after this event?
Kevin: Yeah, a little bit. Yeah, now that I've got a little ready bag, I'm a little bit more prepared.
Carrie: Yeah.
Kevin: I guess I can say, with confidence, that if it does happen, I think it's cool that we should get prepared now instead of later when it comes.
Carrie: Yeah. I also think about like getting, and this might be like counterproductive, this might not be a good idea, but I think about getting too prepared, and then like you said all this energy and investment in what if something comes, and then it's like you don't even need any of that, you know what I mean? Like there's plenty of food like use all the stockpile of food. So for me, it's just good to be thinking about it and not have any like one solution that's gonna work but just like, okay, now my brain is prepared for the possibility it's gonna happen.
Kevin: Yeah. I mean, I think it's pretty good to be prepared in some way. Like COVID happened.
Carrie: Yeah.
Kevin: You know, like suddenly like everyone was buying toilet paper. [laughter] You know, there was no food and stuff. So, like, in a way like, you never know when you might need it, you know what I mean?
Carrie: Yeah.
Kevin: But it's always good to have some stuff when you need it. And even though it's like, oh, why do I need it?
Carrie: Who saw that coming with toilet paper though?
Kevin: That's what I'm saying. [laughter] And nobody had money and stuff. We can be financially smarter, and not waste as many go bags, you know, and stuff like that. You know what I mean? And the economy's falling right now.
Carrie: Having some cash in the background is gonna be a good idea, huh?
Kevin: Yeah. And being prepared.
Carrie: Be prepared. Yeah, just think about it. Yeah, good call, good call. And what was your name again?
Kevin: Kevin.
Carrie: Kevin?
Kevin: Yeah.
Carrie: Thank you so much for sitting down with us today, Kevin. Check us out at pcc.edu/DCA.
Kevin: Ok, yeah. What was your name again?
Carrie: Carrie.
Kevin: Oh, Carrie.
Carrie: Yeah.
Kevin: Thank you.
Carrie: See you, Kevin.
Carrie’s Last Stand
Carrie: Hi there, do you want to be on our podcast? We're making a podcast for disability student advocates. We're making a podcast for like a cultural center to talk about things. Okay, you don't have to. [laughter]
Podcast Conclusion & Follow-up Info
Carrie: Thanks for being in the room with us while we processed these difficult truths about our beautiful home region in the Pacific Northwest. Between fires, earthquakes, volcanoes, or flash floods, we all should be ready in the event of a disaster by preserving at least three days of water, food, medicine, and energy like battery packs or chargers. We can all be prepared by familiarizing ourselves with the communication networks for emergencies in our individual neighborhoods. What do we do, people with disabilities? The ready-now emergency preparedness toolkit for people with disabilities is an online document written and published in 2014 by the Oregon Office on Disability and Health, the Institute of Development and Disability, and the Oregon Health & Science University. It outlines ten basic steps to emergency preparedness, which I will share with you now.
Ten steps to emergency preparedness.
One: know what kinds of emergencies could happen in your area and consider what your neighborhood might look like after one happens.
Two: complete a personal assessment. Think about what you will be able to do and what assistance you may need before, during, and after an emergency.
Three: make your own support group of family, friends, relatives, neighbors, roommates, care providers, and people you work with who could help you in an emergency.
Four: make an emergency information list so others will know whom to call if they find you unconscious, unable to speak, or if they need to help you leave your home quickly.
Five: make a medical information list with the names and phone numbers of your doctors, your medications, how much you take, and your medical conditions. Write down what special equipment you use, your allergies, and any communication difficulties you have.
Six: try to keep a seven-day supply of your medications with you, and fill your prescriptions as early as you can. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what you should do if you can't get more right away. If you get treatments at a clinic or hospital, ask the person who helps you what to do if you can't get your treatments during an emergency.
Seven: install at least one smoke alarm on each floor in your home and test them every month. Know where the main utility cut-off valves are, and learn how, and when to disconnect them during an emergency. Know evacuation routes and safe places to go during an emergency.
Eight: fill out a summary checklist to make sure that your emergency plan covers every problem you might have.
Nine: keep an emergency supply kit in your home, your car, workplace, or anywhere you spend your time. Include food, water, a first aid kit, adaptive equipment, batteries, and supplies for your pets or service animals.
And number ten: make your home or office safer by checking hallways, stairwells, doorways, windows, and other areas for problems that may keep you from safely leaving a building during an emergency. Secure or remove furniture that may block your path.
This list is sourced from the Oregon Office on Disability and Health, the Institute of Development and Disability, and the Oregon Health & Science University. This list is also not comprehensive or in-depth. Our bodies and brains as members of the disabled community represent a spectrum of perspectives, abilities, and needs.
So to read and learn more about disability-specific strategies during an emergency, read this full document by clicking on the link provided here. You can find these transcripts at pcc.edu/DCA by following the links to Let's Talk Podcast Collective and searching for this episode. Thanks again for listening to this episode of Let's Talk. My name is Carrie Cantrell. I'm a student advocate in the Accessible Education and Disability Resources Department and I made this episode. Come join us and be a part of our podcast. If you are a student experiencing a disability and want a place on campus to connect with the community, come join us and be a part of our podcast. Go to pcc.edu/DCA and contact us.
This PCC research site created by Taryn Oakley contains helpful information specific to PCC community members and residents of the PNW. Follow this link to Taryn Oakley’s Disaster Preparedness Research Site.